If there is something below you, you aren't putting yourself low enough...

Is there that one chore or thing you just DON'T want to do? I think every house hold or family has THOSE things. And each person has things they don't especially like to do.

The thing I don't like doing is picking up my dog's poop.

THAT'S right, dog poop, it's my Kryptonite. When I'm tasked with this weekly project, I use the "two bag" method. One bag serves as a barrier for my hands, while the other bags is used for collecting the treasures my dog deposits.

I know it's ridiculous, but it's just something I don't like to do. BUT let's be honest, I highly doubt anyone LIKES cleaning up dog poop. I mean it's poop....

I think one of the reasons I especially dislike cleaning up dog poop is I feel that it's "below me." Meaning, I feel I'm too important of a person to be cleaning up my dog's doo-doo.

I want to use this feeling today to get at a bigger idea- service.

See the story I look at in the Bible that constantly amazes me is Jesus washing his disciples feet. To truly appreciate this story, we HAVE to know the context. This takes place a few thousand years ago. Jesus and his group aren't traveling by car, bus, or train. They are walking. They also don't have sketchers or nikes, so they are wearing sandals. They live is a desert region. So it's hot, and it's dusty, and it's dirty. At the end of each day, you can just imagine with all the walking how NASTY looking their feet are. BECAUSE also remember, it's a LONG time ago- these guys aren't getting pedicures, they don't spend too much time caring for their feet. So as I said- their feet are NASTY!

But you know who washes them? Jesus. Jesus gets down to the lowest level of a person- their feet- and Jesus cleans them. He serves his disciples- his friends- in this deep and meaningful way.

So my question for you is this- what things- whether they be a job, a chore, or a person- do you view as "below" you? AND if you are looking at something or someone that way, what does that mean for us?

For me, I think it's a pretty clear visual by going back to my undesired chore- dog poop cleanup. As much as I don't like doing it, I know that if I don't do it- I or someone else in my family is going to end up with something on their shoe.

When we see people or projects as below us, not only are WE losing- but other people are too.

I feel the Scripture from Romans 12:3 says it best-  ³ For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.

Don't think more highly of yourself than you should. 

That is a powerful and important statement. 

I feel that our risk is that when we DO think too highly of ourselves, our chances of helping others decreases. We stop seeing the needs of others BUT instead consider the inconvenience it might be for us.


So as you move forward throughout your days approaching Christmas, I ask you to do two things. 
1. The next time you are doing that task or chore you feel is below you- Don't feel pity for yourself. Remember that no task should be below us. 
2. Look for opportunities to help others. Not just in our homes, or schools- BUT at the grocery store, Target, a coffee shop, or your neighbor. Everyone has an extra minute to help an elderly person carry a bag. OR if you aren't in a hurry at the check out- let the mom with 2 kids go first. 

Take the opportunities YOU have to put others first. 

That's the ultimate thing Jesus did. Jesus didn't just do that when washing the disciples feet, but Jesus did that on the cross. Jesus was perfect and without sin but YET He died for all OUR sin- Romans 5:8-  ⁸ but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Jesus put us first. Let's not keep that unconventional love to ourselves, but share that with others!
 

No thanks, I GOT this

I love my kids. They each are so unique and funny and exhausting. ALL at the same time. Recently, Isaiah has entered a new phase. I call it the "I GOT this" phase. He basically wants to do things by himself. It doesn't matter to him if it's not exactly the same way mom or dad would do it, it's more important to him that he does it by himself.

WELL this last weekend, Bec and I were having the fun "what are we having for dinner" conversation. We kept batting things back and forth. We even joked with Isaiah that we might make something he didn't like. WELL- he decided- I don't need you guys. I'll make my own meal. SO he did. Here are his results:

PB & J, Yogurt, Jello, Milk, and Water...he didn't do too bad for himself! 

Isaiah's self-made dinner went well. He DID it by himself! As a parent, we are excited for little things like this when kids start doing things for themselves. HOWEVER, just 3 days later Isaiah was presented with another challenge....and again he tried to do it all by himself.

Isaiah was playing hockey in our hallway and he knocked down our HUGE creative memories wall planner. The thing is packed with calendars, bills, pens, and all kinds of other random stuff. It hangs on the wall with two nails that are at about 6 feet high. So here is Isaiah trying to get the planner back on the wall by himself...

