Ahh the 1980's. Great shows like "Growing Pains" allowed us to see a family deal with the struggles of juggling all of life's responsibilites. The star was Kirk Cameron. As a young person, Kirk was an atheist. Years later, after studying and investigating Christianity, he become a Christian.
Kirk and a friend have teamed up and they have a website: http://www.wayofthemaster.com/. There are some great videos of him and his friend witnessing to others. One of them is even in a pretty rough area. If Kirk can stand up for Jesus and face persecution and ridicule from the Hollywood establishment, maybe I can share the gospel, stand up for what is right, reach out to a hurting person who needs to hear about true love and hope.
Check out the website listed above. You may not agree 100% with Kirk, but you will see 1 way of witnessing to others. Kirk isn't doing this for fame or money. He cares about people.
Kirk leads with talking about the 10 commandments and how that person has broken some of them. Then he goes into the problem and the solution.
What way(s) do you find to be the best strategy for witnessing to someone?
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Great Expectations- map for Disaster
As many of you know, I am a father of 3 great kids. Occassionally our 2 year old will choose to challenge the dictatorship I have established. A week ago, our family (me, the wife and 3 kids) all went swimming. We didn't set a time limit and ended up staying there for 1 and 1/2 hours. We got out of the pool around 12:30pm which meant we still had to do lunch.
Jen decided we should walk to the pool. So we walked home from the pool with the older kids whining from hunger and our 2 yr old screaming and kicking. I was very ticked off. I told the 2 yr old that she was in trouble and she was going to sit in the corner when we got home..... and go to bed early.... and not have her teddy bear.
Do you think I was realistic to expect my 2 yr old to be patient?????? We spent too much time at the pool. And, we got home after their normal lunch time. I reacted to a situation by focusing on how I wanted things to be. I wasn't realistic. I would like to drop 30 lbs in 6 weeks, have a wildly successful business, a perfect marriage, God-fearing-talented-caring children, friends who agree with me all the time, the ability to build a deck in a weekend.... Being realistic is not being negative. We can all learn, grow and set goals, and work towards them. God gives each one a gift. Maybe we would like someone else's gift. That may be our expectation- that God will give us a different gift. Maybe a gift that someone in the church with popularity has. I will never probably be able to preach like James Nored, but I can grow in my communication skills. I can learn to teach and lead small groups. Each part of the body is valuable.
Does some of the stress in our lives come from unrealistic expectations of how our life "should" be? Or our marriages,etc...
Jen decided we should walk to the pool. So we walked home from the pool with the older kids whining from hunger and our 2 yr old screaming and kicking. I was very ticked off. I told the 2 yr old that she was in trouble and she was going to sit in the corner when we got home..... and go to bed early.... and not have her teddy bear.
Do you think I was realistic to expect my 2 yr old to be patient?????? We spent too much time at the pool. And, we got home after their normal lunch time. I reacted to a situation by focusing on how I wanted things to be. I wasn't realistic. I would like to drop 30 lbs in 6 weeks, have a wildly successful business, a perfect marriage, God-fearing-talented-caring children, friends who agree with me all the time, the ability to build a deck in a weekend.... Being realistic is not being negative. We can all learn, grow and set goals, and work towards them. God gives each one a gift. Maybe we would like someone else's gift. That may be our expectation- that God will give us a different gift. Maybe a gift that someone in the church with popularity has. I will never probably be able to preach like James Nored, but I can grow in my communication skills. I can learn to teach and lead small groups. Each part of the body is valuable.
Does some of the stress in our lives come from unrealistic expectations of how our life "should" be? Or our marriages,etc...
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Pig Poop & other stuff
My wife, Jennifer, had gotten a haircut. She went quite a bit shorter than usual. I took our 3 daughters to Iowa (on the farm) for the weekend to give Jen time with her college friends. They have an annual girls weekend. When we got home, my 5-old daughter looked at her mom's haircut. She exclaimed, "Well-- I guess I can get use to it. I did get use to the smell of pig poop.
Anyone who has been raised on a farm, lived in a rural community or visited a farm knows that there are many odors which can be encountered. My girls would mention the smell of the pigs every time we went outside. After a few days, they didn't mention it anymore. They were used to it.
A few years ago, my oldest daughter (then age 3), wanted to do something with our neighbor friends. I asked her if she would jump off a cliff if Curtis and Cara did. She replied, "Yes, if I had my swimsuit on."
What have I learned? Kids say the darndest things. Ok, Art Linkletter popularized that statement. There is some wisdom though in some of the things our kids say.
1. PPP- (pig poop principle): Not everything in life is easy and fun. Suck it up and get through it. After awhile, it will be no big deal.
2. CJP- (Cliff Jumping Principle): Always consider your options.
What are some funny or unexpected statements you've heard from kids?
Anyone who has been raised on a farm, lived in a rural community or visited a farm knows that there are many odors which can be encountered. My girls would mention the smell of the pigs every time we went outside. After a few days, they didn't mention it anymore. They were used to it.
A few years ago, my oldest daughter (then age 3), wanted to do something with our neighbor friends. I asked her if she would jump off a cliff if Curtis and Cara did. She replied, "Yes, if I had my swimsuit on."
What have I learned? Kids say the darndest things. Ok, Art Linkletter popularized that statement. There is some wisdom though in some of the things our kids say.
1. PPP- (pig poop principle): Not everything in life is easy and fun. Suck it up and get through it. After awhile, it will be no big deal.
2. CJP- (Cliff Jumping Principle): Always consider your options.
What are some funny or unexpected statements you've heard from kids?
