A TASTE OF NARNIA

When it was announced that Disney was going to make the Chronicles of Narnia into a major motion picture, children's ministry departments around the country sprang into action. Themed environments, lesson plans, and special emphases were created to tie-in to the December 9 release of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (LWW).
Our church, however, had an already full schedule in December. So we sat out the motion picture premiere and patiently waited for the DVD release. Well, Tuesday brings the long-awaited video to homes and so we did a little Narnia decorating on Sunday for the kids. Our environment was not a special-effects wonder, but it had heart and it got the kids talking.

This is Dan, one of our faithful KidServants (and an elder at our church). He and I spent the better part of Saturday night getting set up. He built the "wardrobe" in the hallway to the fellowship hall (where we have our Sunday Morning Celebration).

The lamp was funny. At first I tried a black trash bucket with a yellow flame thingy on the side. Stick it up on the pole and viola! We had what looked like a black trash bucket on a pole. Then I tried to make a box out of black construction paper, complete with a panel cut out for the "flame." But it was too flimsy to sit up on the pole straight. So I decided the easiest, most effective route was a simple cut out. The result looked far better than my previous efforts (and before you ask: no, we did not try to get a volunteer to donate a real Victorian lamp).

When Sunday morning came, we welcomed the kids to Narnia! There was quite a buzz from the children and their parents about the decorations.

When the kids walked through the "wardrobe", we could hear them say, "wow...this is just like Narnia!"

Last week at Celebration, we began our "Countdown to Easter". Part of the countdown is a special four part "Playtime Parable" (for an explanation of this toy and video teaching tool, see my post here.). The series is called "Dorothy's Fantastic Voyages". Part one was last week and hooked up the characters from the Wizard of Oz with a wise man who showed them that wisdom, power, and love come from God. In the end, Dorothy returns home and decides to play hide and seek...in the big wardrobe in her room (I think you see what's happening here!). Part two, which was Sunday, was Dorothy in Narnia (yes, it fits, but don't ask for a detailed explanation right now). Parts three and four will fall on Palm Sunday and Easter and promise more surprises.

I love children's ministries!

YOU CAN GO HOME AGAIN

Here's a slogan for your consideration: "the world wide web: bringing people closer...one URL at a time!"





I happen to live in a pretty neat community in southern Oregon. You can visit Eagle Point online at www.cityofeaglepoint.com.

But my other "home" is in the state of Colorado. I was born in Pueblo (for those who don't know, this is where the Consumer Information Catalog is located (www.pueblo.gsa.gov). The Colorado State Fair is located in Pueblo (this was actually a Jeopardy question!). I had the opportunity to pastor a small church in the city for a short time. All three of my children were born in Pueblo, so it's a sentimental location.

But the place I really consider home is Florence, Colorado. This is where I spent my formative years. This is where I graduated. This is where I returned for a time in the mid-80's. Florence has never been a big city. People ask me where I am from and I tell them "Florence" and they look at me with blank stares, followed by "is that anywhere near Denver?" (nope).

Or at least they used to have that response. A few years ago, the newest, most technologically advanced maximum security federal prison was built on the outskirts of Florence. Some of the most notorious ne'er-do-wells in the United States end up at "Super Max." Of course, it took a little while for the national media to find it. At first it was like, "Lex Luthor will be housed at Super Max Prison, located 150 miles south of Denver." Then they got a little closer: "Otto Octavious will serve his sentence at the Super Max Facility west of Pueblo" (about 30 miles west!). Well, now the media actually uses the word "Florence", making it sound as if Super Max is its only claim to fame. Not so, oh blog reader!

Over the years, Florence has gone through a re-birth of sorts, becoming a center for arts, antiques, and sidewalk cafes. I have missed many of the changes, simply because I have not lived there for so long. In fact, my last visit was ten years ago (due to illnesses, I was not able to return for the funerals of my parents, who died a few weeks apart a couple of years ago. That was a tough time...if there was ever a time to return home...but anyway.....). So periodically, I would scan the web for some info on Florence. I found a neat photo business directory (www.downtownflorence.com), which shows outsides and insides of the eateries and shops in town, most of which didn't exist when I lived there (the local burger joint/hangout is now an oriental resteraunt). But I couldn't find anything that really captured the heart and soul of my home town....

...until yesterday, when I discovered sister websites: www.florencecitizen.com and www.florencecolorado.net. These websites are like a letter from home. And for more government/community development stuff, check out www.florenceco.govoffice2.com. After a ten year drought, it's suddenly raining web sites!

