So lately, on my other blog SynerJACK, there has been this fad of ‘The 25 things I believe’ which have actually been really fun. So below is my list, and I now challenge you all to take a moment and have some fun with it. Game on!

1. I believe that commercials on T.V. are pointless, unless they are during the Super Bowl and for complete entertainment only!

2. I believe that children and youth are our future…and there’s a lot of work to do!

3. I believe that dogs are the best counselor.

4. I believe that world would do just fine without cats.

5. I believe sometimes, you just have to dance. Mostly when no one is looking.

6. I believe silence is often the wisest friend.

7. I believe that sometimes are biggest fault to having a poor life is not being able to let go of the past. Jesus gave us salvation which is always moving forward into the future, but many times we hold onto the past hindering our movement into salvation.

8. I believe my wife is the greatest answer to my prayers from when I was a child.

9. I believe I will never be able to show her fully what I mean.

10. I believe that if the world is going to end in 2012, then I have three years to go Skydiving, go to DisneyWorld, travel around Europe, meet the president, move to Montana, live in Cloudcroft, NM, buy Antartica, travel to the moon, read alot of books, start a business, grow gray-hair (because red-hair and grey-hair looks awesome!), have 2-3 daughters, scare off their first boyfriends, scare off all the other boyfriends, read a story to my children before bed, and grow old with my wife. I got alot to get done!

11. I believe that my dog talks to me!

12. I believe that Jesus Christ farted all the time.

13. I believe that obedience to God is the best feeling and fullfilment of joy that anyone could ever experience.

14. I believe that many people mistake obedience to God with self-righteousness.

15. I believe the church is more relevant today than ever before. We are just marketing all wrong.

16. I believe that Student Ministry (among other ministries) are the hardest jobs to exist. Not only is it physically, mentally and emotionally demanding, but you have to deal with parents. If that’s not enough, talk to the wife of a Student Minister.

17. I believe that a calling on life and the realization of that calling is one of the most beautiful conversations people have with God.
Man: “Wait, what?”
God: “I want you to be a ____________!”
Man: “Wait, what?”
God: “Now I know you are not deaf. I want you to be a ____________ and do ____________.”
Man: “Wait….what? I am not sure you know what you are talking about.”
God: “So now you are questioning me? What happened to this, ‘Whatever your will God, I will do’”
Man: “C’mon, you know me. You know I am all talk.”
God: “Yeah, you’re right. Too bad I’m all God!”

18. I believe ‘freewill’ is the greatest gift of God. Not so great for marriage.

19. I believe that Jesus chose not to give up, and willingly endured all the pain and torment of the cross. I, also, believe that it was easy for him to think about how easy it would be to give up and step off the cross.

20. I believe we think it was easy for Jesus to choose the cross because He was God incarnate. Therefore, we make Jesus into an idol, something we worship that is different from the true God.

21. I believe that if I go to bed to early at night, I am going to miss something great while I am sleeping.

22. I believe the serpent was not a snake, but a mesquito.

23. I believe that some people don’t get to choose thier homelife situations or lifestyle. However, they do get to choose the successfulness of both.

24. I believe that integrity is one the greatest things that a man can have.

25. I believe that when I die, I will be known for my integrity.

Bonus: I believe that pastoring is a full-time job with 40+ of overtime. And any Youth Ministers who can not recognize that calling on their leaders shouldn’t be in Ministry.

The image of Flight 1549 hitting the icy waters of the Hudson River was captured on someone’s cell phone camera and broadcast on national news.  I suspect that many of the passengers were engaged in prayer when the problem became apparent and they were told about the upcoming crash landing.  When the passengers were being rescued and brought safely to shore, I heard many of them praising God and expressing gratitude for God’s listening to their prayers.  Made me wonder a few things…

 - Why do we reach out to God more often in a crisis than other times?

 - If fatalities had occurred, would that mean God did not listen?

 - Did people who have in the past rejected God suddenly find that God is a great resource for hope, comfort and strength while the plane was going down?

Just some random thoughts.  I am bracing for the impact of children’s church on Sunday morning.  Just kidding.  I love it!  I am, however, honestly bracing for the impact of my daughter graduating from high school in June and moving off to college in August!

Some weeks, I simply have writer’s block.

This was one of those weeks … until Thursday afternoon. I got home a little early from the office, and turned on CNN during coverage of the dramatic plane crash in the Hudson River. I was mesmerized by the story, particularly by the reports of the passengers themselves.

One of them said that the last thing the pilot said before they hit the water was, “Brace for impact!” That got me to thinking … and voila! A sermon!

I’ve named the sermon, “Brace for Impact,” and it will be about how we deal with life’s difficulties as they loom just ahead of us. What do we do when we fear what tomorrow brings — for good reason!? Where is God when we’re about to go down?

