This week has been full of events and people, some planned and some spontaneous. This morning we were looking forward to some fun time together as a family. We slept in, woke to a beautiful dusting of snow, baked apple-streusel muffins, went to an estate sale and headed down to the Discovery Center for “Operating Room Day.”
Local nurses and medical technicians volunteered their time and equipment to set up mock surgery stations for kids and their parents to see how to perform a laparoscopic surgery, replace a knee joint, fix a spinal fracture, intubate a mannequin, perform CPR on a dummy, put sutures in a sponge, and cauterize a lemon. Last year the event was packed so we were expecting to rub elbows with a crowd of adults hoping the hands on experiments would lead their offspring to med school.
There was no parking available in the lot, so I dropped off Jamie and our four kids, promising I’d join them inside as soon as a space opened up. Trying to find a nearby spot was impossible because of the college football game a half mile down the road with two in-state rivals. I pulled out of the way of any new incoming traffic and waited for a family to finish their play day of hospital rounds.
Fifteen minutes later a couple of dads strolled out with several kids in tow. I pulled around the row and positioned myself behind their pickup. At the same time a car backing down the lane to try and take the spot. I honked my horn afraid that the driver didn’t see me there and that I’d get bumped. The driver put the car in park and got out of the vehicle. A woman approached my window telling me that the space was hers.
I explained to her that I’d been sitting in the lot for 15 minutes waiting for a spot to open while I had just seen her car pull into the lot. She didn’t back down.
I was processing quickly, thinking about what was on the line—my Christian witness, my WWJD bracelet, my reputation as a (former) local pastor, when she played the single mom card.
“Listen, I’m a single mom so I should get the space. I need that space.”
Really? Really single mom? You deserve to go into the building with your kids before I get to go in with mine because of your marital status? You are going to power up on me over this space because of that? We are supposed to forego any other rationale for parking space protocol because I brought my wife and you don’t have a husband?
I was spinning. My mind was on overload as she continued on with her reasoning. At first all I got out in response was, “Oh brother, lady…” and then when she wrapped up her speech against all that was married and male she waited for me to crumble from guilt.
I didn’t.
I recognize that being a single parent is very difficult. I am not unsympathetic to their plight. Parenting is difficult enough with two parents; I can’t imagine the challenges of doing it alone.
I recognize that disputes over silly little things like parking spaces are worthless uses of energy and that there were many options to solve today’s dilemma.
I recognize that I was triggered today by someone demanding a sacrifice of me. I could have looked at her as the Roman soldier telling me to carry his pack for a mile. Maybe I should have not only have given her the space but offered to park her car for her.
I also recognize that I have often placed what I think is ministry over the needs of my own family. Sometimes that may be a good decision. Some days not.
Today the ministry that was in my heart was in the shape of four kids that were already in the Discovery Center. Some days they need me going the extra mile. For them.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Going the Extra Mile
Friday, November 13, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Church Leader Look Alikes
Skye Jethani, the managing editor of Leadership Journal, had a hilarious blog post today comparing the looks of popular Christian leaders and their Hollywood counterparts.
He missed this one.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Church Alumni
Last week I was interviewed by Recycle {Your Faith} ministry about my current story and thoughts on corporate church. An hour and a half session was clipped into three minutes. Oh my! It is scary to put your thoughts down on tape knowing that someone could edit your comments to make you look other than what is in your heart to share. I'm glad I trusted Craig. I think he did a great job with a dicey topic and an amateur interviewee.
Recycle {Your Faith} produces short videos that are designed to be shown at small groups to introduce topics for discussion. I wonder what dialog will come out of this!
Click here to see the video Craig titled, "Church Alumni."
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Amongst the Stars
This song, done by several friends, really sums up my hearts cry from this weekend!
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Recycle Your Faith
Craig Spinks took advantage of his church when he was a teenager. They spent $100k on video equipment and building an editing suite but didn’t have the staff to operate it. Craig volunteered. He learned by doing as he helped create church video projects. Now he’s a few years older, has invested in his own equipment, and is traveling the States looking for great stories to tell.