Just a little too short there buddy....you MIGHT need some help

Now I want to use these two illustrations today to talk about our reliance on God. Like Isaiah making his dinner, we try to do a lot of things by ourselves. We can DO IT! We don't need any help! Here is the problem though- did you check the date on the yogurt? While Isaiah was eating we asked him this question. He couldn't read the date and was frustrated. He shrugged and said, "It tastes ok, so I am going to keep on eating." (And NO we aren't those parents, we KNEW the yogurt was ok but wanted him to show him he can't do everything on his own.) 

And this is what we do in life- oh well, I guess it's ok- let's keep moving on. We did it by ourselves and that's all that matters.

WHY are we so stubborn? We have a God who cares about every waking need that we have. Yet we only want to rely on God for the big things. We only want to rely on God when we look up and realize there is NO WAY we are going to put the planner back on the wall by ourselves.

And I feel this is a big challenge for believers. If Isaiah at the age of 6 is already boldly and intentionally doing things on his own, how much more are we set in our ways as we get older? How do we start changing this?  How do we rely upon God in the each and everyday tasks in front of us?  

The truth is that God is present in everything we do on a daily basis. So what we need to do is let decisions not be ME decisions but OUR decisions. The our is God and you. A saying I saw recently that I liked was: If God is your co-pilot, you should switch seats.

A good analogy for this might be the way you look at a decision once you are married. Things come up on a daily basis where a decision needs to be made. Instead of making the decision on my own, and pushing forward, I will talk things over with my wife first.

What if we started doing the same thing ourselves with God? Start looping God into a little more each day of what we do. Now instead of forging ahead by ourselves, we begin to realize the closeness of God. God is THAT close. God is there.

Sometimes, a song tells it best. This song came out a few years ago, but I think it's a great reflection on a desired relationship I seek with God:
Me And God Song

So whether making a sandwich, a big decision, or putting back up a planner on the wall- don't forget to talk to God about it :)

With great expectations can sometimes come great disappointment

There is a slight chance...from time to time....every once in awhile... I can be guilty of what I would like to call the "Clark Griswold" complex. Clark Griswold is of course the main character in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. A character flaw that Clark has is his expectations. Clark doesn't just set high expectations- he boards a rocket (probably coated in a non-nuclear semi-permeable cereal varnish), blasts off towards space, and plants his flag right before he leaves orbit. There is no way any event or person can possibly live up to the expectations he sets.

Are there high expectations in there or a rabid squirrel?

I consider this a character flaw because when you set high expectations for everything you do or everything you are a part of- you will spend a lot of time being disappointed.

A recent example of this was a date Becca and I went on. We had found someone to watch our two boys and we had found someone to watch Brianna. We had a chance to get ready for our date and we were heading off to a new restaurant. Like I usually do, I was trying to figure out what kind of food sounded good to me on our way over there. We arrived at the restaurant to a PACKED parking lot. I'm talking Black Friday morning shopping PACKED. We eventually found a place to park and went in. The wait to eat? 90 minutes. What kind of place that is a sports bar has a 90 minute wait? Instead of being a rational adult and going to the next restaurant, I pouted. I wanted to eat THERE! That was the place I wanted to go. My expectation was to get a table in 15 minutes, have a nice cold beer, and a relaxing dinner with my wife.....on a Friday......during the busiest time of the evening....in a sports bar. See what's wrong with that picture? No WAY was anything there going to be relaxing or quick, but that didn't change my expectations.

I'm not saying today that it isn't good to have high expectations, BUT what I am saying is-it's good to check and see if your high expectations are also realistic ones! 

And this is the big question I am getting at today-

How often do you examine the expectations you have for yourself? For an event? For a class? 

If you expect yourself to get an A in every math class you have but you are BAD at math and don't like it, maybe an A isn't the best expectation to have.

I also feel that a lot of time these unrealistic expectations creep into our spiritual lives.

A sermon illustration I heard growing up still sticks with me to this day. It goes like this.