The best source of instruction is the Book of Psalms, because the Psalmist frequently wrote from the perspective of someone who was headed for disaster. Once, he even calls out, “Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord!” I’m going to be drawing from several different Psalms in the sermon, but a few of them particularly strike me. If you want to do a little pre-service prep, then check out Psalms 55, 91, and 130.

And if you want me to address a particular subject in this sermon, let me know. I’ll be writing this sermon right up to the beginning of the service!

First of all,  thanks to Scott Weber who played along quite well with the Mii sermon last Sunday. He created a Mii character for me with an online creator program, which can be found here.

However, contrary to what I said that morning, I have not been able to figure out how to get my Miis from the Wii onto this blog. So … can anybody out there help? How do I transfer a Mii to the Wii Message Board, and then get it uploaded?

Also, I just want to let you know that I have started my own personal blog, called “The Constant Missionary,” and you can find it here. My last post had to do with the change in the youth spring break mission trip plans, if you’re interested.

Today in children’s church the kids tried to catch bubbles.  Some of the bubbles were caught, some weren’t.  We talked about the things that God asks us to do in our lives and with our lives.  At the children’s level, those requests were things like obey our parents, be nice to our siblings even when they are annoying, help others, invite others to come to church with us, and so on.  We talked about the fact that some things are easy for us to do like praying and helping others.  Other things are difficult for us – being nice to someone who is annoying or who has hurt our feelings, forgiving, obeying when we would rather not.  The kids are right.  Some bubbles are difficult for us to catch and some are easy.  The kids are also right – we have to keep trying to stay in the game!

But there has been a great amount of people who have asked about the poem I read on the 28th of December. Yes, I did write. No, I didn’t think it was that good. However, apparently there was many of you in the church who though it was. So here it is for your enjoyment.

The Sake of Good Tidings

by Curtis Thomas

For the sake of good tidings

And laughter and cheer

Tis the season to be jolly

For you, I and all to hear

Of a story that many of us

Have heard once before

From years back leaving all of us

Needing and wanting more.

But first a story of

Someone we all know

Someone real famous.

He’s from a place full of snow

With a workshop, wife

And elves all around

Here is the story, come one, come all,

Everyone gather around

Only three nights ago, a man swept our houses

With presents and such

Eating cookies and drinking milk

But surely not too much

Not enough to fill that big belly

That jiggles when he laughs

Not enough to make him sick

So that he never comes back

He’s fairly tall, real wide

And cheeks full of red

Putting presents under Christmas trees

While children are in bed

Down and then up

The chimney he goes

Maybe with the help of his reindeer

The one with the nose which glows

But then how does he fit down that chimney

So clean

Because mines really small

And I know he not that lean

But December 25^th,

I go downstairs to see

Presents laid out for me and my family,

And again for me.

And I scream real loud,

“Santa came! He came!

And he brought that bat, that ball

That bike, that game!”

I knew I was good

I tried real hard all year

I got A’s and B’s and took out the trash

And I also…well…I took out the trash

But it really does baffle me

How Santa passed by so quietly

He didn’t even wake my dad

Who was snoring very loudly

But I was awake

Waiting and listening all night

That noise, could it be

Oh maybe it might

“Santa’s on the roof!”

I thought many times before

But if I went and looked

I wasn’t sure what would be in store

But if I waited just a bit longer

I knew he would come

And in the morning all those toys

That living room full of fun

See, just the other day

I sat on his lap

Told him of things

I dreamt of when I napped

That bat, that ball

That bike, that game!

All the things I wanted

And nothing the same.

And when I was done

I smiled big for the camera’s flash

But I didn’t get down

There was one thing I had to ask

I said, “Santa, why do you wait all year

For this day,

To make all these toys and then

Fill your sleigh?

Spend all your time finding who’s

Naughty and nice?

And live way up north

Where there is way too much ice?

And your only neighbor

Is a penguin or two

I heard elves are only friendly

If you give them good food.

And why waste your time

Competing with Toys-R-Us

You can go with my mom and aunt

On Black Friday, they say it’s a must!

Really Santa, there’s just one thing

I must know

Why would anyone do this?

Why would anyone go?”

And with that last question

His eyes got real wide

And his mouth formed a grin

That his cheeks could not hide

He leaned in to whisper

In my ear real softly

His beard tickled my face, but I did not care

I wanted to hear his answer mostly

He said, “For the sake of good tidings

And laughter and cheer

Tis the season to be jolly

For you and I to hear

Of a story that you

May have heard once before

From years back leaving you and I

Needing more.

See, there was a woman who gave birth

To a child one night

This child was so amazing

That there appeared a great light

In the fields where the shepherds

Were protecting their sheep

The angels told them the news

And then began to leap

With joy and with laughter

A great party was being had

The shepherds thought they were crazy

And they were going mad

‘But could this be true,’

The shepherds thought to themselves

‘The savior is born

Who will save us from ourselves?’