And speaking of home: if you would like some downhome wisdom and touching, sentimental devotionals, check out www.geocities.com/parsondonsgarden. I have known the website's author Don Brown for decades. Brief story: when I was a kid in Florence, I had a best friend named Rod. One day, Rod's mom came to pick up Rod from my house. My mom answered the door. Surprise! They had gone to high school together! Anyway, I always enjoyed hanging out at the Brown household. I lost touch for a while, but later, Don (Rod's dad) began publishing his thoughts and insights via email and, most recently, created the above website.

One last item, in the interest of full disclosure: although I call Florence, Colorado my home, my family actually resided most of the time in the small community of Williamsburg, Colorado, just outside the Florence city limits. And if you thought the location of "Florence" got me blank stares, just try to describe the whereabouts of Williamsburg! But my adventures in Williamsburg (and the greater Fremont County area) will have to wait for a future blog. Until next time....

RETURN OF THE PRESCHOOL TEACHER

I'm back...in more ways than one.
First of all, obviously, I'm back to the blogs. It wasn't my intention to be away this long, but I've been busy doing different things. Now that things have settled down a little, I'll probably be able to do updates a little better.
I'm also back in my "other" career. I am a children's ministry director at our church, but it is, technically speaking, a volunteer gig. One of my paid jobs is on the church staff, assisting the pastor in assorted tasks from screening phone calls to filling the pulpit. My other job is as a preschool teacher for 4 year olds. It is a job I have not been able to do for nearly three months!
I won't belabor the details, but due to an error on the part of the government folks who check out backgrounds, my wife and I got "flagged." This was the most incredible, amazing, and potentially embarrassing development in our lives. After years of working with children (and raising three kids of our own), we were told that we could not report to the daycare. We had to go back and document and demonstrate why this government agency goofed (and we all know that the government never ever makes mistakes!).
It took three months. In the meantime, my class had substitute teachers and the assistant director took up the slack left by my wife (the director). But as we heard of difficulties, it was heart-wrenching knowing that we could not charge in to the rescue. It was frustrating to deal with the speculation of curious parents who kept wondering why we got "canned" by the government.
And suddenly, it was over! No apologies. No niceties. Click...we're back in. A simple change of code and all of a sudden, we're daycare teachers again (when people ask me why I was gone, I tell them I had a bad code(cold)!).
So I have returned to hugs and smiles from kids and parents alike. It is nice. There's no place like home ..... or daycare.....or any venue that fulfills our purpose.

CHANGING HATS FOR THE DAY

Sunday Mornings ordinarily find me alternating between kids and grown-ups. I start shortly after 9 a.m. by dismissing the kids of Sunday Morning Celebration to their small groups. It's then off to teach an adult Bible study. And then, following this small group time, it's off to Celebration Large Group...a full scale ministry and activity time for the kids (see previous entry for some of the fun). It is such a HUGE blessing to minister to these kids.

However, once in a while, I get to step out of the role of "Children's Ministries Director" and step into the pulpit to deliver the message in the main service. I used to be a senior pastor in Colorado, so preaching to a congregation comes naturally. Usually, I am in the pulpit if the pastor is away at a camp or retreat or a well-earned vacation.But unfortunately, the pastor's absence this weekend was unplanned. He was hospitalized Friday night. So the elder board moderator called me and said, "you're up on Sunday!"

One of the questions people ask is, "do you always have a sermon ready just in case?" I guess that in 22 years of ministry, I've had a few messages I've reserved for the proverbial rainy day. But since I very rarely repeat a message once I've given it, I usually run out of the "just-in-case file." But in this case, I was ready. During my substitute times, I have been preaching expositionally through 2 Thessalonians. The neat thing about expositional preaching is that I always know where I will be next time. I'm always studying ahead and thinking about how to present it ahead of time. When the pastor gives me a date, I simply intensity the studies and concentrate on assembling all the data and application into a message. So when I got the Friday phone call, I already knew what I was going to preach on. The only difference was not having as much time to refine and fine tune as usual.

But God is awesome! The Word went forth and once again, I was reminded of two very important lessons. First of all, I'm just a channel. Any blessing or challenge that anybody gets from the message is not due to me, but to the Holy Spirit. This is true regardless of whether I'm working with adults or hanging out with the kids.
The second lesson? Our team of KidServants can handle a last minute change of plans very easily, thank you very much! What a neat group of men, women, and teens (if they're reading this, I just want to say, "WELL DONE this morning!")

A VISIT FROM THE PROFESSOR

Sunday Morning Celebration is the Sunday School of our church. At our early hour, we have small groups (the traditional Sunday School hour). But our second hour is Large Group time, a mixed age worship and activity time. It's a fun time and you never know who might show up.