A man is in an area being ravaged by a hurricane and he begins praying for God to save him. The flood waters beginning rising in his area. A person comes by in their car and asks him if he wants a ride to safety- he declines. The water now is in the first story of his house. A person comes by on a boat to rescue him. He again says NO, I'm waiting for God to save me. Finally, the water is up his roof. A helicopter flies over and they ask if they can rescue him. Again the man declines and he drowns. In Heaven, he asks God why God didn't come to save him. God responds by saying, why didn't you take the car, the boat, or the helicopter?

The reality is, God is doing amazing things in our lives. Everyday. Simple, amazing things. The problem is, we don't always realize it. We are waiting for that big lighting bolt or clear sign in the clouds from God. Well, what if God is speaking to us through a friend's encouraging words?  What if God is working with us through the book we are reading? What if God is blessings us with a clear mind so we can at least get a B in that math class?

God is at work everyday. Now though, the work we see that God does is through people. It's through interactions we have for others.

We can expect God to do great things, but we ALSO need to expect to use the gifts God has blessed us with.

Clark Griswold had a crazy family- He was NEVER going to have a perfect family Christmas. It took his whole house getting destroyed for him to realize that instead of praying for perfection- he needed to see the beauty amidst the chaos. 

I challenge you today to look for the blessings in the beautiful chaos that is our lives. Also, make sure to keep a good check on your expectations. If they aren't possibly attainable- bring them back a little bit. Leave more room for God to work instead of you!

Don't forget the green trees

It's FALL! I love fall. I enjoy every year looking at the amazing color pallet that God has assembled. It amazes me every time to see yellow, red, orange, brown, and green leaves dot the landscapes all around us.

One of the plants I always notice this time of year is the bush on the side of my house. It's on the side of my house that I NEVER see, so I have to make a point to go look at it. It's a burning bush. For one month out of every year, it gets these deep red crimson leaves on it. Each time I notice the leaves turning, it always causes me to pause....stop....and look.

Now as I said, the funny thing about this plant is it's really only beautiful for one month. The rest of the year the leaves are green but the branches are brittle and kind of ugly. It's only for a short period of time in the fall that this plant is even one you would notice.

This got me thinking, how much time do we spend chasing things that only make us happy for a short period of time? I'll be completely honest, if this plant didn't grow all on it's own, I wouldn't take the time to care and water it. It REALLY only brings a little bit of happiness for a few weeks. AND the it's on the side of my house- I almost ripped it out of the ground the first year b/c I missed it's "good" month.

In our lives we spend a lot of time pursing and chasing HAPPINESS. The thing with happiness is that it's an emotion. Sometimes our emotions change by the second. We can be happy- excited to eat all the things that have been placed on our lunch tray. Then we trip and our food goes flying everywhere. Our happy lunch just became an embarrassment.

What we really need is something more stable, more permanent. Which brings me to an illustration to think about.

Something that gets lost to me in fall is evergreen trees. While all the other trees around us are changing to all these glorious colors, there are the evergreens. Not dropping anything and just remaining green.

Evergreens might get a bad rap BUT they share some great qualities that God has also.

God is constant. God isn't going to drop us like a leaf. God is going to remain the same, even as everything else seems to change. No matter what our mood, emotion, or day is like- God cares and loves us.

Let that sink in for a second.

No matter your emotion....God loves you.

See the words happiness and joy are different. They may get mixed together a lot, but they have their own personality. One of the definitions of joy that the dictionary gives is- a source or cause for delight.

If we look into the Bible, we even get a deeper meaning of joy. Check out what it says in Psalm 30:5- For his anger lasts only a moment but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but joy comes with the morning. And in Nehemiah 8:10- Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

In these two instances we see anger, and grief. But the joy that comes from the Lord overcomes both. 

That is where joy comes from. It is the knowledge that Jesus took away all our sins. We are forgiven. With our belief in Jesus, we are saved. THAT is joy. That is something that lasts, that is unchanging, and that can't be taken away!

So this fall as you look around at all those beautiful trees that will bring you a little bit of happiness- don't forget the evergreens. Don't forget the constant in all our lives. That constant is God. That joy is from God.  

