CELEBRATION ROUNDUP 08: GREAT DAY, GREAT GOD!

Hello?

What's loud and fun and full of smiles and laughter and, oh yes, loud? And what instills Bible principles and encourages kids to be a part of the best morning of the week at the same time?

Give up? It's Celebration Roundup. Part pep rally, part family reunion, this is our annual fall kick off event. The "normal" routine goes out the window as we spend both the Sunday School hour ("small group time") and the main hour ("large group time") in a big party. Along the way, we learned about how special we are because God created us and how His love helps us in times of sorrow and need. With kids going back to school, this is a neat reminder.

We had a good turnout for Roundup. Since families travel and sometimes get out of the habit of coming on Sunday morning, Roundup is a great way to get back into the swing of things. Plus it is an easy portal for kids to get other kids to join the fun.

On a personal note, I am overwhelmed with the heart of the men and women and teens in our children's ministries. As always, they stepped up and stepped in and stepped out to make the Roundup so amazing (in spite of last minute adjustments "on the fly"). If you are on our team and you are reading this, I want everyone to know how much I appreciate you.

Now...on to a few pics...

Jumping

Eating

Puppets

Praising

Enjoying

INTERESTING: THE FINAL CHAPTER (and a new beginning)

If you've read my blogs over the last couple of years, you recall a couple of reports on an interesting development in our church. (I'll summarize in a moment, or you can just go to Interesting 1 and Interesting 2 for the skinny!). I know many of you have been praying and have been curious as to what's happened.

Back in January of 2007, our leadership decided to transfer all the duties and responsibilities of the "Children's Ministries Director" over to our Christian Education Elder. I was allowed to lead the kids' program on Sunday morning (and also direct VBS), but I had no authority to really run with anything (not to mention having absolutely no input or involvement in the rest of the children's programs). The sudden move left me feeling a little bewildered and befuddled.

Since that time, I've tried to be faithful to the ministry that I have been given on Sunday mornings. It's been good. But as 2007 drew to a close, I wondered if it was time for our church to take a good, solid look at children's ministries in general and the part I would (by God's leading) play in it. But delays and cancellations caused the issue to be postponed. January turned into February and spring rolled into summer, but the board still had not had an opportunity to even hear the proposals.

Until Tuesday. At the monthly board meeting, the C.E. Elder and the former C.E. Elder teamed up to make the proposal that I be appointed as "Children's Pastor" of our church.

The leadership agreed.

So now I'm officially the CP of our church. Since I already do a lot of the things that are done, the change will not be a major dramatic one. What it does primarily is give me the freedom to once again tie our ministry programs together and "kick it up a notch" or two.

Thank you to all of you who have prayed and offered encouragement during my time of "wonderings." Let the new chapter begin....

CHECK OUT JELLY TELLY

Not much to add to this link (and I'm really late mentioning it!), but here's the next big thing in children's online entertainment: Jelly Telly. Going to this link will take you to a video that is about 30 minutes long, but well worth it. Jelly Telly comes to us from the heart of Phil Vischer, the creator of Veggie Tales. This promo video introduces the viewer to a new platform for reaching kids on their level.

I had the privilege of listening to Phil Vischer at the 2007 Children's Pastor's Conference in San Diego. He's a man with a heart for the Lord and for children. In this day and age of Nickolodeon and Disney Channel, Jelly Telly looks to be an exciting alternative that, in my humble opinion, we should all get behind. So check out the video and get ready to see the birth of a fresh wave of quality programming for kids.

RANDOM THOUGHTS ON MY BRAIN

The following are just some short notes about what's on my mind, in no particular order....

• Another memorable VBS moment from one of our leaders: One of our stations allowed the kids to "walk on water" like Peter (it was a recipe with cornstarch and stuff...gross to mix up, but the effect is cool!). One of the girls was on crutches from a sprained ankle. When it was her turn to "walk across the water," two other girls--without any prompting, directing, or encouragement--got up and helped her get across! I get a lump in my throat every time I think about it.
• A young lady in our church is getting ready to leave our community to tour with the Siver Ring Thing, a major abstinence education production that goes around the nation and other countries. It is so cool to see kids that used to be in the ministry start to go out and do the ministry!
• There are 49 tiny squares produced by the weave pattern in the generic store version of a Triscuit cracker (yes, I counted).
• New website in my link section: Hollywood Jesus. The webmaster, David Bruce, is from our area, but the ministry is nationwide. The site is full of reviews and analyses of movies, tv shows, comics, and pop culture from a spiritual perspective. Agree, disagree, or think futher--this is a good resource to add.
• I calcuate that I get seven phone directories every year. I am notoriously bad at not throwing out my phone directories. Being as it is starting to look like a tower, I think it's time to make a trip to the recycling center.
• To my ministry friend in Illinois who is playing "Mr. Mom" for an extended period while his wife is away: what an opportunity to invest in your son! And how much sweeter will be the reunion when your wife returns. God bless you!