This week (Super Bowl Sunday), we were looking at the Macedonian call from Acts 16. And who should arrive to give us a geography lesson but the famous Professor Parker Pinehurst! Professor Pinehurst has visited us several times and always amazes and wows with his depth of knowledge and extreme humility. With a map and string, Professor Pinehurst showed us Paul's journeys and attempted journeys until he ended up in Macedonia. Unfortunately, Professor Pinehurst got a little tangled in the string and...well, the rest is predictable.

As you can see, Celebration is a lot of fun. I have made it a habit to start bringing my camera on Sundays in order to capture some of the excitement. We may not be a mega-church, but we can certainly work on having a mega-children's ministry, to the glory of God!

OH THE HUMANITY (and what's snow with you?)

Okay, okay, okay....
After all my sentimental recollections of Super Bowls past with my favorite team, the Denver Broncos, I was anticipating today's AFC championship with, well, uh...much anticipation! By the time I got home from church, the Steelers were on top, 3-0. But ever the optimist, I knew that Denver would not remain on the low end...that they would acheive, they would score, they would emerge victorious.
They didn't.
So the 05-06 season is over and the Super Bowl is in two weeks. As of this writing, I do not know who the Steelers will face, but I will probably watch with detached interest, knowing it is only a game .

The week has not been a total loss however. We actually had a weather event on Friday! Understand that Oregon has been perpetually rained on for, well, I lost track. We've put up with flooding and high creeks, mud puddles and mold. It's wet and soggy. Oh, sure, the higher elevations get snow, but so far, little if any of the white stuff has landed on the valley floor.
Until Friday......

The above pictures were taken in our backyard during a two hour snow storm that literally blanketed the city in a layer of white. As I looked out the door from the church office, it appeared like a major blizzard had hit. No, it wasn't a foot of snow, but it was a significant amount.

But the change of weather was not to last. The snow subsided, the temps went up slightly and the subsequent rain washed away our winter wonderland in about fifteen minutes!

Today, we actually got sunshine and partly cloudy skies. This is good...as it offsets the dark rain cloud over my head after the Bronco game today . Okay, enough of that...time to move on!

Remember....God is on the throne and His faithfulness transcends funny weather and football games!

FOND MEMORIES OF SUPER BOWLS PAST

So January is in the air and the Denver Broncos are in the playoffs. It doesn't get much better than this. Those who know me best know that I am a loyal and long-standing Denver Broncos fan. The seeds of this loyalty were laid when I was in high school, when Denver advanced to the Super Bowl for the very first time in their existence. It was Super Bowl XII and it was as if the entire state of Colorado was painted blue and orange! I remember the electricity in the air among the students and faculty, almost like if we were to muster enough mental energy and good feelings, it would drive the Broncos to victory. The official song (which the loudspeakers played over and over again) was "Make Those Miracles Happen."
Well, as the old saying goes, "if wishing made it so...." Denver was defeated by the Dallas Cowboys 27-10.

Since then, I have seen the Broncos snatch defeat from the jaws of victory on many occaisions. And I confess, for a while, I lost track of my favorite team. But something very special happened in the late 80's. I was pastoring my first church and my wife was pregant with our first child. And as we kept visiting the doctor's office, I overheard the nurses talking about how Denver was going to advance to the playoffs! I grabbed a newspaper and got caught up on the information. My wife gave birth to a little girl, and, a little less than two weeks later, my newborn daughter and I watched Super Bowl XXI together. My daughter learned that daddy can indeed act in ways that belied his pastoral background. Denver lost to the Giants 39-20.

The following year, it happened again! Denver was heading to another Super Bowl. Oh, yeah, my wife was pregnant again too (don't write me nasty notes...I'm only kidding...my children are the most wonderful thing that happened to me). Another January birth and then, a couple of weeks later, my newborn son joined my 1 year old daughter and I as we watched the Broncos fall under the Redskins 42-10. I can imagine the looks exchanged by my children, almost as if my daughter's gurgling said, "don't worry...daddy gets like that about this time of year."

We had no more children for awhile, which is just as well, since Denver lost Super Bowl XXIV a couple of years later and I didn't think my kids should grow up with that legacy. Another daughter was born in May, '91, so there was no Super Bowl to think about. We had moved to Oregon and I became involved in a new church as a support staff person.

But finally, it happened! January 25, 1998. Super Bowl XXXII against the Green Bay Packers. I heard it was a great game. I heard it had drama and excitement. And most of all, I rejoiced at the final score: Denver Broncos had won their first Super Bowl 31-24. And I missed it! I missed it! Lest you think I am a total fanatic when it comes to Denver Broncos, I would have you know that I was teaching the evening worship service at the time. After the final prayer and amen, the teen we used for child care came up and told me the good news (he had been watching the game with the kids in back).