The illusion of control

This summer, Isaiah got to go to Valleyfair for the 1st time. He loved it! He had been to fairs, and been on rides before- but something was different. He could go on the rides as many times as he wanted. He didn't need tickets! The wrist band was paid for, so he could keep going on the rides over and over again. He of course loved it. His favorite ride though kind of surprised me. It was the antique autos ride. Here is what the ride looks like:

The part Isaiah liked was the control. He got to steer the wheel and push down the gas peddle. It was like he was driving a car. Well, as you can see in the picture, there is some definite irony in this. He had some control, but only to a point. The car is restricted along the path because of the track in the middle. The car stays on the track, but it was enough that Isaiah felt he had control.

I look at our lives as being similar to this. We feel we have control of things. Our family, our job, our homework, our school, our relationships- we have control over these right?!? Sure...to a point....but mostly no. We don't have control, it's simply an illusion.

The reality is that things happen. We get fired from a job, we get dumped, we turn in a homework assignment that we think is going to be an A and it comes back a D. We really aren't in control of everything, we just wished we were.

But here is where the good news comes in. Just like there is a track with the car that Isaiah was driving, we have a constant in our lives too. That person is God. Isaiah could swerve back and forth, floor it, or stop- the track is still there. The same is true in our lives with God. No matter where we are, or where we are going- God is there alongside of us.

A great Biblical reminder of this is Daniel in the Old Testament. Daniel was told that he couldn't pray to God. The country had made a decision that everyone should pray to the king and not the one true God. This was something out of Daniel's control. Daniel also couldn't control the consequences if he was caught praying to God. What did Daniel do? He still prayed. Not to the king, but to God. And you know what? Daniel got caught. He couldn't control who saw him. The punishment was being thrown into a den of hungry lions. Daniel certainly couldn't control what the lions would do. But you know what? God could. God could control them. Daniel didn't end up being a snack. God protected him.

And that's really the big thing in here to learn and remind us. We aren't in control, BUT we have a God who is. There was absolutely nothing Daniel could have done to protect himself from those lions. His only hope was God. But the great thing about Daniel? He had realized that already. He kept on praying to God even when it was illegal!

So how do we remind ourselves of this every day, that God is in control instead of us?

Well, please don't do the Carrie Underwood and have Jesus take the wheel while you are driving. That may be a recipe for disaster.

Instead, remind yourself right now, God is taking care of you. If God cares for birds and plants, God is going to care for you immensely more. (Us> Birds & Plants)

God is also present. Just like the track was there for Isaiah and his car, God is there for you. Unexplained things will still happen, but also remember that not all of them will be bad! Sometimes, great things happen that we have no idea would. Thank God for those. And when those bad unexplained things occur? Ask God to help get you through it.

We aren't in control. It's just an illusion. And you know what? That's ok! Think of yourself in your worst moment... Not a pretty picture is it? Probably a good thing you aren't in control all the time right? Let the God of the whole universe handle that instead!

Something you can't google the answer to

The last month in the United States hasn't been too terrific. It started with Hurricane Harvey hitting Texas. Massive flooding, wind damage, water damage, and MASSIVE loss of property and human life. Then the wild fires started out west burning up homes, trees, and everything else in their path. Then came Hurricane Irma. After a week of build up, it plowed through Florida. In some parts of the state they are STILL trying to get the power back on.

Whenever all these natural disaster events strike, another conversation seems to begin with it. Are we nearing the end? Not just of these events happening, BUT of the world itself. People see all this destruction, and begin asking the big question- is THIS how the end of the world is going to look?

If your facebook/twitter/instagram feed is like mine, people have starting asking the question. Someone even has a prediction for THIS next Saturday, September 23rd.

SO when all this happens- I go to the foremost source on the topic. And NO that isn't google. It's the Bible. If God started this whole world, He will eventually finish it too and create something new. When we go into Scripture, we don't find an answer on when the last day will be, but we certainly find clues.

The first place I look at is Matthew 24, because I want to see a place where Jesus is speaking on the topic. First, Jesus says HE is coming back in the end. That's for sure. BUT before Jesus comes, others will come saying THEY are Jesus. Or they will come saying THEY know when the end is. They are obviously false. Then check out these verses: ¹² Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, ¹³ but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. ¹⁴ And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. Wickedness will increase, love grows cold, and the message of Jesus will be preached to the whole world before the end comes. As you look at that idea of wickedness growing, look at one these pictures from Hurricane Harvey: 

I see a lot more love and care than wickedness in this picture.