HOW I SPENT MY WEEKEND

Funny story...

Well, not funny really, more like a tale born out of deep tragedy and personal pain that may possibly have good results in the end.

Whatever.

There is a room in our church that has been set aside as the "C.E. Office" It is an office in name only. No one uses it as an office. It probably resembles more of a storage center. When our talented painter created the fantastic bucolic mural that adorns our breezeway, she used the C.E. office door as the horse barn door (complete with horse). "Barn" is a good description. Over the years, I have cleaned and straightened and organized, with limited results. Either some stuff gets out of place, or I don't finish the task, or more stuff gets stuffed in there. For example, when I was told that the tape library archives had to be moved or disposed of, I put them in the C.E. office. A rather large storage cabinent was slated for removal, so all the items in it were moved to the C.E. office. And on it goes. The result is no place to walk or move.

Fast forward: Vacation Bible School is fast approaching. We needed some sturdy, industrail looking shelves to put on the stage for our set. Hey, let's get the ones out of the C.E. office! No problem, except for the fact that the shelves are packed full and there are two or three solid layers of boxes, items, and debris. So I set up two long tables in the hallway and engaged in the task of clearing the area in front and around the two shelves and then clearing the shelves themselves. After an hour or two of work, the shelves were free. I navigated them out of the still overwhelmingly cluttered office/barn/storage closet and we used them for our stage set for VBS. And since all the stuff couldn't sit in the hallway all week, I shoved it all back in the "office."

That's when I had a brain storm. After VBS was over, I had to get the shelves back in the C.E. office. That meant I had to clear out the stuff I had just put back in. Soooo...why not just empty everything out and do a massive sorting and cleaning project, putting things back bit by bit? So on Friday, I told our Craft Director (who was using the sizeable youth room that sits next to the C.E. Office) to leave her craft tables up. My plan was to whip through all this stuff on Saturday, leaving a lean, mean children's ministry office machine!

Whatever.

Understand, that VBS is a physically demanding week. Since it was in the evening, it made for a week of very long days. I slept in on Saturday, but I knew I had to get started. So Saturday morning, I headed to the church and began unloading items onto the tables in the youth room. It took all morning and part of the afternoon just to get the stuff out of the office. I dusted and vacuumed (so that's what the floor looks like!) and marvelled at just how big the C.E. office actually was. I put the shelves back in the room, took a late lunch break, and began the task of purging the "stuff." My criteria was simple: unless it had clear historic value, was irreplaceable, or would likely be used in the future, out it would go. This wasn't easy, as I subscribe to the "this might come in handy one day" school of hoardng. But I determined to be brutal and reduce years of accumluation to a manageable size.

But as daylight turned to darkness, the piles had not shrunk that much. I headed home at about 11 p.m., in order to finish my final prep for Sunday morning.

The Sunday Morning activities went well. The youth group was very understanding and forgiving of the mess in their room, especially when I mentioned I could get them donuts. I took my wife to lunch, came home, changed clothes, and returned to the church. My gaze was weary, but steady. My determination was strained, but still strong. My organizational skills were peaked. I threw things away that some people, if they knew about it, would hang me in effigy. I faltered a couple of times, the bone crushing weariness and fatigue catching up with me. But finally, about 9:30 p.m., I put the last thing away, cleaned up the youth room, and went home.

Now to be honest, the project is not done yet. I have two boxes labeled "to be sorted." I have not touched the filing cabinent, nor the files full of older curriculum. But compared to how it was, it is much, much, much better.

So why did I spend so much time on this project when I should have been at home resting and recouperating frm VBS? Three reasons:

• It will help me get better organized.
• There is more to me than a messy, cluttered office.
• Should I be definitely removed from children's ministries, I want my successor to have better.

Meanwhile, I will bask in the glow of the accomplishment of this weekend, yeah, verily and forsooth.

Yeah, whatever!

VBS LOG 2: The Week is Over

Another Vacation Bible School is in the books. All the months of planning, preparation, thought, and constant prayer come down to one week of insanity! But what an incredible week it was! 124 kids walked through the door during the week, with an average nightly attendance of 97. Our missions project (as in years' past) was Kidzana Ministries, with the kids raising approximately $75.