Recycle Your Faith is the name of Craig’s website where he uploads weekly videos for spiritual explorers. Each Monday a short, 2-4 minute clip is added to a growing collection of interviews, thought-provoking topics and stories of people attempting to walk in the footsteps of Jesus.
After watching several clips I was struck not only with the quality of the production, but in the creative way Craig has pieced together messages that start conversations—and that is the goal—discussion. Instead of providing cookie-cutter answers, these videos are meant to create an environment conducive to dialog, not debate.
The videos are free to watch on the site, but Craig does ask for a $10 donation for the churches and small groups that download the clips. This helps fund the creation of more intriguing stories. It is also a pretty cheap way for churches to get curriculum that isn’t based on filling in the _____s with the obvious answers.
In October of 2009, Craig and his wife Sara started off from their base in Denver on an 8-month road trip to film stories and story tellers in their native cities. This week he was in Boise and I got to hook up with him (thanks, Scott!). It was fun watching him set up his traveling studio in my living room and being interviewed. I have no recollection of what I said, so we will have to see if he was able to salvage any footage from our time together! (Ya, I know several of you are thinking, “Why did he interview you?” Trust me; I don’t know how I got here either.)
I hope you’ll check out Recycle Your Faith and continue the dialog!
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Treated on Halloween
This fourth grade girl thinks she is about to give a school report on where her Dad is stationed in Iraq. She is surprised when he shows up for her report!
Let's continue to pray for all our brave soldiers and their families- that the tears we shed on their returns are tears of joy.
What does it mean to be Pro-Life?
From “The Year of Living Like Jesus” by Ed Dobson
Here’s an important point: being pro-life not only means I’m interested in protecting the unborn. It also means I’m interested in protecting those who have already been born.
Being pro-life means being concerned about those who are dying of HIV/AIDS.
Being pro-life means being concerned about those who are living in poverty.
Being pro-life means being concerned about those who lack adequate health care—especially children.
Being pro-life means being concerned about those in our communities who are into gangs and drugs and will ultimately end up in prison.
Being pro-life means being concerned about those innocent civilians who are being killed in Afghanistan, Iraq, the Gaza Strip, Israel, and places all over the world.
Being pro-life means being concerned about those who are experiencing genocide in countries around the world.
Being pro-life means being all of these and a whole lot more.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Changing Seasons at Focus on the Family
Hearing the news that James Dobson is retiring from being the primary voice on Focus on the Family radio broadcast leaves me with mixed emotions.
- During my childhood his program was a comforting encouragement in our home. My parents found good tips on how to raise two boys in a loving environment. I am very appreciative of those years and several of his books. The program was a ministry.
- During my youth I listened to the radio broadcast as it became part of the grid for my understanding of Christian culture in the bigger, scarier world. The program became a message.
- During my first year in full-time ministry I listened to the messages around the opening stanzas of Promise Keepers and their masculinity chorus. The program became a movement, almost nearly an army.
- As I became a parent myself I listened to the messages on parenting again, but now they seemed to be mixed with a worldview that was couched in fear. I turned the radio down and stopped reading the magazines. The program became its own brand of media.
- In the last decade I frequently found myself conflicted with Focus on the Family as politics seemed to take the central stage at the ministry. To me, what they stood for and how they flexed their muscles overshadowed who they were supposed to be following. The program became a machine.
The Christian Post
Influential conservative leader James Dobson is planning to go off the air, his ministry reported Friday.
In an announcement, Focus on the Family announced Dobson’s intention to remove himself as the primary radio voice of his daily radio broadcast at the end of February but made clear that the move was not prompted by health concerns.
Dobson remains "a man of health and vigor," Focus on the Family president and CEO Jim Daly reported. "The Bible tells us that to everything there is a season – and Dr. Dobson's season at Focus on the Family has been remarkable," Daly added.
Dobson, who founded Focus on the Family, has been with the ministry’s radio program since it began airing in 1977, providing daily encouragement and advice to families worldwide and speaking out on moral issues.