And Jesus states that the gospel of the kingdom will be preached to the whole world and to all nations. That means the whole world will have the opportunity to hear about Jesus. While in America, that might not seem THAT far fetched- we live in a BIG world. There are still many people who haven't had the opportunity to hear, because the Bible hasn't even been translated into their own language yet. (Here is how far on language translation we STILL need to go).


The next thing to look at in Scripture is the way God compares the end of the world coming. In 1 Thessalonians 5 verse 2, it says this- ² For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. The day of the Lord is when Jesus will come back, meaning the end of the world. This is described as "a thief in the night." A thief in the night is a total surprise. There is no warning.

So what then can be conclude from this Scripture? In my opinion, there is still a lot of love left in people. Which is GREAT! We are still probably in line to see a wickedness increase. Second, no one is going to know when the end is finally going to happen. We aren't going to see a bunch of predictions on facebook of the end of the world becoming correct.

What we can take from all this is to continue to show love and care for one another. Instead of getting all caught up in this end of the world stuff- let's instead practice another Bible story. The one of the Good Samaritan. Take some time to read that story today from Luke 10. Don't click on another story predicting the end of time- instead read about how we should treat others TODAY! 

 

Always looking for the good firsts

Have you had any life changing firsts lately? Firsts are life moments when you do something for the FIRST time. For me as a dad, most of the firsts I now celebrate are things my kids do for the 1st time. Brianna saying dadda.....that's a melt your heart first. Isaiah scoring 4 goals in a soccer game- his first "hat trick" (a hat trick is when 1 person scores 3 goals in hockey NOT soccer, but I'm not going to tell him that)....that's a proud dad moment. Or Micah going to preschool for the 1st time. These are moments that you seem to remember with a picture like quality to them. You basically can't help but smile.

I mean...look at this face, AND she says dadda. HOW am I EVER going to be able to say no....

I'm in sooo much trouble

In life, we definitely cherish many of these positives firsts. However, this last year, my family experienced some difficult firsts. My dad passed away in February and Bec's mom passed away in May. Dates on the calendar have been different b/c we are doing something for the first time without a loved one.

This last Sunday was a REALLY tough first that I've been dreading for a long time. My first Packer game Sunday without my dad here. That's right, I was dreading the start of the football season....ME....a HUGE Packers fan.

Generally the new football season is something I look forward to with GREAT excitement. This year was different. Very different. I have lots of people I talk to a little bit about the Packers, but my dad was that person I talked about EVERYTHING Packers to. The first big play- I would send a text. At halftime, I would be making a phone call to recap what happened. After the game, we would talk about what could be different next week.

This day was different. Dad is now in Heaven instead of yelling at the TV. I know for sure it would be the most relaxed Packer Sunday he's ever had. He wouldn't be mad at the defense or giving up on Coach McCarthy.

And while that is comfort for me, how do people get through those negative FIRST firsts?!? My first Sunday wasn't easy, BUT there were a few things that made it easier. I held Brianna a lot. The most recent blessings in my house that I had, I held close. I also remembered my dad with our lunch food choice. Hot ham and cheese sandwiches- the meal my family would pick up on the way home from church for our Packer Sundays. Finally, I had Isaiah reminding me how nice the day was and how I should get outside. See that's the thing- in this life we are assured that we are going to lose people we love. We will probably always grieve not having them here with us- but that doesn't mean we shouldn't hold tighter and appreciate the blessings we still have. 

That's probably what I kept thinking about the most. Sometimes we cling to things SO tightly-whether it's people or tradition or things. But life is meant to change. Will we not be able to see what is ahead if we keep looking behind? Even in His own ministry, Jesus struggled with this. Peter did this in the book of Matthew. Peter gets to be one of the disciples that sees Jesus in His FULL glory. Jesus shone like the sun and His clothes were white as light. What does Peter want to do? Build an altar, set up some shelters, and STAY! Peter isn't focused on showing others Jesus or telling them what he has seen. Peter instead wants to stay RIGHT where he is at.