Were there bumps in the road? Absolutely. I already posted an entry about what has become known as the "hashbrown incident." There were technical difficulties along the way. And, of course, there were the inevitable challenges that arise from dozens of personalities being brought together in one place for the week. As a friend of mine likes to say, "I heard so much whining, crying, complaining, and temper tantrums...and the kids had behavior issues too!"

But all the statistics available, all the challenges along the way, and all the physical (and yes, to be honest, emotional) weariness incurred throughout the week were offset by three very important things:

1. I shared this in a previous post, but it bears repeating: The Word of God was proclaimed and the kids had fun! Oh yeah!

2. So many adults and teens came together just to focus on children. Wow...that just warms my heart every time I think about it.

3. At one of the stations, a girl stayed afterward and asked about how to make Jesus her forever friend. The station leader, holding back tears, shared the gospel and led her into a profession of faith. All the statistics, compliments, and fun are nothing compared to the rejoicing in heaven.

VBS LOG: KIDS LOVE ME, FROZEN POTATOES FEAR ME!

Our first night of Vacation Bible School went off without a hitch.
Except for everything that went wrong.
Actually, after several years of directing this summer phenomenon known as VBS, I have learned to not only expect the unexpected, but to keep everything in its proper perspective. That proper perspective is as follows: the kids had fun and the Word of God was proclaimed. Score! It was a good night!

But I feel a special burden tonight to unload a deep secret from my first night at VBS. You see, during our closing program, we were to do a special object lesson in which dry ice is placed in the water, it churns and bubbles, and then the leader (that's me!) creates a film of soap over the top of the bowl. The fog from the bowl expands the film bubble, until it bursts over, symbolizing our thankfulness (okay, you Power Lab directors, you're with me on this!). The instructions made it look cool. The video clips made it look cool. It looked cool. I couldn't wait.

Unfortunately, due to various and assorted challenges, I was unable to get the dry ice until the afternoon before VBS. I determined I was going to practice this experiment, so that I would get the feel for it before doing it in front of assorted kids and volunteers. But the Monday of VBS is always a bit like running a Nascar race with a tricycle...you're pedaling as hard and as fast as you can, but your little bell just won't tell the other drivers to get out of the way (VBS directors, can I get a witness...?) Anyway, my rehearsal time got eaten away with a myriad of unforeseen (or foreseen, but not addressed) challenges.

Finally, with approximatley 40 minutes to go, I found my practice window. But there were still challenges. The glass bowl had disappeared. I hunted, asked around, and eventually located it. I knew I would have to fill the bowls with pitchers from the nearest sink. Hey...the pitchers were too big to fit under the faucet of the nearest sink (ding..ding..move out of my way, Gordon!).

I finally had all my ingredients. My wife had put the dry ice in the church freezer. The dry ice was in brown wrappers. I took the ice chest to the kitchen, put on the safety gloves, and took the four very cold, brown-wrapped packages out of the freezer, and returned to practice the experiment. Only 20 minutes to go.

I cut the bags open and emptied the shaved dry ice into the freezer. I then carefully picked up a big hunk of the shaved dry ice (which had fused together in a lump) and I dumped it in the water, waiting for the bubbling, churning effect to start.

At this point, I should let everyone know that, while I have seen the foggy, churning effect from dry ice, I have never actually handled dry ice. I knew what it was supposed to do, but I did not really know how long it was supposed to take to do it. I also did not know that dry ice could come in shaved form, but since regular ice could be shaved, I didn't give it a second thought.

So why was this taking so long?

The shaved dry ice sat there in the water. I saw a tiny bubble or two make its way to the surface, but nothing like the cascading white fog I was expecting. Yup, the shaved dry ice sat in the bowl looking a lot like......

Hashbrowns.

Shredded, frozen (but thawing), hash browns. White, soggy hash browns. I poked at them with my finger, half hoping it was indeed shaved dry ice (in which case the flesh on my finger would rip apart from the intense cold of the carbon dioxide). But no...alas. It was, in no way, shape, or form dry ice. It was hashbrowns (ding..ding..splat!).

I quickly dumped the bowl, cleaned up my mess, and got ready for when the kids arrived. I found the other brown package in the church freezer and it contained the chunks of dry ice. I did the experment live with no rehearsal. The kids ooohed and aaahed as the water bubbled, churned, and fogged over. But try as I might, I could not get the film to stick over the bowl. Sorry, Group Publishing, I know it said to be patient and keep trying, but the kids and volunteers were threatening a boycott, so I just tied in the bubbling and churning and how our lives should be marked by overflowing gratitude (yes, Teacher Tim, even when experiments go wrong).

