Author: Wick

(wrote this to read to my church after pastor appreciation month, was supposed to stay 60 seconds or less)

60 seconds to drop a few words on the spot
about the love I got for my Moundford Fam
For the care they’ve shown as my children have grown
And they’ve known more about who I am.

For the cards, and the cookies, the smiles and the calls
But most of all for the love overflowing
For the fact that God’s only still beginning to sprout
The fruit from the seeds that we’re sewing.

A Michigander I am, and I’ll always be,
But Decatur I surely call home.
You’ve seen me be goofy, make you proud on TV,
And love my family like one of your own.

I’ve seen you give of your time and your money,
‘Til backs ache and sweat pours off your brows.
I’ve seen a city transformed by your love,
Without anyone taking credit with bows.

And so after a month of receiving your thanks,
Your cards and appreciation.
It seems a short poem is like using a squirt gun
To fill a Semi at a gas station.

So I hope you will know throughout the whole year
Just how much my family you are.
And together with Christ as our center and source,
I look forward to Him taking us far.  (-ther)

🙂

Parenting isn’t the only area of our life (as if it can be quarantined to one “area”) where God can use what is happening to develop us Spiritually. Every day, God offers to use what we’re walking through to reveal His Kingdom to us, if we’re open to it. Which is why, last week at a hockey game, I was reminded of our need for humility.

It’s really easy to start thinking we’re pretty good at things. We get an idea, even a divinely inspired idea…and “know” that it would be a success…so we move towards it.

In Hockey, most of you probably already know of the term “offsides”. It’s a term that’s called when a player moves towards the goal and crosses the blue line before the puck. When this happens, the whistle blows, play stops…and must begin again from a central starting point. The puck must cross the line first.

So many times in life, we have our eyes on the goal. We know that’s where we need to head….and so we move towards it. Many times as parents, we cross that “blue line” towards the goal without the Spirit moving with us. We may sometimes ignore it…but “offsides” is called. We need to stop the play, and find a new starting point…asking that God would show us where He is moving us.

In hockey, the defensive players don’t have to wait for the puck to enter the zone to stand between the player and his goal. In the same respect, the things that try and stop us from moving towards our spiritual goals couldn’t care less if we move towards that goal without the Spirit. The goal wouldn’t happen.

I think this happens on a daily basis, if we were all honest…in small personal ways at least. But once in a while, I think it can happen on a larger scale. I believe having young children in general is a season of figuring out a new starting point…asking God where He is moving for the future of our family. I believe each of us can benefit from asking that in our own lives.

It takes humility. Whether in a ministry, or a job, a relationship, a family, a life, etc…that we’ve worked at for years….to stop and realize…we’ve relied too much on ourselves, and not enough on the empowering of the Holy Spirit. Humbling yes…but necessary. And freeing.  Advent is the perfect time for us to recognize where we are, and aren’t, waiting on the Lord.  With that I say, “Game On.”

ps. I realize that, as with any cheesy illustration, this one falls short. If you try, you’ll find things in it that don’t work….theologically. But as a hockey fan….I like it. So deal. 🙂

Mr. Ramsey – are you listening?

Dave Ramsey gave away $10,000 today. It was incredible.

The winner said he entered 600 times. Dave laughed. Gave him an audible “high five”. Congratulated him. Encouraged others that we too could be winners like this guy.

It seems Dave Ramsey would advocate better use of time than that. Gambling is addictive.

He said about a million people entered his contest?
Let’s figure each entry took a minute to complete.
That’s over 16,600 HOURS of time donated to entering this contest.

Is taking away 16,600 hours of time people could be spending with family, friends, work, etc…..worth the 10,000 bucks?

Probably not.

Let’s say the winner was fast, and was able to do 3 entries per minute…he still spent over 3 hours sitting at his computer doing nothing but clicking your website. Are you advocating millions of people should waste away their holiday moments like this?

I could just be a sore loser too. 🙂

Rant over.

(full discloser: My wife and I took FPU, and benefited from it.  I’m currently finishing up teaching “Generation Change” to our church’s youth group.  It’s not perfect – but tweaked a bit to touch all the resources we can honor God with – it’s a great conversation/small group starter.)