This Sunday, I had a choice. Every time something in the Packer game happened, I could have been discouraged I didn't have my dad to talk about it with. WELL the reality is, every Packer game from now on will be that way. So I need to find a new way. Nothing will replace what I had with my dad, but I can certainly have new Sunday Packer traditions.

And that brings it full circle. I need to let myself experience NEW firsts. They will be different, but they can still be good. My dad has his best Packer Sunday ever. Why? Because, he is in Heaven. It didn't matter who won on the field. Jesus won the victory over death and the devil and my dad believed in that. What could be better than that?

Nothing.

So my prayer going forward is to keep focusing on the GOOD firsts. Keep LOOKING for them. Hold tightly and enjoy the blessings I have. I may no longer get to spend my Sundays texting my dad about a Packer game, but I have a God whose still sitting on the couch beside me.

SMILE it's your first day!

It's a NEW school year!!! Here is the required posting of my awesome kids on their first day of school:

Both of them were SO excited. New shoes, new classroom, and a new start. I remember growing up and all the anxiousness and excitement that came with beginning of a new school year. Who would be in my class? Who would I sit next to at lunch? How would my bus ride go? All those questions mixed together with new pencils, new shoes, and freshly cleaned squeaky floors provided quite the kaleidoscope for that first day.

The start of a new school year is unique, which is probably why as parents we want to CAPTURE the moment. I know, many kids roll their eyes as mom and dad make them pose in front of the house. But do you know what? Each year, us as parents realize that you are casting a little bit taller shadow over that door. You are also one step closer to posing for senior pictures and throwing your graduation cap. You aren't going to be little forever and starting a new school year reminds us of that!

My message for YOU as a student for today is EMBRACE it. Yeah, as parents, we can certainly be over the top. But you know why? It's because we love you. MORE than anything. Most of us spend the whole first morning of school thinking about you (and that's just the dads, the moms spend the WHOLE day). Then when we get home, all we want to do is find out about your day. SO help yourself out and remember AT LEAST 2-3 things that happened. It doesn't have to be the Pythagorean theory, just something that occurred from when the first bell rang until we get to see you again.

And for parents- my message is- enjoy every minute. I say this message only because I need to remind myself of this EVERY day. So many times as parents, we wait in anticipation for our kids to reach the next stage or next step. We can't wait until THEY: are out of diapers, they walk, they are going to school, they can drive themselves places. But let's do ourselves a favor and not rush them. Tonight, I'll do my best to enjoy my 3 year old spitting at dinner. I'll also be patient with my 6 year old who will be asking me to play football, NOW....now....and NOW! I'll do my best to enjoy it b/c I know someday they will have other people they would want to talk to more than me.

The start of school is a great time b/c it's an opportunity we take to pause. We take a picture, but it's more than that. It's a snapshot of our lives on THAT day. A day when we are trying to look our best and break in those new shoes.

So blessings and prayers to everyone on the start of a new school year. Whether you started two weeks ago, last week, or today- SMILE big for that picture and don't forget, your parents are only doing it because they love you SO much!

What type of waiter are you? (and I'm not asking if you work at a restaurant!)

A number of times in the last week, I have found myself WAITING. First, it was in a restaurant for dinner. We were in a hurry, trying to get somewhere. The waitress was very nice, brought us drinks, brought back crayons for the boys, but hadn't taken our order yet. We were out of time. We had to get up and leave. We just couldn't wait any longer. A few days later, I was in the doctor's office with Brianna for her regular check up. We waited....and waited....and waited. We waited for over an hour before we saw the doctor. I was obviously frustrated b/c my happy barely EVER cranky daughter, was now cranky. And then she had to get shots. Which we also waited 15 minutes for.....

Look at all those nice germ ridden chairs.....

While I sat in the doctor's office, I kept thinking of how we set different values to what we are waiting for. At a doctor, it's pretty much assumed you are going to wait. However, we don't stop going to the doctor b/c we are going to wait. The wait is generally worth it, b/c we see someone who can help us feel better when we are sick. But what happens when we are at a fast food restaurant drive thru and we are waiting? Well, if you are like me, you probably don't have as much patience for that. I mean it is called FAST FOOD right?!? Why should I need to wait for 5 minutes for my 2 kid's meals, 2 value meals, and ice cream.

