Despite the World it Was Still VBS Week

In a little over a week nine precious people, worshiping in their faith community, gathered for Bible study were murdered by one welcomed in their midst. Six predominately African American churches in the South have been burned, with arson suspected in at least three. There was a terrorist attack on beach vacationers leaving 39 people killed and dozens wounded. The Supreme Court ruled that states do not have the right to ban same sex marriages and a debate is raging about the Confederate Flag. Isn't it amazing how emotional reactions can cause people to become historical, theological and constitutional experts? As a spiritual leader as I am bombarded with questions about what I believe which sound less like true desire to hear and more like a challenge to validate their thinking. Weeks like this make me weary. As I am trying to listen, understand, empathize with hurts, fears and anger in hopes God's will prevails, I really just want to climb inside a blanket fort somewhere and read a good book.

While there were no blanket forts, I spent the week immersed in child-like heaven. The world was going crazy, yet it was still VBS (vacation bible school) week. While terror and mayhem, debates and decisions took place, close to 60 children, 20 adults and 20 young people gathered in our church building to learn abut the power of God to love, transform, heal, empower and redeem through Jesus and Holy Spirit. 

One would look back at the week and think, "why bother?" Why spend weeks, no months, preparing food, lessons, craft, skits and decorations to sow seeds of faith in the fertile hearts of these children if they will just grow up and live in such a world we are in.

Here are  4  reasons why we should bother:

1. Children need to worry less about being right. Real living is not about being "right" but about learning to be righteous. Being righteous can only be done through a deep and personal relationship with our Creator who makes us right with him. In turn being righteous is about treating others "right" as Christ would. VBS is a place where we practice getting along, playing together and treating each other as Christ would treat us. 

2. Children should learn.  That is it. Christ taught. The Sermon on the Mount begins with, Jesus sat and he began to teach them... Many of today's problems stem from people not studying the bible, the Constitution, even history. More importantly we are focused on using the bible, etc. as tools to support our opinions rather than learning the true spirit and intent; the "whys". 

3. Children need to play. VBS is play for children. But it is a holy play that transforms. Every craft, outdoor game and song shapes their hearts. The world has become a place of work for children based on achievement and performance. VBS has no expectations other than to "be." 

4. Children need to feel the church cares about them. VBS is a week set aside to love on them and honor them. Too often the children become second class children to interest groups, political parties and collective points of view. Their lives become what these groups present to them. Children need love most. 


Maybe us adult children of God need a little VBS too. Just sayin'

Drag Push Pull

Well it is here...VBS WEEK. After weeks of intense preparation, which included costume design, cookie baking, script writing, craft buying, set building, song and dance practice, and nail painting (yes we are that committed) 

we get this! YES THIS!

And this is the first night!

Thanks Brock!

Kids love VBS, even the ones that first enter with fear and trepidation. It is a moment when children that are familiar with the church and each other gather with friends they have invited as well as those children that have accepted the invitation of the cool light up sign in the church yard!








After one fast flying evening of skits, stories, crafts food and fun the kids join together as if they have all known each other for ever! They rush in to the sanctuary for closing ready eager to share in what excitement unfolds next.

Bam! Hebrews 10:19 just happened in the middle of VBS with a bunch of rowdy kids and willing adults and young people.


"And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven's Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus."

It is a challenge for us weekly worshippers (and those that may not actually make it to worship weekly) to enter boldly into worship. I venture to say that many of us creep in, straggle in, or maybe even stumble in to a Most Holy Place on Sunday. Maybe we are tired. Or is it because we don't feel worthy? Do we even understand that we are entering a holy place? The sanctuary is the most holy place this side of heaven. How we enter the this holy spot reflects how confident we are in our entry into the Heavenly Holy Place. How could we NOT enter boldly with the confidence of a new life in Christ?

These VBS kids get it. Maybe not in the way we think of "holy." They don't come in silent, reverent and chanting as if they are monks entering a monastery. They come in with great expectation, awaiting to see what God can do through the lives of the people present Christ to them They know Christ will be there. Why? Well duh! Because it is vacation BIBLE school! They (if even for only one week) they become family! They look for Christ, they wait for Him and cheer when they see what God can do.

Maybe VBS is a yearly challenge to us regular worshippers to check our attitude upon entering. Are we rushing in boldly expecting to see what God can do knowing we are a new family living in the power of Christ??? Maybe we should.

Can YOU Let it Go?