The following year, the Broncos defeated the Falcons for Super Bowl XXXIII, 34-19. What a nice thing to happen to a great team. I got to watch this one! My three children just shook their heads in wonder at their father's behavior during the game.

So anyway...as I write this, the AFC championship is coming up and once again, the Broncos may advance to another Super Bowl. I can't think of any great milestones (or mile high stones) in my life at the moment that would help me look back on these days with fondness, except for the fact that I get to work with children at the church and watch their excitement and enthusiasm for a lot more significant things than football. And I'll watch and remember and rejoice, but it's all in perspective.

Just don't call me on Super Bowl Sunday....I may not be quite in my right mind.

FLOOD WATCH: FOLLOW UP

First of all, let me thank everyone who prayed. While the flooding was definitely not as bad as the infamous "flood of '97," it was worse than the experts predicted. While our family was safe (okay, our swimming pool was creeping up there a bit!), some of the houses along the lower part of Little Butte Creek got some water. I mentioned backed-up storm drains, but I was also reminded of the smaller irrigation creeks that run through various parts of town that overflowed. One of our church family works for Search and Rescue and told us that there were several indigent folks who lost their trailers.
Overall, I believe our area dodged the worst of it. But on the other side of the proverbial coin, the main strength of the storm headed south, so our friends in northern California got hit far worse. Our prayers continue to be with them.
My children's ministries secretary was out and about the same evening I posted my last message. She was kind enough to share some of her pics. Keep in mind, this is a few hours after I took my pictures, so it shows just how fast the water situation escalated (interestingly enough, on the drive to church Sunday morning, much of the pavement had dried out. Of course, by the time services were over, it started to rain again.).

This was taken near the new visitor's center (which is under construction). Notice the bench!

The parking lot of the city hall...indistinguishable from the street!

That's a lot of water!

FLOOD WATCH: DAY ONE

It's a little wet here in southern Oregon. The pictures you see here were taken this afternoon from the middle of the brand new bridge in our city. The bridge spans Little Butte Creek (for you out-of-towners, Butte is like "Beauty"). Only Little Butte Creek is not so little at the moment. Days and days of steady rain, coupled with mild temperatures which are melting the snow pack at higher elevations, have caused our rivers and streams to rise...and rise....and rise.

I'd love to say I got a picture of the Loch Ness Monster, but it is actually a log...a tree-sized log....floating down the creek. The last time our rivers got this high was the famous flood of 97...New Year's Day, no less (I remember our church served as a Red Cross aid station). Now the experts are saying that this set of flood watches and warnings are not as bad as 97. But from the looks of things, our town might be in for some wet times. The lower level, creek side park benches at the site of the new visitor center (being constructed) are almost submerged. Some of the backyards that line the lower part of the creek are filling with water. My daughter reported that a few low level side streets are closed due to backed up storm drains.

Our family is fine...we are situated away from flood danger. But my prayer is for folks in our church body and in the community who may have to contend with this. No, it's nothing like the after-effects of Katrina, and it won't make headlines past our region. But our community is important, so if you could pray for us as we enter the new year, we would appreciate it. And I will attempt to keep you posted on our Flood Watch.

Wadja git?

