Why Feb 1st is when you should make your New Year's resolutions

Many people fall into either one of three categories when it comes to New Year's resolutions. 

There are those who year after year enthusiastically commit to various audacious goals only to experience failure a few months in. The meant well, but it just didn't come together. "Well, if the Cubs can try again next year so can I" is the annual attitude.

There are also those refuse to set resolutions. "No one ever sticks with those. Who wants to feel like a failure?"

And then, similar to the existence of Big Foot, there supposedly is a group of people out there who indeed do keep resolutions. I always wondered if such people were successful because they set goals like, "I'm going to make sure to breath every day this year." But if the resolutions are actually more challenging then this, then I need to meet the Sasquatch so I can ask him what the secret to success is.

To set goals is a good and necessary endeavor, a discipline of the successful and prudent. I'd like to offer the suggestion that maybe the reason some fail at keeping resolutions is tied to when they are made: New Year's Eve. 

Trusting in the slow work of God

Last night brought a rare moment of being able to just sit in the living room and be quiet for awhile. It was a prayerful time: who I am, my family, church and all the horizon will unknowingly reveal. While staring at our fake fireplace a line from a prayer I heard a few months ago arrived, "Trust in the slow work of God." It comes from this prayer by Father Teilhard de Chardin:

Like a firework from the air

No chance on starting the year off on a restful note, I had to fly out of town for work this afternoon. Two and half hours later, while on the landing approach coming into Houston I happened to look out my window to see a single firework being shot off. 

It was a professional job, clearly not something bought at a roadside shop. Then again, I am in Texas right now so it's not to say that some cowboy out there didn't have a pro size rocket to blast off. The explosion was blue with a yellow middle. At ground level I'm sure it looked like a huge burst, but from my perspective's altitude it looked like a soap bubble rising above still water in a bathtub. It hung there for just a second and then...pop.

This brought a smile because I've always wondered what fireworks would look like from the air. Of course I kept my eye on the area where it said hello, but no other came. It was there for just a moment and then...pop.

And in the quiet, while still waiting for another, the thought came to me, "That's how this next year will be."

Here just for a moment and then...pop.
 

Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” Otherwise you are boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil. James 4:13-16

3 helpful links and 2 thoughts on election day

After today the barrage of commercials will go to a trickle (hopefully), followed by lawn signs getting pulled up and 7-11 Obama/Romney cups being replaced with 007 cups (hopefully). 

But as of writing this there are still around 10 hours left in Chicago to vote. For those still undecided, here are a couple links I found helpful:

• www.isidewith.com - The site lists a bunch of questions along the various issues, asking your opinion and how important the issue is for you. Once done it will tell you which candidate you are most in line with. If you go to the site you'll notice that each category has a link under each grouping for additional questions on the topic. Make sure to answer those as well.
• 5 Questions Romney Never Answered About Mormonism - very thought provoking article. For me #4 is the big one to consider. 
• Moral and Spiritual Issues in the 2012 Election - chart on the various issues for the two parties. Thought-provoking, though at the same time should be seen as a summary of generalities. It would be incredibly wrong to make the assumption that a person claiming to be in either of the given parties holds to each and every issue in exactly the way this author has defined them.

A couple thoughts for my fellow Christians:

• Be respectful in how you speak of others that you disagree with. All of the issues are important in an election. However some issues will be more heart felt than others to various individuals, including various believers. There will even be debate on which of those issues should rise to the top. In the same way, though most would agree that we should vote for the candidate that is closely in line with Biblical principles - it is very possible that various believers will disagree on the specifics of those Biblical principles. It is OK to disagree with others and it is OK to have healthy debate on such things. So avoid phrases today (or ever) along the lines of, "I don't see how anyone who believes in God can vote for..." To flippantly make such a statement is more arrogant than anything. There's a right way and a wrong way to point to one's understanding of the truth. How a fellow church family member votes in a political election should not deter us from being in community with them.
• Be respectful in how you speak of the candidate that you disagree with. For example, anyone who refers to our current president as Obama Bin Laden is not being obedient to scripture!!!  See Romans 13:1-7, 2 Timothy 2:1-7, and 1 Peter 2:13-17.

Never a fan of election years for the rift they can cause in families, friendships, churches, and communities. But they are necessary. Pray for God's guidance as you cast your vote.

9/11: Already Starting to Fade

World War I. is incredibly interesting. The stories of what soldiers went through are phenomenal. They are meaningful because of my related history as a citizen of our country. But not experiencing WWI firsthand I don't have an emotional connection to it. I don't feel it.

But 9/11 I experienced and 9/11 I felt. Not as a New Yorker would have. Not as one of the victim's family and friends would have. But in my own way as a Chicagoan, as a husband, as a youth pastor, and just as a guy looking at a screen with complete disbelief.