So they gathered all their things

And went to see this baby

The one the angels raved about

And then went crazy

But it wasn’t in a hotel, a house

Home or room

Instead in an stable, in the dirt

Under the moon

And the shepherds bowed down

To worship this child

He was named Jesus, the baby

Laying there so mild

Who would soon give his life

So that you and I could have

The greatest gift of all

In our hearts He would live.

So when you ask, ‘why do you wait all year

For this day,

To make all these toys and then

Fill your sleigh?

Spend all your time finding who’s

Naughty and nice?

And live way up north

Where skating was made for ice?

And I have many neighbors

Freddy the penguin and his wife Sue

And the elves who are always friendly

But they still love food.

So really son, there’s just one thing

You must know

I do this because Jesus did it

So long along

And when you wake up

With all those toys under your tree

Know one thing

Christmas is not about me!

I was given a gift

So now I give one away too

And after a while it will break down

And you’ll want something new

And next year I’ll give you another

Just like today

But Jesus’ gift never breaks down

And can never be thrown away!”

What Santa said was so amazing

So real!

I knew he was telling the truth

It was something I could feel

I was so excited

Not just for toys and for games

But for something that’s real

Something that would stay

So as I lay in my bed

And wait for Santa and his sleigh

I am reminded what he said

Just a while back on that day

So I fold my hands

And close my eyes real tight

And say, “Happy Birthday Jesus.

This is your night!”

Welcome back, and Happy New Year everybody!

Yesterday in the 11:11 service, I threw out the suggestion that we might use Deuteronomy 11:11 as a kind of theme verse for the contemporary service in the future. The verse speaks of the quality of the Promised Land, which the Israelites are about to enter: “But the land into which you are about to cross to occupy is a land of hills and valleys, and drinks water from the rain of heaven.”

I didn’t have much time in the sermon to elaborate, but the general thought was that the Promised Land was going to be a place where the people and crops would be sustained by adequate rainfall throughout the year. Rain from heaven — from God! — would be the one, dependable resource in this land.

The Promised Land, then, would be a place of constant refreshing. And I argued that the 11:11 worship service ought also to always be a place of refreshing. No matter what happens to you during the week — no matter how difficult your circumstances — you ought to come to worship and be refreshed!

We are blessed with musicians and worship leaders who play music which is refreshing in its energy and sincerity!

We are blessed with Pam and Paul’s refreshing words of simplicity and hope for the children!

As preachers, Katherine, Dretha and I are charged with the task of refreshing you. We are to encourage you by reading the Word of God and then proclaiming it in such a way that you leave, filled up and ready to serve.

Every time you come to worship, whether at 8:30, 9:45, or 11:11, you ought to leave refreshed. But I believe that we have a special purpose and vision at 11:11. We have a different style that especially lends itself, I believe, to this task.

A few months ago, when the band and worship leaders met together to begin crafting a new vision for the contemporary service, one of our ideas was to give our service a special name that would reflect our vision. Reflect a bit, if you will, on Deuteronomy 11:11, and then we’d love to hear your suggestions on naming the service. Thanks!

As we prepare for Christmas, we are focusing a great deal on the birth of Jesus.  At our church this past Sunday we had a birthday party for Jesus.  One of the children asked her mom, “Is Jesus coming for the party?”  What a great question. In I Thessalonians 15:9-10, the Bible tells us, “For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him. “  I love that passage!  As we celebrate the birth of Jesus, let us remember that Jesus is as much with us NOW as He will be in in heaven-only the geography will change!

I wonder what the responses would be if you asked people to share with you their family Christmas traditions…hmmm…We all have so many different traditions.  We tend to eat the same foods from year to year.  We tend to hang the same decorations, listen to the same songs, send cards to the same folks, and feel rushed and hurried. All part of the tradition…At church this coming Sunday, the children are having a HUGE celebration called “Birthday Party for Jesus.”  An angel will visit each classroom and will share part of the excitement of the Christmas story.  The children will hear the full story from their teachers.  Then, all the children will head to the Family Life Center where they will sing “Happy Birthday” to Jesus and share His birthday cake!  What a wonderful tradition!  As we come closer to Christmas Day, I invite you to make Christ part of your Christmas tradition.  Share Luke 2 with your family before you open presents.  Attend one of our Christmas Eve church services.  Pray with your family, thanking God for the gift of Jesus.  Merry Christmas!

Didn’t you love the children’s musical?  They were GREAT!

Look at the question in the Bubble…”How do YOU spell love?!?!” 

What a great question, especially for this time of the year, the

Advent season, the time we are anticipating the arrival of the

baby Jesus.  Of course, Jesus has already been born, has

already died on the cross, and has already been resurrected. 

How did God spell love for us?  God created us, guides us, wants a close relationship

with us, but  bottom line (I favor bottom lines) is that God loved us so much  that He

sent His only Son…Jesus.  God spells love J-E-S-U-S!  How do YOU spell love?