Sassy is potty training. (Or should I say Sassy's parents are in training.) Mom and Dad are doing all of the right things; rewarding with treats, cheering, a fancy potty... even a happy potty dance. Sassy wants to wear "big girl panties and she isn't afraid of the potty (yes that is a real thing.) She knows when she is about to go so all the signs and stars are aligned for this adventure.

You are welcome for that moment of happy. But last night I get this text:

The problem is in the balance of power and control. Bless Sassy's parents. As parents we live under the false idea that we can control all aspect of our children's life. There are not enough M&Ms to make a child potty in a pink, singing Minnie Mouse potty if they don't want to. In Sassy's case she is just smart enough to have figured out that she is n control of this one. 

Sassy 1 - Parents 0

Power and control is one of the biggest bane's to man's existence. Human beings have sought power over our world through control since the beginning of time yet almost always we aren't smart enough to know when not having control is actually sometimes better. 

Take Adam and Eve. They had it made! No work, beautiful landscaped yard. And the top Whole Foods Market at their finger tips. But they wanted power, control and that meant eating that one item on the shelves that was off limits. It was off limits because it would give them even more desire to have power and control. It was the fruit of knowledge of good AND evil. Once they ate and knew then they had to try to control their surroundings. They had to hide shame, lie, work the garden...all for the sake of one small taste of control.

Control is a powerful drug. A little goes a long way and a little creates the desire for more. We parents are the worse. we actually believe we can control our children's behavior with punishment, manipulation and reward; all forms of control. I am not advocating free range parenting as that creates a lock of self control which results in chaos. But there are some steps to understanding and living in a balance of control. 

1.     You cannot control the actions of others. 

        You may be able to elicit a desirable outcome but ultimately the control was in the choice of the person or people you are trying to control. They chose to do what you wished. 

Help People Make the Right Choice

2.     Total control is imaginary.

        I don't know how many times in my life I thought I had total control until someone or something came along and upset that apple cart. While we can control ourselves, we can not control the entire planet. Being rigid disables us from shifting when the world shifts.

Take Care of You and Learn to Be Flexible

3.     Question your desire for control.

        Pay attention when you are exerting control. Ask yourself why you need to be in control in this particular situation. Sometimes we control out of fear of the unknown or a weakness to handle what could happen. Learning to conquer fear and cope with our surroundings is better than trying to control the world. Getting support to work through the things in life that stress us, defeat us and set us back is much better that creating an environment of control to try to keep life from happening.

Learn to Cope and Work Through YOUR Stuff

So... what is Sassy's mom to do? Since all systems are go then she chose to be flexible and go back to diapers. She isn't giving up. It isn't really her fight anyway. But she knows Sass wants to wear big girl panties not diapers so she is helping this little girl make the right choice; panties mean potty. Potty training (or most hurdles in life) do not have to be achieved at some magical moment. Being flexible keeps mom from going crazy and ramping up the control which is an illusion. She had to ask herself - who is this deadline for? Is it for me or some parenting magazine or for Sassy girl to reach a new level of self confidence. 

Lest you think this blog is about potty training let me be clear. It is about YOU, ME - all of us. Whether we are trying to make others use a toilet instead of a diaper or a child kick a bad habit or a co-worker do a better job - we all are in danger of falling into the lure of control. Don't do it! Back away! Just take care of you!

I Am Baaaaaack

Yes, I am aware my last post was over five months ago. I would love to tell you why but then that would defeat the reason I went "blog silent. Le's just say I was at a place where I couldn't trust myself to not use my blog as a weapon against those who were creating havoc in an otherwise perfect world. 

Don't we need breaks sometimes? A space and time to find perspective; to lick our wounds and to heal from the throes of life? We know this as infants but forget it as toddlers - we need rest - a break - distance from the world. 

Granted it may not need to be five months. Sometimes a day, or a week or even just a nap. Babies know they need sleep and for the most part they do a lot of it. But something inside our human nature pushes us, as early as toddlerhood to reject the notion of lying down. I mean we may miss something, right? We may not be able to exert our desire to control the situation if we are shut down and removed. So we avoid breaks.

Let me tell you from experience, a break was just what I needed. And trust me, you needed a break from me too. Has I stuck around during the rough patch, I would have shared (stealthily disguised as a great lesson) all the junk being poured over me as well as my gut responses. I would have inflicted my pain on you. 

But distance, perspective and healing allows me to learn from the experience and move on to more fruitful topics, like this one, rest. Rest is also known as sabbath in our church world. Jesus took a sabbath time to rest in the Lord. We need that same time. It is a restful place where God can speak and heal and shape us.

I need to be more faithful in this practice. I am called to urge others to take sabbath rests. When is yours?