The 73-year-old conservative leader resigned as president of the prominent organization in 2003 and later as chairman in February of this year as part of a plan to pass on the leadership to the next generation.
"One of the common errors of founder-presidents is to hold to the reins of leadership too long, thereby preventing the next generation from being prepared for executive authority," Dobson said in a statement earlier this year.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Going Beyond WWJD
I’m not a fan of knockoffs. I’m won’t buy “Dance Praise” or “Guitar Praise (the Christianized versions of “Dance Dance Revolution” and “Guitar Hero”). I don’t wear t-shirts that take product slogans and make kitschy, clever, religious statements with them. I even shudder when a successful country song gets released as a pop version or vice versa. I think there is enough creativity to go around that artists should strive to be original.
I was disappointed when I saw the title for Ed Dobson’s new book, “The Year of Living Like Jesus.” I am a big fan of A.J. Jacob’s book, “The Year of Living Biblically” and wish that more Christians had read his thoughtful journey through a year of trying to follow all of the biblical commands. Since Jacob’s book isn’t available at most Christian book stores, that market was ripe for someone to come in and do a knockoff version. I figured this is what Ed had done. Although I agreed to read “The Year of Living Like Jesus” for its blog tour, I was predisposed not to like it.
Imagine my surprise when I cracked open the cover to find the foreword was written by none other than A.J. Jacobs. He explains that though the two books are similar in concept that the authors’ journeys were quite different. It is obvious that Jacobs was moved by Dobson’s humility and found value in his story. Then in his introduction, Dobson is very clear that it was while reading Jacob’s book that he was inspired to take a disciplined walk in Jesus’ shoes for a year. I figured if they both had appreciation for each other, that I could be open to Dobson’s book as well. I am so glad I did!
Having the education that he does in fundamentalist strongholds like Bob Jones University and having served as the Dean of Students at Jerry Falwell’s Liberty University you might expect Dobson to have the educational edge for Jesus-styled living. Having had the pastoral experience at Calvary Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan for 18 years, including being named “Pastor of the Year” by Moody Bible Institute, you might expect Dobson to have the ministry insights for following in Jesus’ footsteps. But while many Christians would think that they are already living like Jesus, Dobson’s travels through the calendar year show that there is much of Jesus’ culture that we’ve barely inserted our toes into. As A.J. Jacob’s puts it, “Ed jumped in.”
The dozen chapters are broken into the 12 months of the year, but instead of just chronicling the passage of time through the experiment, each one covers a specific theme about living like Jesus both in his day and ours. Themes of food, religious fashion, and fundamentalist rules accompany discoveries in prayer, devotion and friendship. Dobson does tackle each with open-mindedness and honesty—this is a far cry from typical fundamentalist stances. He is even brave enough to give a sincere look at Catholic, Orthodox and Jewish traditions in the way they interpret Jesus’ life and background. What he learns is expressed with gentleness and consideration towards others. While some may feel this doesn’t fit within the context of his exploration, understanding his religious background makes this openness both important and welcome.
Dobson’s life experiences while writing the book, including living with the debilitating ALS disease, taking a new job as Vice President for Spiritual Formation at Cornerstone University, and becoming a new grandfather are meaningful themes.
Readers may be surprised at some of Dobson’s conclusions, but then again Jesus’ life was more than a little counter-culture to the religious establishment. That his journey led Ed to a place of considering the plight of the poor, marginalized and oppressed; to consider how to treat one’s enemies; and to consider how to be committed to peacemaking, may cause the reader to pause and consider how they are living out their faith as well.
There are several things that Ed shares that he would have liked to have included during his experiment of living like Jesus that were not accomplished in the calendar year. This may be due to the nature of his illness, but to me it spoke of this being an actual lifestyle for Dobson instead of a clever writing assignment. Had it been the latter, this book may have meant little more than a WWJD bracelet. As it is, following Ed through these pages as he is learning to follow Jesus is a worthwhile journey indeed.