As kids were leaving, I almost thought I heard some of the children saying how much they liked VBS so far. One of them said, "I know Teacher Tim tried his best on the experiment. I think he's just way too hard on himself. There's no way I could get angry with him over this."

"Yeah" said the other. "Hey, by the way, are you going to Kid's Camp in a couple of weeks? There's lots of fun and good food. I'm especially looking forward to the breakfast: eggs, bacon, and lots of yummy hash browns!"

LAST MINUTE THOUGHTS BEFORE VBS

Today was set-up day for Vacation Bible School at our church. All the weeks and months of preparation and planning come down to this. A lot of us returned to the church after lunch and stayed until the evening hours transforming our building into the Power Lab, dealing with last minute questions and orientations, and enjoying pizza! So, needless to say, I'm tired and ready for bed. But I wanted to share some random thoughts before going to sleep.

• Every year, I marvel at how hard it is to get volunteers, but then how the Lord brings a whole herd of them at the last minute.
• I continue to be impressed by the creativity and ingenuity of our team members in decorating and problem solving.
• We have some 14 year olds serving. We also have some 70's and 80's serving. What a neat mix!
• My daughter may very well have a black eye from a stack of folding tables falling on her this evening. She says she's going to wear an eye patch and warn people to wear protective eye gear before doing scientific experiments.
• I needed a couple of bookshelves from the C.E. office/storage room/catch-all. I never realized just how much stuff lay in front and upon those shelves. The upside is, I will finally be in a position to clean the room.
• After years of service, my VBS assistant was unable to serve this year. If my VBS assistant is reading this: you are loved and appreciated....and I don't think everyone has fully comprehended just how important you have been. I have missed you...and you are in my prayers.
• My wife correctly guessed the number of pizzas we would need for dinner tonight. How does she do that?
• EquippingKids.com is, in my humble opinion, one of the best children's ministry distributors on the planet.
• The Dollar Store is the children's worker's friend.
• I'm tired, I'm sore, I'm worn out. And after much thought, I have decided that I still love VBS

Bring it on....to the glory of God to the benefit of the kids!

CAMPING AT WHISKEY SPRINGS

Last weekend, we finally got to take the first camping trip of the summer. Our destination was Whiskey Springs, a few miles past the charming town of Butte Falls. We had a few adventures during the trip, like a family emergency that required us to rush back home the second night. When we returned the next day, we had the privilege of helping a couple whose ride out of the campsite had "stood them up." We learned that he was a Desert Storm vet who got injured jumping out of a plane. We knew some of the same people...and we got to find out some of their church background as well.

I enjoy camping. Not only are there tall trees, fresh air, and gorgeous scenery, but it's an opportunity for me to do absolutely nothing! There are no demands on my time, no big decisions to be made, and no phones (nope, I still do not own a cell phone...and the signal is poor anyway!) I bring my laptop for writing, but there's no internet. I read, I walk, I read, I study, I walk, I attempt to grill burgers, and, oh yes, I read. And study. And think. And sleep. And plan. And dream.

The road to Whiskey Springs

Bridges cross little water streams along the hiking trail

Looking down at the creek

What secrets lurk below the pond? The beavers know! If you walk out here at early dawn or dusk, you may see a beaver or two busy in the pond.

A less than welcome tent guest (for the record, I strongly dislike spiders. However, they also fascinate me...at a distance. This is as close as I will get without a shoe or heavy, blunt object).

Our family dog contemplates the nature of...well, nature.

GO POWER

I was watching part of documentary one afternoon about the space program. Archival footage showed the classic mission control room of countless space missions. Shortly before the final countdown, the head honcho begins checking with each and every station with one simple question: "go or no go?" One by one, the station leaders call out "go," signifying that their area is functioning and ready for the launch. But should a leader say "no go," then the final countdown is halted. Fascinating stuff.

In approximately one and a half weeks, our church will be launching its annual Vacation Bible School. And tonight, at our weekly VBS meeting, I shared that we are nearing the final countdown and I needed a "go or no go" from everyone involved.