Merry Christmas, everyone!
What a wonderful and tiring day it was. The action began last night with our church's annual Christmas Eve service (okay, it actually began last month around Thanksgiving, but I'm talking immediate past here). It was a beautiful service as always. Afterwards, we went "light looking." It too was fun and enjoyable.
And then...home. And some yuletide snacking. And some last minute wrapping. And last minute cleaning. As for me, I was putting the finishing touches on a "Playtime Parable." Now let me interrupt this missive long enough to explain what a "Playtime Parable" is. Once in awhile, during Sunday Morning Celebration Large Group Time (often referred to as "Children's Church" in some congregations), I will present a Biblical story or Bible truth or lesson using action figures. I have a camera set up to the big TV so the kids can see the action. It's a lot of fun and very well received. Now in the interest of fairness and full disclosure, I did not originate "Playtime Parables." Way out in the Chicago area lives my counterpart in children's ministries, a warrior for the Lord named Karl Bastian. He and I have met exactly twice, along with a few hundred of my closest friends, so if he does not remember me, that's perfectly understandable. Anyway, if creativity and innovation have a picture attached, it's Karl's. And one of his innovations is "Toybox Tales," in which he acts out Bible lessons using action figures. And here's the neat part...he even gives instructions on how to do the same thing! So I launched "Playtime Parables" at our church. If you want to see what experience, better technology, and a slightly offbeat mind will produce, check out www.toyboxtales.com for Karl's sight (it even includes free downloads). Let him know Tim sent you (to which he might say, "Tim who?)
Anyway, I was up until 2 a.m. working on Playtime Parable's "A Christmas Caroble". I told my lovely wife to set the alarm for 5:30, since I wanted to get an early start. She laughed and said I really did not want to get up that early. I went to bed, thinking about how I would get up early. And then, to show that God has a sense of humor, at 5:45 a.m., I got a tremendous cramp in my foot! I sprang out of bed to walk it off, only to realize the pain had vanished just as quickly as it arrived. And as I sat on the edge of the bed, weary, sleepy, and disoriented, I heard a voice within say, "So you really want to get up now?" I went back to sleep for a while longer.
Large Group Celebration went very well. We had a craft. We had a game. We had a festive holiday song. All that was left was the Playtime Parable and the object lesson. I flicked on the camera and began the scene. I had barely started the dialogue when my wife gave me the "sign" that the worship service was over and parents were starting to pick up their kids! I was faced with a choice. I could try to "rush it", but that would sacrifice the quality. So I stopped the action and told the kids, "To learn what happens next, come back next week!" I then did my object lesson, since it contained the very essence of what we were getting at, which is keeping Jesus at the center of our Christmas and of our lives.
A good ending for a good morning.
Afternoon was spent at my wife's mother's house. We had a great dinner, then opened presents. Some of you may wonder what a guy like me gets for Christmas. Well, I got socks and other articles of clothing, but I also received a 12 cup coffee maker (I am immune to 10 cups anymore), a commentary, a jar of peanuts (a tradition), a copy of the Fantastic Four movie, and one of the neatest gifts of all, a PlayStation 2 game called "Nintendo Museum", which features all the classic arcade games of the 70's and early 80's. I don't do a lot of current video games, but these games bring back memories of when video games were simple and fun.
So it was a good Christmas. But the older I get, the more I find that the presents are secondary to the joy and wonder of this season.
I hope all of you had a good day and that the upcoming new year will be a Christ centered one. God bless us, every one!

Tis the Season

December...ahhh, what a month!
I am one of those people who absolutely refuses to acknowledge Christmas before Thanksgiving (with the exception of program practices, of course). I cannot get in the mood for the holidays while going past school supplies. I have a hard time reconciling aisle after aisle of spooky, scary Halloween stuff with the Prince of Peace in the next row! My family is conditioned to cringe in fear should I hear one line of "Jingle Bells" before the final slice of pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving Day.
But after the aforementioned final slice.....
On our way home from Thanksgiving Dinner at Grandmother's house, we see who can spot the first decorated house. I start getting the Christmas videos out. I begin playing Christmas music. As the days of December roll on, I bundle up and trudge out for the traditonal Christmas tree hunt. Okay, so it's in the garage, but I do have to move a couple of boxes to get to it!
Sadly, we have had a combination of bad colds/flu and busy schedules, so my grandiose plans to get the tree up and the house decorated before the first weekend of December kind of fell through. I did get the stuff out of the garage, so I'm that much ahead.
Last night was our DayCare Christmas program, the first of many holiday festivities. In spite of some disasterous rehearsals, the play was really awesome. We had about 200 people present. After the play, I shared a gospel devotion and then we had a slide show, followed by refreshments in the fellowship hall. It was a neat evening.
Tomorrow night is the DayCare staff Christmas dinner. Our pleasant, dignified, early childhood educators transform into...well, I'm not sure how to describe it. What's neat is that it's wild, uninhibited fun without the presence of alchohol!
Coming up next weekend: the Live Nativity presentation, which our church is coordinating and staging once again on behalf of the city, and our Christian Education program, which is woefully behind schedule on rehearsals. I'll write more about these things later, but suffice it to say, December is a time of wonder and joy and activity. I suppose I could sit at home all night and wonder about Christmas' regrets. But what fun would that be? Let's celebrate...let's party...let's take a look at the first coming of Jesus!
Ahhhhh, December....what a month!