And now it is 2012, eleven years later. I found this cartoon yesterday that pretty much sums it up:

Aug 2nd: Gospel appreciation day

I am declaring that August 2nd is Gospel appreciation day!

• Let all those who love Jesus and say they are followers of Him live like it!
• Remember that sin is disgusting and you did NOTHING to redeem yourself - Jesus did it ALL.
• Embrace the life that you did not earn but were given based on the sacrifice of Jesus. 
• Find joy in the truth that you could change nothing about yourself that would make God redeem you or love you more - both before you met Him or after. 
• Find peace in the truth that God is continually working on you and is always with you.
• Find passion in the truth that God wants you to join Him in what He is doing in the world (though He doesn't need you to accomplish it).

Appreciate the Gospel today!!!

• Appreciate the Gospel by caring about the type of person you are!
• Appreciate the Gospel by caring about the type of character you have!
• Appreciate the Gospel by caring about the type of words that come out of your mouth!
• Appreciate the Gospel by knowing the names of those who live around you!
• Appreciate the Gospel by learning the stories of those you interact with! 
• Appreciate the Gospel by treating cab drivers and waitresses and fast food workers like actual human beings and not endentured servants. 
• Appreciate the Gospel by speaking truth from a spirit of compassion and not of judgement!
• Appreciate the Gospel by disagreeing with people respectfully and not in harshness! 
• Appreciate the Gospel by communicating your disagreement of politicians without insulting them!
• Appreciate the Gospel by being concerned with how the poor are treated!
• Appreciate the Gospel by being concerned with how immigrants are treated!
• Appreciate the Gospel by being concerned with how the LGBT community is treated!
• Appreciate the Gospel by caring about the manner in which you talk to people!
• Appreciate the Gospel by being a person of truthful character! 
• Appreciate the Gospel by being an honorable person! 
• Appreciate the Gospel by being a person of justice!
• Appreciate the Gospel by being a person of purity!
• Appreciate the Gospel by being a lovely person!
• Appreciate the Gospel by being a person who can be commended!
• Appreciate the Gospel by being a person of excellence!   

Appreciate the Gospel by living it!

Because how you live out the gospel with the people you actually interact with day in and day out is more important than if you bought a spicy chicken yesterday. 

Gospel Appreciation: not just Aug 2nd.  

Everyday!

Monday Conversations: Chicago & Violence, the church & the LGBT community

My Monday was rather interesting, if I do say so myself. 

In the morning I joined in with some other New Life pastors to attend a press conference with the Chicago Clergy Coalition. The violence in Chicago has been beyond epidemic. The press conference was to announce the coalition's call for a weekend of peace in the city of Chicago. The tribune did a nice job reporting on the event; you can read their article HERE.

One pastor who spoke at the event made the comment, "12 people are killed and almost 60 wounded in Colorado and it is called a tragedy. In Chicago that is called Saturday night." It was really amazing to see so many church leaders from varying faith backgrounds in one place to stand before God for the city of Chicago.

Check out the Chicago Clergy Coalition's website for information on upcoming events that are planned in regards to addressing the violence in Chicago: www.chicagoclergycoalition.org

I left the press conference to head to Moody to be interviewed along with my friend Christopher Yuan on Moody Radio. We were on the Midday Connection program to talk about how the church can interact with the LGBT community. It was my first time doing something like this so I really had no idea how it would go, but it seemed like things went well.

You can listen to the interview by CLICKING HERE.

There were a lot of good comments/questions that came up on Midday's Facebook page(some not so good). My plan is to go through and write up a blog post this week responding to as many of them as I can.

Two issues close to my heart in one day. Not a bad way to start the week.

Praying for peace in Chicago - in more areas than one.

Did you fall for yesterday's Back to the Future scam?

Oh Back To The Future.

You are up there with Ferris, the Breakfast Club and Ghostbusters as movies that inspired my generation's mindset (probably explains a lot about my weirdness). You also inspired us to skateboard more than Tony Hawk ever could and to play guitar before we ever heard of Guitar Hero. And though hardly any of us had ever seen or heard of a DeLorean before you (just admit it), nothing can take your place in our minds when that word is by chance uttered.

So yesterday was a big day.

It started slow but then grew like wildfire on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Yesterday was the day that Doc set the time machine to in Back to the Future II:

Obviously anyone who grew up with these movies would get instantly excited and then share the big news. I did. It was like an instant reaction: BOOM! RETWEET! RESHARE! REPIN!

Thing is...it was a scam.

How to give comfort to soldiers

Over the weekend Jeannette and I were able to take the kids to the Magic House in St Louis. It's one of the best children's museums that we've been to with tons of different environments for the kids to be creative and play make-believe.

"Once Upon a Time" was an exhibit of walking through various storybooks. One of the stories took place in a civil war setting, so there were tents, prairie items, soldier gear and the such. 