Of course, I'm not saying that we will scrub VBS if someone says "no go." But I did take the liberty of applying this dramatic scenario two ways:

1. It is time for each individual to say "go" or "no go" regarding their respective missions. Like hundreds of VBS directors through history and across the country, I find a lot of commitment takes the form of, "uhhh...I dunno", "maybe," or "let me think about it." But it is now time for each station leader, each volunteer, each support person to sign on the dotted line and say, "yes...I'm a GO." And I need to reaffirm myself as well. As I shared in a previous post, I've struggled somewhat with VBS this year. But now is time for me to step up, to go the distance, to shoot for the net, to hit the ball outta the park, to go for the middle of the uprights, to....well, you get the picture. I've always been on board for Vacation Bible School. But now is the time to loudly shout, "GO"

2. It is time to act as though we were in the final countdown. As I was reading some forum boards related to our VBS, I came across one discouraged poster whose whole organizational system caused dely after delay in their planning. They lamented that they only had a month left to order supplies, recruit, and get the program going. The responses varied, but many of them had the same basic message: "you have a month left? PRAISE THE LORD!" The church with 30 days until VBS has to do the same thing as the church with 30 weeks. They just have to focus and stick to the basics. God brings the harvest, God controls the results.

We've got a week and a half! PRAISE THE LORD! Our original target date would have placed us in the middle of VBS this week...and then what? Hey...we've got another week and a half! Time to set aside distractions and make every day count. I'm talking back at myself at this point, but also to anyone else who is struggling with similar situations.

Vacation Bible School is going to be great. Kids will hear the gospel and experience a fun-filled Christian environment. Songs, games, snacks, stories, and surprises! I can hardly wait.

GO FOR LAUNCH.

FINAL COUNDOWN HAS BEGUN.........

MUSINGS ABOUT THE 4TH OF JULY

Happy Independence Day!

If you haven't been to a "small town" 4th of July celebration, you don't know what you're missing. Even though our city is one of the fastest growing cities in the state, it has always maintained its charm and friendliness when it comes to things like the 4th. I started the day early with the community breakfast: eggs, ham, and pancakes. But it's not about the food, it's the faces: familiar and not-so-familiar folks coming in to share a meal, joke around, and get started on the day's events.

The day began overcast (it rained last night). It provided some cooler weather as we sat and waited for the parade. And then, right before the parade was to begin, the sun broke through. It was especially nice to have the clear skies, after spending the week choking on smoke from the wildfires in northern California. The parade was good, with all the elements a "small town" parade should have: fire trucks, vintage cars, horses, floats, and the corny jokes from the MC's. As the parade begins (officially, it starts at the review stand, but in actuality, it begins further up the street), the honor gaurd stops and everyone rises for the National Anthem. It is an incredibly moving thing to see hundreds of people on both sides of the streets stand in absolute silence as the flag is presented.

We wandered the many booths and shook hands with people for awhile. Then it was off to home, to relax a bit, and then grill some burgers for dinner.

About dinner time, I was starting to feel a headache coming on, so I bowed out of the fireworks show at the stadium. But it's a show that can be seen and heard throughout the city. One of the highlights is at "halftime" with "Skydiver Bingo." Throughout the day, people buy paper plates and put their names on them. At halftime, the plates are scattered all over the football field. A local skydiving club then sends skydivers over the stadium. It is an awesome thing to be staring up into the dark night sky and suddenly see a figure gliding in almost as if on one giant wing. He lands and scoops up a paper plate. The three winners get various cash prizes. And in one of the most exciting developments of the evening, my oldest daughter won a prize! Whoo hoo...dinner's on her!

For whatever reason, the pictures I thought I took today were non-existent. So, you'll have to settle for a thousand words instead of pictures. But believe me, the 4th of July in "small town" America is worth it.

Random thoughts from one tired puppy dog!

PS One more addition: One of the local newspapers took some parade pictures and posted it on their gallery. You can see them here. (let me know if this worked...I wasn't quite sure)
ADDITIONAL NOTE: I have fixed the link to show the 2008 pictures. Thanks to my anonymous commentator who noticed and brought it to my attention!

TIME TO CHANGE: A Brief Introduction

Okay, time to get serious. I intended to write a blog about changes, choices, and getting what I want. As I stand at some heavy duty crossroads in my life, I am deciding to make some changes. Some will be gradual, some will be immediate, but all will have one thing in common: they will start with the simple decision to do it.

One day soon I will write more about these changes, but at this moment, I'm bumping up against a deadline. Why not just post when I have more time? I guess by introducing the subject now, it not only leaves the readers in suspense, but it also reminds me to finish writing it!

So stay tuned and keep reading.

MY PICK FOR THE BEST LOW-TECH PERSONAL ORGANIZATIONAL DEVICE

One of the greatest inventions of our modern age is the yellow note pad. Don't get me wrong...I have a Palm Pilot, which has delivered me from some of my random sticky notes that hang everywhere and which helps me keep track of stuff I would otherwise forget. It took a while for me to get to the Palm Pilot stage, but now I can't picture not having it.