Happy Thanksgiving

To my many friends,
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! I am personally grateful for my family and friends, a house, a job. I'm grateful to my new friends I have "met" as a result of blogging (Hey Jayleigh!) and other internet activities (Yo, Net!). Finally, and of upmost importance, I am thankful to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
"In everything give thanks" 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Fifteen minutes of Fame

Let me begin by offering the following disclaimer: I do not endorse,recommend, encourage, or support the programs or networks described in this post. Having said that, let me just beam with a little family pride at my nephew's recent appearance on network television.
On MTV (wait! all my friends who are believers, please don't leave...!) there is a program called MADE, in which young people write in with their desire of what they want to be. A life coach is assigned them and the cameras document their progress.
Imagine my surprise when my sister called me and said MADE was being made in her garage. It seems my nephew has a friend who wanted to be rock star. My nephew, who is an incredibly talented guitar player, volunteered to be in the band. Their main rehearsal place? My sister's garage!
Watching the episode when it finally aired was a fascinating experience. First, I had to find out when MADE was usually on (MTV not being a network I frequent). And then the whole experience of seeing familiar sights and buildings (I grew up in the next town over from Canon City, Colorado). And then there's my nephew...the same age as my youngest daughter, making that guitar sing! I haven't seen him in person for over ten years. I think I really need to get back to Colorado for a visit. .
I know, I know...the show wasn't about my nephew. But who cares? Congratulations, Jessie, on your 15 minutes of fame!

Pain and Praise and Party-On

Ouch!
When I began to write this post, I began describing the pain and discomfort I have been experiencing lately because of a bad back, knee, and ankle. My intent was to turn it all around and demonstrate the awesomeness of God in spite of the problems. However, when I looked over what I had typed, it seems like I was spending more time talking about my problems and less time talking about the Lord. Sooooo, through the magic of word processing technology, I decided to start over.
On Sunday Morning, a time when I am the busiest ministering to a group of children for over an hour (and a group of adults for another hour), I did not need to be slowly hobbling around. And for that morning, God granted me a measure of relief from the pain and stiffness. It's almost as if the Lord knew what I needed before I even asked (wow...God knows what I need before I do--what a neat concept!) Indeed, God is awesome!

Moving Right Along

OUR GOD IS AN AWESOME GOD.
September is now tucked firmly away in the history books and our first month of preschool classes is done. As regular readers know, one of my "hats" that I wear is "preschool teacher" for a class of 4 year olds. As I recall in my previous post, I confessed to not feeling quite ready for the start of the new year. Well, I got ready...fast. In fact, I think I may have "over prepped" as I kept running out of time each class session. That's okay...the time was spent getting know each other...what an incredible age!
Not that the first month was without challenges. Mine came the second half of the first week. On Wednesday afternoon, I began feeling icky and achy and hot. By the time I got home, I had a 101 fever. As the evening wore on, I felt worse and worse. My temp hit 103 and my throat was practically swollen shut. It's been a long time since I've been hit this hard with a bug, but it flattened me for the rest of that first week. I did eventually see a doctor and got on antibiotics, but I felt bad that I "tripped" in that very crucial first week of school.
Well, now that the antibiotics have worn off, I think I caught a tiny cold. No fever--hallelujah!--and I don't feel so bad that I can't function. But my throat is again sore and swollen (though not like before). I share this because I ask for your prayers: if you are a Christian and you just happen to be reading this tonight (October 1), I would ask that you pray for me tomorrow morning, as I will be taking a break from my usual Children's Ministries duties to fill the pulpit for our vacationing pastor. I just need my throat and energy to hold out through the morning. If you are reading this after Sunday the 2nd, then join me in praising God for how He blessed!
In other news, I have set my heart toward attending the Anaheim Children's Pastors Conference in January. I have attended two other CPC's (but missed last year's!). I'm busy saving and raising money for the trip, so please pray that, if this is truly God's will, that I manage to gather the neccesary funds before the numerous deadlines.
Next Sunday, I will be teaching an additional adult class at the church. This one will be a 10 week series on cults and isms, to be held on Sunday night. So as long as I don't get my two adult classes mixed up with my children's programs, I'll be fine ("I don't care if you're 43 years old, you need to sit criss cross applesauce!").
That's all for now. Sorry for the delay in writing...I will try to do better.