Amongst everything our kids definitely liked the drummer boy's tent:

But one thing I thought rather interesting was in the "medical tent." It was completely decked out with bandages and stretchers so that soldier patients could be attended to. On the back wall of the tent hung this sign:

Don't quit too soon

Seth Godin wrote the following on his blog today.

"I don't even know what I'm afraid of"

This is the fear that kills brands and b2b sales and individual creativity. It's the fear without a name, without a face, without false facts that can be shot down or arguments that can be reasoned with.

This is the amygdala firing, the lizard brain being triggered without rational explanation.

When we are wrestling against the elusive and resilient fear with no name, often the only choice is to live with it, to care enough about forward motion and practical progress that we can come embrace the inner trembling that won't give up.

In market after market paralyzed with fear, this trembling might be the very best sign that you're on to something.

He is speaking about business, but the truth flows into faith and relationships as well.

Life gets shaky at time. Life can bring a ton of uncertainty. Life can be downright scarey. Throw in a side of loneliness or hurt or letdown and things can move from uncertainty to overwhelming in the blink of an eye. 

Living in the red white and blue doesn't like this. We don't like uncertainty nor imbalance and certainly hate the feeling that we have no control. So whenever we find ourselves wrestling with the "elusive and resilient fear with no name" we would rather step away than step up. We'd rather go after balance and wholeness somewhere else than risk facing the unknown outcome of where we are.

So where does faith come in then?

Maybe that shaky, uncertain, scary, lonely, confusing, fearful spot is the most amazing, holy, beautiful, incredibly spot you could be in. 

Maybe you look around with, "God, why do you have me in this impossible situation? 

And maybe God looks around with, "Why not? It's perfect! You get to trust me and I get to show off!"

Easy doesn't produce faith. 

Easy doesn't produce anything.

Imagine what you're on the verge of!

Whether marriage, family, friendship, or church: Avoid backwards. Move forward. Don't give up. Keep on.

Don't quit too soon.

But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls. Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 10:39-11:1

If it didn't...

If it didn't take hard work it wouldn't be worth building

If it didn't stretch you it would be a complete waste of energy

If it didn't make you feel like giving up at times it wouldn't be worth persevering for

If it didn't feel difficult it wouldn't be worth it

 

Ignore easy.

Keep going.

Memorial Day and an old faded tattoo

Memorial Day to me is my grandfather. 

Papa served two terms in the Korean war. I remember when I was little finding a box at his house with various mementos from the Army. Money. A knife. Pictures. And I remember the awe that came over me. "Papa is a soldier!"

He never really wanted to talk about his time there. When I was little that didn't make sense to me, but it does now. 

To this day Papa has the word "Army" tattooed on his arm. Its faded now but still legible.

Tragically, my soldier grandfather, who served two terms in the Korean war, now bed ridden in his Highland Indiana home while suffering from Alzheimer's, was told recently that he is ineligible for financial help from the Veteran's administration. 

Apparently his tattoo isn't legible to various entities of our government. 

Memorial Day to me is my grandfather.

Memorial Day to me is also my cousin. My uncles. Various friends.

I have deep thankfulness for these individuals who sacrifice and have sacrificed in a way that really can't be fathomed by those of us who haven't done it. 

I pray that what they've given doesn't fade away like an old tattoo.

This pic is of Papa and Baylee, taken on Memorial Day six years ago.

5 Ways To Keep Moving Forward When You Hit A Wall

Before starting to work on my own post for today I checked my email and found the below post from Michael Hyatt's blog. I normally don't just rehash other people's stuff on here but this was too good to not share. Highly recommend you reading this today:

Some of the best reminders about God - Pt 1

Sometimes the best place to be reminded that God is all knowing is in the midst of a situation where you have no idea what is going on. 

Maybe the best time to be reminded that God is in complete control is in the midst of an hour where you have no idea what to do.

The trick is to to not allow your situation to define who God is, but to allow what is true about God to help you define your situation.

Some apostates have come about because they gave the power of definition to their situation and in turn the character and heart of God became misinterpreted and misrepresented. 

Clouds of power, clouds of beauty

In Nashville for work yesterday, the city was under tornado warnings. The guy who handed me car keys at the rental booth said, "Might want to hunker down in the afternoon." Yes, he said "hunker down." It's Nashville. A Starbucks and a CVS I stopped at both had signs up stating, "Closing early due to impending weather." Apparently the storm was something to be concerned about. And of course the church I was at was smack dab in the middle of it all.