But there's something about writing on a yellow pad that is somewhat cleansing to the mind. It's like thoughts and ideas flow from my overcrowded cranium, down my arm, and out the tip of my pen. It's not like holding a stylus and rapidly tap-tap-taping on a miniature keyboard. Nor is it like working on a PC. I can stop and deftly toss the pad on the table to collect my next wave of thoughts or grab a cup of joe or whatever--you can't do that with a laptop! I can pick the pad up and carry it around, whack a spider on the wall, jot a note while standing, and even wave it in my face to cool off. And when I'm done, the yellow pad is covered with an intricate pattern of heiroglyphics, code words, and internal communiques (aka doodles, abbreviations, and notes to self!) that make me feel like I've actually accomplished something.

I was feeling a little overwhelmed by this year's VBS. I won't lay out all the reasons, just that I didn't accomplish some things that were under my control and couldn't control some things that weren't. We are in "crunch time" with less than a month to go...and I was feeling like a dishwasher on the Titanic: plates up to here, water up to there, and wondering which "sink" should be my focus: the noun or the verb!

But by God's grace, I had the morning off from daycare. So I got up at my usual time, went to the church at my usual time, and went into the church library. I pulled out a yellow pad, prayed for wisdom, and started jotting down notes. Wow...what a morning! Sure, I could have plotted everything on my Palm Pilot (and much of what I did will be added to my P.P. calendar and task lists). But I wanted to write as quickly or as slowly as I wanted. I scribbled a reminder on the side and underlined it with heavy, bold strokes, followed by emphatic exclamation points (three, because this was really important!). I drew a line from one point to another clear across the page, because they had an element in common (which I wrote along the line). I drew diagrams and circled items. No, there was no logical consistency to any of it...a circled item probably carries the same weight as an underlined item.

When it was done, I had clarity about VBS. I spent some more time in prayer, asking the Lord to help me and my team through "crunch time."

So if you're feeling overwhelmed, or you have a big decision to make, or you're still wondering, "She loves me, she loves me not, she loves me.....", I highly recommend finding a quiet spot, pulling out a fresh yellow note pad, and starting to write. :-)

A PERSONAL MILESTONE (random musings)

Today is the 25th anniversary of my ordination to the ministry.

Granted, it's not the stuff of ticker-tape parades or silver anniversary cakes. Indeed, this thing called "ordination" is extremely humbling and very personal. There was a council consisting of pastors and church leaders. There was a ceremony a couple of weeks later. And as my pastor told me at the time, they did not ordain me; rather, God had already ordained me and they were just agreeing with His decision. Any ministry success is all His doing. And when I've blown it...oh boy.... Why someone came up with the description "reverend" is beyond me. Waaayyy beyond me. So why commemorate the date at all?

I guess because it is so personal, so significant, and has been responsible for a lot the directions I've bounced over the last quarter century, it's only natural to look back. When I pulled out some old pictures of the ordination service and subsequent churches, I can't believe I used to be that young. And that skinny. And with that much hair. I had dreams and plans and a solid sense of what I wanted to do and be as this newly ordained servant of God. And in tiny print at the bottom of the screen of my imagination were the words, "The dreams and plans of Tim may not neccesarily be those of the Creator of the universe."

So where have I been the last 25 years? I've been an associate minister in southern California. I've been a senior pastor in two churches in Colorado. I was promoted to children's ministry in Oregon (but not as staff, which you'll see as you keep reading). I still teach regularly, preach occaisionally, do a wedding or funeral or two. And there have also been the half-dozen "tent making" jobs I've had either between or during ministries ("tent making" referring to the Apostle Paul, who supported himself in the ministry by making tents).

I honestly can say that I know less than I did 25 years ago. Oh, I'm probably even more dogmatic on a lot of matters of faith and practice, but I'm more picky about the hills I climb and the battles I fight. I realize that I don't have all the answers to every single theological, sociological, political issue facing the church today. Most of my opinions are well researched and carefully thought out, but they are still my opinions. After all these years, I found I could be (gulp) mistaken on some things.

As to the future...I honestly don't know. Of the two paid positions I have at the church, neither is what is called "vocational ministry." The thing I consider my main ministry...children's ministry (not counting the daycare center where I work)...is strictly an appointed volunteer work. Don't get me wrong...I love everything I do (especially children's ministry) and I'm grateful to "minister" in that way. But I have to be totally honest: what I dreamed and envisioned as the elders laid hands on me back in 1983 bears little resemblance to what I am experiencing now.

