Be Creative!

Continuing in the tradition of such great Christian products as the "A bread crumb and a fish" shirts made to look like abercrombie and the massive number of bands that decided to be Christian versions of Creed 8 years ago comes this. Christian Guitar Hero. It makes Christ look cheap to knock off the world for Christian consumption. And we are no safer from sin if we insulate ourselves from the world than if we embrace the fact that God put us here. We sin because we are human and we are fallen, not because we play fake guitar to a song by weezer.

Christians need to step up and create out of the creativity and beauty instilled in them by God, not by the creators of guitar hero.

end rant

Chickmunks!!! (or this post is for Bonnie)

The last week of July we spent a week in Breckenridge with Shiloh's parents. It was the perfect way for us all to reconnect after a month apart due to my many trips and working on the house. Pictures follow:

Kennedy doesn't wear glasses, but she found these and thought they looked fantastic , so should put them on and proceeded to have a hard time walking.We went to a place in the mountains where you could feed the chipmunks out of your hand. Carsen loved it. He would call out "chickmunk" in a high pitched voice and wait for them to come and eat. Kennedy would stand and watch for anything moving. If it got within three feet of her, she would yell "chickmunk" at the top of her lungs, throw the sunflower seeds at it and try to get away. Needless to say, there are no cute pics of her feeding the chipmunks
We went one morning to the children's museum. Kennedy decided she wants to be a doctor when she grows up so she can dress in pink. Carsen would have gladly spent the rest of his life catching magnetic fish off of the floor.

Planning

I had my fall planning and dreaming meeting with my volunteers last night and we had a great time! I was so encouraged just to hear their continuing passion to serve and love students as well as to talk through the things they saw as successful and not so much last year. We kick off our fall programming two weeks from tonight on a new night. I can't wait to see how God meets students and staff this year in the youth ministry.

Loving People

I recently read an article in Spin magazine about hip-hop artist D'Angelo, who is trying to make a comeback after going through multiple alcohol treatment centers. Here is the description of one of his friendships:

While they've since patched things up, Thompson has continued to keep his old friend at arms length.
"It's a fear thing on my end," he says, sighing deeply. "I'm afraid I'll lose him. If I'm there and I lose him, I'll have those feelings of guilt, like, 'What could I have done to save him?'"

And now here's the description of Jesus and his love towards us:

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8
Jesus answered them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Luke 5:31-32

I am so thankful that Jesus comes for us wherever we are at and loves us right there. I pray I embody that trait as I minister to students.

Shen Bible Camp

In late July I got to go to Shen Bible Camp near Tok, AK. I took a few students and we served 10 to 14 year olds all week. The camp had no running water or electricity, and the bunk "beds" were just pieces of plywood. Very rustic. But it was a great week being away from the internet and tv (but I really like running water, it's always bad to be too far from that, esp when you are sharing a room with 10 and 11 year old boys.) My students jumped in and did a great job leading devotions and games, sharing testimonies, being playgrounds for rowdy kids and whatever else they were asked.

One of my youth group kids, Jake, got baptized at camp. It was raining, there was no sun and we were all huddled closely together to stay warm. Talking with him about why he wanted to be baptized and then watching him be baptized was one of the highlights of my week.

Plastic+Lake water+soap=homemade waterslide. I didn't go on it, I think it was maybe 45 out that day. In fact only the three littlest boys went and the rest of us chickened out.Four Mile Lake, where camp is at. Every camper had to hike 1 mile into camp because you can't drive anything but ATV's in.

Dune Jumping in Alaska:

Soccer Camp

Carsen is doing a soccer camp all this week at our high school. In his own words, his favorite thing about soccer camp is "kicking" and he likes the "big blue men" (the coaches). I'm pretty sure he's a future MLS superstar (if those really existed!)

Prayer for Students

I haven't been together with students on a Tuesday night for almost an entire month because of mission trips, camp and vacation. But tonight I finally get to be back with them. Here is the passage I've been praying for them today:

May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.
1 Thessalonians 3:12-13