parenting and spirituality

This week I have been thinking a lot about my kids and the way that I interact with them and around them. At church on Sunday Timmy was talking about parenting and some of the things said really impacted me. I try to be the best parent that I can, but I know that I fail my kids and make plenty of mistakes. Timmy was talking about making sure that we provide to our kids a positive example. He mentioned how what we model to our kids will be lived out by them. Certainly not a new insights and certainly not the first time that I heard that insight. For some reason though i was incredibly convicted and I have since spent much thought on how I exemplify living to my kids. Would I be okay with my kids saying the things that I sometimes say, Would it be okay for my kids to talk to me or to others the way that I sometimes talk to them. I realize that I really need to take step back and review the example that I am laying before my kids. Parenting is tough and it sometimes reveals clearly some of my biggest weaknesses, but it can also make me a better person and help to make me less and less selfish.

The churc h of Oprah????? are you kidding me??

I saw this video on line last week and I thought it was absolutely ridiculous. I think the video id called the church of Oprah, or something like that. Anyways, the video is all about this church on the rise and it's followers and how dangerous this new church or cult or whatever is. It talks about Oprah and isolates clip from different episodes where Oprah talks about spirituality and says things that aren't exactly in line with traditional evangelical beliefs or theology.
They then talk about the book "The New Earth" and how Oprah had in it her book club, except the video suggests that the book is basically Oprah's statement of faith and that she started an online church following the teachings of this book. In actuality Oprah said she really liked the book and then had it in her book club and then there was an online study of the book in her book club, as there is for several books. (No, I am not in Oprah's book club nor am I a huge Oprah fan)
It just really bothers me that the church that I love and I gladly represent, the church of Christ, is putting out such hateful and demeaning propaganda. That video rips on Oprah and rips on those who are "Oprah's followers". And, all this on the heels of Oprah's Big Give where each contestant had to give, give, give to others and the winner got one million dollars and had to give half of that away to others in need. And the next thing you know the church of the God who represents all that is good puts out a video trying to destroy someone who is doing good. I don't think that Christ would ever be apart of such negative propaganda. As I look at my savior, i see that he never blasted on those of his culture or the "worldly" people of his time. The only people that he approached and said "what the heck are you idiots doing, STOP!" to was those who were the "church leaders". The same people who created and distributed this video.

And, besides if you really wanted to discredit someone, elevating them to a church leader or goddess is not the way to do it. By calling the people who watch Oprah or are in Oprah's Book Club her followers or worshipers you are just elevating her to a higher level than she would ever acknowledge her self as. It just doesn't make sense.

Also if there was somebody out there that does like Oprah and watches her show regularly and goes to church casually, this video doesn't change their mind about Oprah, it makes up their mind about the church and turns them off to the church. I guarantee you that this video turned off more people about the church and its tactics than it did turn off people to Oprah. This video is nothing but destructive. To the church that I love and promote and to Oprah who is just trying to do good. It is okay to disagree with her theology or her beliefs, but lets as a body of Christ spend more time promoting good than we do opposing people that God loves.

If you see this video please don't send it to tons of people or promote, just pass it off as another act of ignorance and judgmental condemnation and go on about your way doing good and promoting good.

The churc h of Oprah????? are you kidding me

The churc h of Oprah????? are you kidding me

beneath the surface

Lately in //epidemic we have been talking about faith, and we discussed the different meanings of the word faith. Today we explored faith as it represents a set of beliefs. I was so impressed Witt several of the students. We had an open discussion about our core beliefs, about what makes us who we are, and to be honest, I really expected that a lot of the students were going to give real generic and surface level comments. You know, "Jesus!" or, "I like sports" or "I'm a skater" etc... But I was wrong. we had so many kids that gave really good responses. They really got to the core of what makes then who they are, and i think it is incredibly important to be able to do that. We need to be able to identify that which we stand for and the definitive about our values. Those things that we wont compromise on.
Think about it, What do you stand for. What would other people say are you values? If we don't decide for ourselves who we are and who we are going to be, someone else will surely influence into who they want us to be. I am not telling anybody who they need to be, but I am saying to everyone reading this and everyone that comes into //epidemic, know who you are and who you are going to be and live it, breath it, be it.

myoooo-sick

Music is awesome. It is, well at least for me, one of God's greatest gifts. I have to confess, that I have not been very good about spending quality devotion time with God, but i have found some really goo times that bring me back to God and sustain me, getting me connected to God. Those times are when i am driving to work and listening to some good music in the car. I can just put some good worship stuff on and next thing i know my spirit is being moved and i am connecting to God. It is so cool how i can connect to god so deeply and so intimately from the driver seat in my car. I love that about my God. I can be in a sanctuary or in my driver seat, or in a bathroom stall for that matter and connect as deeply and as intimately as I want t. He is always there and has no preference on location, just on the condition of the heart. He is just glad to have time with us and he is blind to our surroundings, but he is gazing ever so intently and passionately into our hearts. So, go listen to some music, or go sit on the toilet or where-ever it is. Spend some time with God there. He'll love it and appreciate it and so will you.

It has been far too long since I blogged here, especially since i am supposed to be doing this at least once a week. Well, here I am anyways. Life is gooooood. I have a new son who is awesome and I adore, I have a new job at Farmers Ins. that is great, Baseball season is just around the corner, the Lakers are On Fire! I got a bunch of new music from Jack Johnson and Ben Harper and I LOVE my wife! I love life!
What new things has God been teaching me lately?
- Well, i don't know if it is necessarily anything new, but God has been teaching me about calling and purpose in life. I really like my new job at Farmers and there are incredible money making opportunities at Farmers and i have been getting myself back into the mode of getting up and praying early in the morning lately, and during those times I have been sensing God speaking to me about not allowing the almighty dollar to lure me further away from things at church, and reminding me that I have gotta get the youth ministry at church kickin'. I love those internal battles and conversations because they are such a strong reminder that there is most definitely a spiritual realm and There is most certainly a God at work that is speaking to our hearts if we are willing to listen.