So am I depressed? No. Maybe a tad melencholy, but any kind of retrospect will produce that. I know what I know what I know, and that is I have an awesome and amazing God Who loves me with an everlasting love and has an intricate plan for my life that transcends anything I could ever imagine. I can wish the road had been different, but I am so incredibly grateful about Who I traveled it with.

Here's to the next 25 years of "ordained" ministry, whatever form it takes.

POP AND SIZZLE

I love worshipping with kids. I love worshipping with kids, even when it appears that worship is the furthest thing from their minds. I love worshipping with kids, even when they verbally confirm that worship is the furthest things from their minds with such time-honored phrases as "I'm bored," "When is this over?" and "Can we play with the basketball set again?" I love worshipping with kids, even when they sit with crossed arms and sour expressions that say, "Engage me...I dare you. Go ahead, make my millennium!"

Okay, I love worshipping with kids and all of the above is true. HOWEVER...honest reality check here: I do not always do the dance of joy when some of my kids are clearly not "into it." Sometimes I internally react with a heavy sigh. Other times, I go home and weep, praying for and wanting these young children to have the same sense of wonder and excitement as they sing to and about the Lord. And sometimes, I just throw my arms up and wonder how come the parents didn't teach their kids how to behave better in church (followed by the mandatory kicking of myself for having such thoughts).

And I'm reasonably sure I'm not alone in these feelings.

That's why God gave us Sundays where everything pops! This last Sunday (which happened to be Father's Day), the singing and worship were incredible. The majority of kids were singing loudly, with an unbridled, uninhibited enthusiasm. And when one of the kids asked if we could pray for his toe, we had an unscheduled time of prayer requests, with different kids praying for each request. It was so incredibly awesome. One of our KidServants and I kept exchanging grins during the whole thing.

Kids are kids....and yes, the aimless chatter, and distractions, and arm-crossing will be there to some extent. But on this Sunday, it's like God was unveiling the real heart of the children...the heart that wants to have fun and enjoy God. Yeah, I love worshipping with kids, whether they look engaged or not. But ever' now and again, it's nice to see things pop and sizzle.

PROMOTION DAY

Promotion Sunday 2008 is in the books.

Every June, we promote certain children in our Sunday Morning Celebration to their new classes. It's a fairly simple ceremony: in one corner is one class, across from them is another class. The teacher of the first class introduces his/her kids, then sends the kids who are to be promoted across to the new class, where they are welcomed by the kids in that class. Then another class takes their place and the process repeats. Our middle school and high school groups also join in, with our 5th graders sliding up to the middle school, and the middle school grads moving up to the high school, and the graduating seniors being informally recognized.

Like I said, it's simple. Incredibly simple and short and sweet. So why do I always get a lump in my throat as I see child after child walk across the lawn to be greeted by their new peers? Is it because each promotion represents a validation of that all-important ministry in which we are engaged? Or maybe it's because I'm a sucker for ceremonies. I don't know. Maybe it's because of how the high school group welcomed the newcomers from the middle school group by surrounding them in a tight circle and praying over them. As I watched this, I knew that I wanted each of the young children that we minister to today to turn out like that when they get to be teens and beyond.

So, Promotion Day 2008 is now over....

.....now let the adventure continue.

Attendance was low for various reasons...but the kids and KidServants were ready for action.

The teenagers got into the action, forming a conga line to the song "Wild Ride."

One of our promoted kids demonstrates her dance moves!

BRINGING UP THE NEXT GENERATION OF KIDSERVANTS

I love it when a thought, vision, or idea is shared by someone else.

Even when I can't find the someone else who shared it.

For the last couple of weeks, I've been thinking about our church and its children's program. I am currently serving only in the Sunday morning activities, but my dreams and passion are still in the broader umbrella of all our kids' programs (just waiting for some organizational changes that will enable me to function in that capacity). My thoughts turned toward our phenomenal volunteers, men and women who devote their Sunday mornings to helping kids know the Savior. Two of our KidServants (as we call them here) are physically challenged. And then there's a big bear of a grandpa who teaches a 3rd-5th grade class. There's a 20 year old young lady in college who leads an infant-toddler group. And a mix of mechanics, truck drivers, and administrators who tackle the awesome task of helping kids grow in their faith. It warms my heart to see these folks every week.

But one day, I asked the question: "what is the average age of all our KidServants on Sunday morning?" Aside from the 20 year old and another lady who is in her 30's, most of our group is 40+. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Physical appearance aside, these saints have energy to spare. In no way, shape, or form do I want to downplay the contribution of these men and women.