As I sit here and write this blog (my first in several days), I can't help and reflect on the last couple of weeks. So, for your information...this is the week (or two) that was:

JURY DUTY. It's funny, but when it comes to some things like patriotism, I am very idealistic. When I got my summons, I had all the typical reactions ("what an inconvenience!" "I don't know what to do!", etc.). But a part of me was rather excited about the opportunity to "do my civic duty."
I reported on a Tuesday and sat in a big room with 398 of my closest friends. This was "orientation". A judge came in and explained the history of the judicial system in general and juries in particular. It was very interesting. Then the jury coordinator came up and explained to us that between the hours of 8 and 9, the lawyers and judges go through assorted motions and that some of the trials scheduled that day may not happen. And then... the moment of truth: all the trials went away!.
Day Two was a "report by phone" day. I did so the night before and the nice recording told me my number was not needed.
Day Three was "tag, you're it" day. I called the night before and my number was on the list. So I reported to the big room and waited until the baliff called roll. After roll, he called another set of numbers (not mine!) and told them that their trial had gone away and they could go home. The rest of us had to report to the courtroom. We followed the baliff to the courtroom, sat in our assigned seats, then were called one at a time to sit in the jury box and overflow sections. The judge gave us instructions and then the two attorneys asked us questions. It was an interesting flow of opinion and speculation, but finally, the two attorneys started making their eliminations. About three or four jurors had been sent home when the judge called my name and told me I was excused. Since three days is the length of jury service, that meant I was done. I learned a lot in my short time there.

CELEBRATION PREP. One of the biggest events of our Sunday School year is the "Roundup." Roundup is part pep rally, part homecoming, and part reunion. It's an exciting kick off to the new school year. We try really hard to make everything extra nice. Nothing to report, except that Roundup is tomorrow (Sunday) and due to the event described next, we aren't able to start setting up yet until later this evening. It makes things a little more hectic, but that's okay! Ministry is important enough to allow a little challenge!

FUNERAL SERVICE Last Sunday, my pastor asked me if I would do a funeral service today (Saturday). I agreed. It was a beautiful service...the woman was a believer and well regarded in the community. There was standing room only in the sanctuary and in the church foyer, testifying to this woman's faith. Sure, we can't start transforming the room into our Roundup environment until this other is over, but PRAISE GOD! the gospel was preached and lives were touched.

PRESCHOOL PREP. This is the last time I will write this (maybe!) Preschool (where I teach part time) starts tomorrow and I don't feel I am adquately prepared to impart educational concepts to the 4 year olds in my care. Who am I kidding...I'M NOT READY!! There...I feel much better now.

I will leave you with this: my newest philosophy is that I will not use the words or phrase, "It's going to be one of those days." I refuse to magnify the severity of my problems more than I magnify the goodness of God.

One down, two to go

My wife and I had the privilege this weekend of taking my daughter to college. It was a nice weekend with just the three of us. Actually, my little girl drove her own car and we took our vehicle for the four hour drive. We spent the night at a hotel a few minutes from the campus, ate dinner out, and laughed and joked.
The next morning, we pulled into the university parking lot and the adventure began. The staff was friendly and helpful. In fact, I spent a lot of time making mental notes of principles for children's ministry while I was there. Most of the morning was spent in line. Most of the afternoon was spent hauling my daughter's stuff up three flights of stairs! Fortunately, there were some strapping hunky college men around to carry the refrigerator, microwave, and other heavy items. I assured my daughter that this would be the last time I would feel comfortable with her receiving such attention from college boys.
A chapel service was held and then came the goodbyes. My wife and I left for the four hour excursion home, without our first born.
If this blog seems overly void of emotion and descriptive feelings, it's because I need to type quickly, lest the emotion and descriptive feelings keep me from finishing my first entry in about two or three weeks!
I'm proud of my little girl.

Camping Inspiration

The weather here in the great Pacific Northwest has been rather warm lately. So my family and I took off for a weekend of camping. Call me crazy ("your're crazy!"), call me strange ("you're strange!"), but when I go camping, I like to take stuff to study. Oh sure, I also take stuff for pure entertainment ( a favorite novel or CD) and I do "woodsy" kinds of things (great trails around the campgrounds). But I love to study in the forest! No television. No phones (believe it or not, I do not own a cell phone). Very few distractions apart from the occaisional mosquito. I can spend an entire hour in uninterrupted concentration on systematic theology, history, or whatever interests me at the moment.
My kids don't understand my joy of studying while camping, but that's okay. They still equate "study" with "school work", something they wish to blissfully repress for another 26 days, 8 hours, 12 minutes, and 45 seconds. Me? I love to learn. I am still patiently waiting and working toward the financial opportunity and time to complete my graduate studies with the ultimate goal of earning a doctorate. In the meantime, I am engaged in self-study for enrichment, ministry, and pure joy.
I spent a little more time on this camping trip in prayer for inspiration, and motivation regarding the ministries in which I am involved. Wow! Talk about clarity of thought. I almost filled a yellow legal pad (which I now buy in bulk!) with ideas for a new handbook, volunteer placement, and involving older kids in service. Much of this was stuff that was swirling around in my head, but it wasn't until I could study, read, focus, and pray without civilization encroaching upon me that the thoughts crystalized and finally got down on paper. I almost couldn't wait to get home to type it all up and show it to my children's ministries secretary (who would probably be stunned to see how organized I really am!).
Well, I am now back in civilization with all its challenges. I'm still typing. I'll let you know the outcome of these "deep thoughts", brought on courtesy of camping!