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Expelled- the movie
Have you seen "Expelled" with Ben Stein? Ok- you might remember him from the movie "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" starring Matthew Broderick. Stein played the monotone teacher who called out, "anyone, anyone, anyone.....?"The movie asserts that several college professors have been fired or denied tenure based on their decision to "consider" intelligent design as 1 theory for how life started. It is a documentary and very dry. Richard Dawkins, a prominent atheist, is interviewed heavily by Stein.
There is a lot of controversy surrounding this film. The media gives the movie horrible reviews. Ben Stein, the actor, was a lawyer and even worked as a speech writer for Richard Nixon. During the documentary, the scientists say that anyone who considers intelligent design as an option for how humans were created, is an idiot. Dawkins even claims that possible aliens (a higher life form from another planet) came to earth and seeded it. He didn't have any ideas about how the higher life forms came to be.
According to Dawkins, the producer and Ben Stein tricked him and others into participating in the interviews. The movie title was a different title and the interviewers appeared to support science. That is why several of the anti-intelligent design scientists agreed to talk to the interviewers. Many people who believe in intelligent design (that a higher power like God created the world and life) also believe in evolution. The trick is how "evolution" is defined. Some define it as the end-all be-all of life. Some define it meerly as a theory for how animals adapt and 'evolve' through each generation.
The scientists in this film who were "exposed" won't even say that there is a 1% chance that a higher power (like God) created life. They say life came from crystals. But, where did the crystals come from? This is a great movie to get people thinking- no matter what your views are. I loved how Stein separated the religion part from the debate. He just couldn't believe that these brainy scientists wouldn't consider at all the chance that a higher power created life. Not even a .1111 chance.
I know 1 atheist. He is a great guy- moral, honest and takes care of his family. Maybe I have other athiest friends, but they don't bring it up. It has been probably 10 years since I have even had a conversation about big bang versus God creating the earth.
How do you think life began? When's the last time someone challenged your belief and how did you react?
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Clinton VS. Obama- Who won? Is Faith a deciding factor?
Last night, I watched the Democratic Debate between Senator Clinton and Senator Obama. The debate started off with a 45 minute barrage of questions about Obama's statements about people being bitter and clinging to guns and religion, his relationship with his pastor, his relationship with a professor who was part of a bombing 40 years ago and a few other items.
The debate is being hailed as one of the worst, if not THE worst debate ever. While I believe anyone running for President should be fully researched, I care more about their previous voting patterns, philosophy of governing and ideas for how to manage the war, spur on the economy and help me keep more of my hard earned dollars.
Our presidents have always had a link to a certain church- many have been protestants and JFK was Catholic. While Ronald Regan was heralded as the best president by many conservatives (many of which are Christians), Nancy Reagan consulted astrologists. This is never talked about by Christian Republicans.
I would like to have a president that believed exactly like me, but is that realistic. His/her philosophy and ideas and pattern for success matter more to me than what church he goes to. Even if a policitican is a "member" of a church, what does that prove?
First Question: Who do you think won the debate?
Second Question: Is a person's religious doctrine/association more important to you than their stance on the issues? Would you vote for someone of your faith even if you disagreed with them on the issues??
The debate is being hailed as one of the worst, if not THE worst debate ever. While I believe anyone running for President should be fully researched, I care more about their previous voting patterns, philosophy of governing and ideas for how to manage the war, spur on the economy and help me keep more of my hard earned dollars.
Our presidents have always had a link to a certain church- many have been protestants and JFK was Catholic. While Ronald Regan was heralded as the best president by many conservatives (many of which are Christians), Nancy Reagan consulted astrologists. This is never talked about by Christian Republicans.
I would like to have a president that believed exactly like me, but is that realistic. His/her philosophy and ideas and pattern for success matter more to me than what church he goes to. Even if a policitican is a "member" of a church, what does that prove?
First Question: Who do you think won the debate?
Second Question: Is a person's religious doctrine/association more important to you than their stance on the issues? Would you vote for someone of your faith even if you disagreed with them on the issues??
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Barack Obama praises George Bush the 1st
Yesterday Senator Obama addressed a town hall meeting in Pennsylvania. He answered many questions from the group of veterans about the underfunding of the VA, the nasty campaigning & the racist type comments uttered by a fellow congressman (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9Jis_BsZ0w).
Senator Obama has run an honorable campaign and hasn't resorted to the nastiness which we have seen and see today. He didn't raise a ruckus about the comments being racist although the comment is clearly racist (use of the word "boy" to describe a 47 yr old senator).
When asked about the Iraq war and the cost in lives and dollars, Senator Obama recognized that George HW Bush (the 1st) did it right. Back during the Gulf War, the executive branch took their time, calculated the cost, listened to all views (even dissenting views) and executed a plan down to the details.
Barack said that it doesn't matter if someone is Republican or Democrat, many of the issues we are facing today (war, mortgage crisis, gas prices,etc..) are not partisan issues. Sure, he is hoping to get more Republican support, but I believed him yesterday.
Do you support Barack? What are the top 2 things you look for in a presidential candidate?
Senator Obama has run an honorable campaign and hasn't resorted to the nastiness which we have seen and see today. He didn't raise a ruckus about the comments being racist although the comment is clearly racist (use of the word "boy" to describe a 47 yr old senator).
When asked about the Iraq war and the cost in lives and dollars, Senator Obama recognized that George HW Bush (the 1st) did it right. Back during the Gulf War, the executive branch took their time, calculated the cost, listened to all views (even dissenting views) and executed a plan down to the details.
Barack said that it doesn't matter if someone is Republican or Democrat, many of the issues we are facing today (war, mortgage crisis, gas prices,etc..) are not partisan issues. Sure, he is hoping to get more Republican support, but I believed him yesterday.
Do you support Barack? What are the top 2 things you look for in a presidential candidate?
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