In the afternoon the sky shifted hue in the blink of an eye. Darkness came in an instant. I stepped outside when it first started up and took this video of the hail coming down:

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss

Today would have been Theodor Seuss Geisel's 108th birthday. I was thinking earlier today that I have never heard anyone say that they dislike his work. Sure it might have happened, it isn't like I have a photographic memory. But I really don't think I've ever heard someone say that. Have you? Seriously - who would? (Don't tell me - I honestly don't want to hear about it. The world can't have gotten that bad)

When I was younger Green Eggs & Ham and Horton Hears a Who were my top favorites. My fourth grade class did Horton as a play and I was one of the vultures who carried Horton away. Skimming his work on Amazon's page for the good Dr, titles I had forgotten are coming back to me like my grandma had just read them to me yesterday: In a People House, There's a Wocket in my Pocket, and Mr Brown Can Moo, Can You? When I was a little older and in school I remember being fascinated learning that Yertle the Turtle was about Hitler. And I remember reading and rereading and rereading and rereading Oh, the Places You'll Go.

The father who keeps his promises

Sunday night our family visited Mosaic, Erwin McManus' church in West Hollywood. It was an incredible service and Erwin gave a phenomenal message, as expected. Before we left for church though, our kids had their hearts set on going swimming at the hotel. We knew we wouldn't be able to make visiting Mosaic if we took a dip, so we ensured them there would be swimming when we got back. 

While buckling Baylee in after church the first words out of her mouth were, "We're going swimming when we get back, right dad?" I love swimming and having fun with my kids, so with complete confidence and intention I said, "Baylee, we are going to swim! I promise you! Unless the pool is broken, we will swim. And if for some reason it's closed when we get back then I promise we will go in the morning." The result was one huge smile.

Now take the fact that 8pm Los Angles time is actually 10pm to Baylee and Jaxon's little Chicago bodies and add to it a 35 minute drive back to our hotel, and result is two zonked out little kids. Gone. Comatose. At this point it didn't matter if the pool was open or not.

But it did matter in the morning. At 7:45am Baylee was awake and the first words she said were, "Daddy, do we get to go swimming?" But she didn't stop there. She added the other words. She played the trump card. She called me out.

Would it even be worth it if you could go back and change the past?

This past weekend I finished reading Stephen King's newest novel, 11/22/63. From his website, this is the book's premise:

On November 22, 1963, three shots rang out in Dallas, President Kennedy died, and the world changed forever.

If you had the chance to change the course of history, would you? Would the consequences be worth it?

Jake Epping is a thirty-five-year-old high school English teacher in Lisbon Falls, Maine, who makes extra money teaching adults in the GED program. He receives an essay from one of the students—a gruesome, harrowing first person story about the night 50 years ago when Harry Dunning’s father came home and killed his mother, his sister, and his brother with a hammer. Harry escaped with a smashed leg, as evidenced by his crooked walk.

Not much later, Jake’s friend Al, who runs the local diner, divulges a secret: his storeroom is a portal to 1958. He enlists Jake on an insane—and insanely possible—mission to try to prevent the Kennedy assassination. So begins Jake’s new life as George Amberson and his new world of Elvis and JFK, of big American cars and sock hops, of a troubled loner named Lee Harvey Oswald and a beautiful high school librarian named Sadie Dunhill, who becomes the love of Jake’s life—a life that transgresses all the normal rules of time.

Explore the Possibilities...

Stephen King is an amazing story teller. Though I've enjoyed all of his last few novels this is by far one of his best ever. It has a great pace that demands you don't put it down. As the description explains, the theme throughout is dealing with the past. Not just JFK's assassination, but the moment a little girl becomes paralyzed, the moment a boy's family is shattered, the moment a relationship is changed forever. This great book got me thinking.

Hating on Valentines Day

This morning I had to wake up at 3:30am in order to catch a 6am flight for work. On my way home the night before I had stopped to get flowers for Jeannette and Baylee, balloons for Baylee and Jaxon. Knowing I'd be leaving early my devised plan was to have everything set up on the counter and ready to be found when the fam crawled out of bed. Not wanting to wake any of them up at that ungodly hour, I slept on the couch. 

Pearl Harbor Reflections: Unrecorded Heroism

Two trips to Hawaii for work in the last three months have each given me the privilege of visiting the Pearl Harbor Historic Sites park. Both experiences were very moving, with new sections of the sites being explored each time. This part of our country's history is something I've known of but not about. Like sitting down with a person you've known for months and being amazed after finally hearing their story, the history of Pearl Harbor feels new to me. Intriguing and fascinatingly new, the type of place you keep thinking back to, even days after being back home. Hence, this first post of others to follow.

The Reflection Circle is located toward the southern end of the Pearl Harbor Historic Sites park. Standing in the middle of its ring, you are able to look out over the area where the devastation occurred 71 years ago. Across the water on the other side of the harbor the USS Missouri is docked. It stands guard over its neighbor, the USS Arizona memorial. Of the 2,402 who died in the Pearl Harbor attacks, 1,177 of them were on the Arizona when it was bombed. The mental jarring your mind takes from contemplating everything from this vantage point make it easy to understand why it is called the Reflection Circle.