VBS 2005 is now history

We did it!
Actually the Lord did it, but He chose to use us. I'm talking, of course, about Vacation Bible School, one of the big highlights of the year at our church. Our theme this year was "Serengeti Trek" from Group Publishing. Group usually has a good program and outstanding music and this year was no exception. The kids learned how to KNOW GOD, TALK TO GOD, TELL ABOUT GOD, LOVE GOD, and WORK FOR GOD. Through the music and skits and Bible dramas, onward through the snacks and games and crafts...every element every night was designed to re-emphasize the daily Bible points and verses. Each night, the kids were able to choose a "Daily Challenge", a practical expression of the lessons learned. As they completed these challenges, leaves were added to a tree. It was all a beautiful expression of service to the Lord. Another expression was the missions offering: over $230 raised. It was a fun experience.
The title of this blog includes the name "KidServants", so I need to mention the incredible, phenomenal team of KidServants who put VBS together this year. Each year, they sacrifice their time, energy, and creativity to minister to these children. I am humbled by their service and grateful that they made themselves available to the Lord for this work.
Lastly, I need to mention the W. family (I won't give out their full name, but they know who they are). Mrs. W. is our children's ministries secretary and really kept me hopping through the process. Mr. W, whose work schedule would crush most mortal men, devoted hours in the evenings to painting backdrops and setting up decorations, along with his wife. If you are reading this, W. family, please know that you are a very precious asset to our children's ministries and I love and appreciate you.
I've already had several people ask about next summer. We will get to that soon enough....but first, we all need a well deserved nap.....Glory to God.

Independence Day in Small Town USA

I have the privilege of living in a small city in southern Oregon. "Small" is actually a relative term, since, according to experts, we are one of the fastest growing communities in the state. But even with our growth and progress, nothing equals the annual 4th of July celebration in our "small" community. It is classic Americana!
The morning begins with the 4th of July Breakfast at the Grange Hall...hosted, cooked, and served by the men and women of the VFW. The menu is always the same: scrambled eggs, ham, pancakes, coffee, and juice. The food is good and young and old come in to eat, joke around, and exchange the latest news and rumors.
There's the fun run events, in which I will one day participate after I lay down my burdens and get my knees fixed.
And then there's the parade. Main Street is blocked off and what looks like the entire community lines both sides. The best spot is the by the review stand. This is where the color guard stops and everyone stands as a local celebrity opens the parade with the National Anthem. The parade then proceeds: a diverse collection of vintage cars, horses and riders, civic leaders, and organizational floats. The floats wouldn't win any prizes at the Rose Parade, but they get trophies anyway (last year, our church VBS float won first place!). The fun part is the commentary from the review stand: corny jokes, crack-ups, and familiarity not seen in big city parades.
Booths line Main Street and, after the parade, one can "swim" through the people. Expect a wait in line at the food and soft drink booths, but there will be enough friends passing by and saying "hi" that nobody minds much. Of course, there's the lawnmower races too, souped up engines and all roaring down main street for honor and fun.
And no 4th of July festivities would be complete without fireworks. The same community that came out in sun earlier now assembles at the the high school football stadium. The best spots go to the early arrivals, but there's room for everyone. Families cahtting and playing, the high school concession stand already showing a line, the workers doing final checks on the pyrotechnics.
And then it's dusk and the excitement begins. The first half is the "sponsored" part in which businesses and individuals purchase shells in exchange for a mention. The announcer does a plug, the firework is shot. Another plug, another shot. Okay, it's kind of slow and a little boring. But it occurs to me that these businesses and individuals are an integral part of the fabric of the community. We eat at these resteraunts and shop at these stores and say "hi" to these folks. It's a little like a family coming together and remembering.
At half time, there is "Skydiver Bingo." Folks buy paper plates with their names on them. After the plates are scattered across the field, a group of skydivers parachute through the night, coming into view almost magically into the stadium. They scoop up a plate as they land and the winners get a prize.
The second half of the show is classic fireworks: loud, thrilling, and uninterrupted. It's spectacular and awe-inspiring, one of the best in the region.
The next day, our small city gets back to normal. And aside from the extra number of clean up crews patrolling the now busy Main Street, theonly remant fo a very special day in our city is the stray "pop" from a leftover firecracker.
God bless my community...and God bless the USA.