But I remember I first taught a 5th grade Sunday School class when I was in high school. My wife taught when she was in junior high. Even my oldest daughter led a group when she was still in school. In my adventures at Children's Pastors Conferences, I've met children's pastors, directors, and coordinators that look like they just graduated. And I found myself wondering: "where is the next generation in our children's program?"

And then I read a blog. One of many blogs I regularly read. And the writer talked about his dream and plan to start recruiting the next generation. His words clicked and resounded within my spirit. The only trouble is, in my haste, I failed to note which blog I was reading. Soooooo....if you recently wrote about recruiting the next generation, please know that your spirit bore witness with my spirit!

Meanwhile, I shared my thoughts with the elder who is over me. He got very excited about the possibilities. The thought of a younger team being implanted in ministry is thrilling. Again, we don't want to replace our current workers (unless they want to be replaced), but we do want to begin actively seeking responsible older teens and 20's to step up and begin assuming these rolls. Several of our ministries have already begun doing this (two kids who grew up in our Sunday School are now elders in the church!). It's time for children's ministries to do the same.

THE STORM (a very personal blog)

Someone once observed that blogging can be very cathartic. I've never tried to test that idea, but ever so often, I have things on my mind and my heart that need to be expressed.

This picture was taken following a Celebration KREW meeting one Saturday night. The approaching storm clouds were interesting to watch, but we did not suspect what they packed. Less than ten minutes later, we were driving home in a surprising spring blizzard!

Sometimes, when the proverbial "storm clouds of life" arrive, we stand amazed from a safe distance. But before we know it, we are in the middle of the storm.

I have been wrestling with my feelings for some precious folks who are very dear to me. One of them is a relative, one a friend. Both are making unwise and spiritually disasterous choices in their lives. And I am absolutely powerless to do anything about it. Their issues are being dealt with at various levels. But that doesn't change the storm of emotions I'm facing.

I'm angry. I want to take them by the shoulders and give them a good shaking (especially the relative). Like Cher's character in Moonstruck, I want to slap them and shout, "Snap out of it!"

I'm depressed. Their actions and choices deeply sadden me. This part is actually surprising, because in the course of pastoral ministry, I have dealt with others with similar issues, but I've never been so down over it.

I'm taking it personally. "What could I have done? How could I have been a better friend? How could I have missed the warning signs?"

I'm resting in God's love and grace. This is the only stable part of this whole situation. My emotions may come and go, my reactions may at times be totally out of whack, but my Father is still there and still cares.

So please pray for my friend and for my relative, that they would wake up before it's too late. And pray for me that I may model what Jesus would have me model in the face of this storm.

Thank you.

A BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF OUR CHURCH

I was going through some files the other day, when I ran across some stunning pictures of our church building, taken from up high...way up high. It looks like an early fall day in southern Oregon, and with the bright sunshine and tree-lined streets, it looks like a page from a travel guide to smaller American cities (and I would be lax in my duties as a citizen of said city if I didn't point out that we are one of the fastest growing cities in the state).

Notice the steeple. That and the part of the building to which it is attached, were originally built in the early 1900's. The rest has been added on through the years.

A little higher now.

And way high. The church building is just a little left of center. The big building behind it belongs to the school district and includes a gymnasium and classrooms. It used to be part of the middle school, but an early morning fire wiped out much of the property (which is why it looks like vacant fields to the right...that all used to be buildings!) One of the miracles of that morning was that our church building, located just across a narrow alley, was totally untouched.

A LITTLE BIT OF THIS AND A LITTLE BIT OF THAT

Just a few quick items...

+It snowed today. Or, more accurately, it spat snow flakes. A lot of snow flakes. But not enough to stick to our valley floor. March better get its act together this weekend if it's going to go out like a lamb. Although, from what I hear, when I was in San Diego, March came in like a lamb. I think March is confused. I'm sure glad God knows what He's doing!

+One of my four year old kids in the preschool gave me a big hug today. He said I was the best teacher because I knew letters even better than he did. I'm going to use him as a reference if I get a new job.

+New link: Glen Woods. His blog is full of inspiration, information, and insights about the world of children's ministry. Well worth the read.

+After many moons of blogging, I finally decided to add a picture to my profile. I've had one on my MySpace page for a while, but since I don't update my MySpace page that much, I figured I ought to add one on Blogger. Check it out to the right.

+Another new link: Thoughts by Christina. This is funny, slice of life, stream of whatever consciousness thoughts that ooze from this girl's brain. Okay, she's a woman, but I'm her father, so she'll always be my little girl. It's actually quite funny. The only drawback is that she doesn't update her blog as much as her MySpace page (hint, hint).