This brings me to my big question for my blog today. If you prayed for something and are waiting on it, how long are you willing to wait? Are you a fast food drive thru waiting type of person, or are you waiting like you are waiting in a doctor's office? Think about that deeper for a minute. In a doctor's office, the big area is called a waiting room. The next place you go when the nurse walks you in...I ALSO call that the SMALLER waiting room. Waiting is part of the expectation, it's RIGHT there in the title. But the doctor IS still coming to see you. Just like in prayer, we MAY be waiting, but that doesn't mean that God isn't going to answer. God is STILL coming with an answer.

Here's the truth I see in this. If God has us waiting on something, it is probably going to be worth the wait. Everything great seems to be something we need to wait for. Psalm 27 says it much better than I can. Psalm 27:13-14- I remain confident of this I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.¹⁴ Wait for the Lord;be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. I love that this Scripture says- WAIT for the Lord, be strong, take heart, and WAIT for the Lord. Even in this tiny piece of Scripture, waiting is mentioned twice. Why? Because, I'm guessing more of us fall into the fast food drive thru camp than the doctor's office waiting room. 

So what do we do while we wait? We try doing what Psalm 27 puts out there for us. We remain confident that we will see good through God. We stay strong, and we keep a soft heart. God has heard our prayer, God has heard our cry for help. The answer is coming. We just need to wait for it.

If life were a little more like Vacation Bible School

A few weeks ago I wrapped up another week of Vacation Bible school. Between my years as a youth helping and now as a leader, I've probably taken part in nearly 20 VBS's. I've seen churches and gyms turned into mountains, jungles, farms, and castles. I've witnessed my share of water fights, extra loud singing, and uncontrolled laughter. Every year when the week is over my main emotion is one of immense appreciation and joy. 

Today what I would like to do is have MORE fun...b/c that's also what VBS is all about. Having FUN all the while getting to share the love God has for us.

SO if somehow all our lives could morph into a never-ending VBS...I think this is what THAT might look like:

1. You get to request that your best friends get to be in your group or work at the same place you do. 
2. Every 20 minutes you get to do something different. Bored in your current meeting? Well the bell just rang, it's time to go to the next station- MEETING OVER! 
3. Mondays wouldn't be SO bad if it was "dress like a farmer day" or "crazy hair day".
4. Your favorite songs may be great, but what if there were actions that went with those songs? Yep, that just went to the next level. 
5. Everyone gets a new t-shirt, and YES it's a crazy color! 
6. If you aren't listening, the next thing you'll hear is a loud cowbell trying to get your attention.
7. There...is....always....a....snack....time. 
8. Each afternoon includes a necessary nap to recharge!

   

   This summer was the first year I needed TWO naps during the VBS week instead of ONE!

9. No more awkward conversations where you can't remember a person's name b/c EVERYONE has name tags
10. You will never wonder, what am I going to cook for breakfast because some sweet ladies have already made it for you! 
11. AND finally...the #1 thing that would change if our lives could be MORE like Vacation Bible School- we would ALL get to hear how much Jesus loves us ALL day long! 
    

A big thank you to all the amazing people who have helped me with Vacation Bible School over the years. It's one of the biggest joys I have every year in ministry, and here's hoping we could at least PLAN a themed dress up day at church sometime soon!!!

What did you miss today?

280....


83.....


The first number is the number of screws in 8 of my deck boards and the steps..

83 is the number of screws in the castle my kids play in...

One random day Isaiah noticed all these screws and decided to count them. He had been on the deck hundreds of times playing, but for some reason on that day he noticed the screws that had been there all along.

279.....280....281....282....283

 

 

 

I found it especially ironic that ISAIAH was the one who noticed all the screws. Isaiah is a very active kid to say the least. He usually just pauses for a quick drink of water between one activity and the next. He very rarely EVER stops moving.

But on this particular day he "stopped to count the screws."

Life is filled with activity. Most of us are constantly busy and running from one place to the next. The question this raises with me is this:

Do we sometimes miss what God is doing in our lives because we aren't spending enough time looking FOR what God is doing? 

Come with me back to the my deck...yah know the one with 280 screws in 8 boards and the steps? What is the job that the screws have? What is their role? They hold everything together. The screws anchor the boards down. While the boards are important, if the boards aren't secured, the deck doesn't work.

Now what does God do in our lives? I would say God holds everything together. God provides security and salvation for us. AND a lot of the times, we probably don't notice the work God is doing JUST like we don't notice the screws holding the deck together.

So how do we make ourselves more aware of how God is working through our lives?

FIRST, we start asking the question- Where did I see God working in my life today? Stop thinking about things as  random or karma or a coincidence- but instead as an opportunity God is giving us. 

Second, we can look into Scripture for help. Philippians 2:13 says it well- ¹³ for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

God is working through each one of us AND the people around us. So the work is happening, we just need to open our eyes sometimes to notice. 

Finally, the last thing we can do is continue to pray and talk to God. It's amazing when you are in a conversation with God how much more often you notice God's work. I wrote in an earlier blog that God would make a HORRIBLE criminal because God leaves fingerprints everywhere. I feel that this is SOOO true. Evidence of God's work is all around us. 

So as you go throughout your day today, I challenge you- count the screws. Notice God working in your life. Slow down and see the opportunities God is presenting right in front of you to show care and compassion for others. 

 

Finding a way out

This past Sunday as a youth event we went to an escape room. The goal of the room was to figure out a myriad of puzzles so you could eventually escape. I will admit that I thoroughly enjoyed it even though it frustrated me. To escape our particular room, we had to find three keys to "deactivate" a bomb and then find a code that we would have to put in a keypad to unlock the door.

WELL...with 10 people trying everything they could for an hour....we found 1 key and no code.

BOOOM! We lost! The bomb exploded and the only way we escaped is when the person in charge opened the door to let us out.

While this was an exciting activity, and something I would like to try again, it DID spark my thinking about some of the struggles of life that we are sometimes put in.

Doesn't sometimes it feel like life is a little bit of an escape room? Instead of enjoying things, you are just trying to allude the latest conflict? Maybe you just seem to be going from one problem to another? Is life really becoming a bunch of rooms filled with mouse traps?

When things seem to be getting this way in my life, I do my very best to try to keep things in perspective. The world is NOT against me. Just because my hair won't spike up the right way or my pencil lead breaks DOESN'T mean all is lost. See, many times when things start going bad we then start LOOKING for more things to go bad.I've heard it said that "bad things come in threes." Well, if I stick to that thinking, once one bad thing goes wrong, I'm basically just waiting for the next two. That's NOT the way to handle things! 

The second thing I try to do is remind myself, this is only a season of life. Everything ebbs and flows, and goes back and forth. I believe life is the same way. Sometimes things are REALLY hard, but I know there will also be times that are easy and fun. The key is to be able to REMEMBER those times. Instead of getting bogged down in the bad, recall the good.

The last thing I do, that's always the most important, is realize I'm not alone in this struggle. No matter how bad it gets, I have God by my side. And sometimes all I can do IS RELY on God. There was another expression I heard when I was younger, "God will never give you more than you can handle." I actually USED to believe that was true. I don't believe that anymore. Why? Because, in those moments when we are given too much WE can handle, that's generally when WE go to God. The problem with MANY of us, including me, is that sometimes to admit my weakness or my struggle, it needs to reach incredibly low levels. My pride keeps me from seeing my immense need for God in that moment.

The other great thing about God, is God blessed us with so many stories in the Bible of people who intensely needed God....but then maybe forgot about this just a short time later. The most concrete story I see is Jonah. (Full Story HERE) Jonah is given the instruction to go to a city and preach to them that they need to repent of their sin. Now I'll admit, that doesn't sound fun. BUT, the instructions ARE pretty simple. Which of us wouldn't want God speaking THAT directly to us?!? But, instead of listening, Jonah flees in the opposite direction. He boards a boat and sets sail THE WRONG way. As I mentioned earlier though, God is ALWAYS with us, and was still with Jonah as much as he tried to escape. A huge storm comes up and the boat with all the people on it are in GREAT peril. Jonah realizes his error and tells the people to throw him overboard. Immediately when Jonah hits the water, the storm stops. Then what happens to Jonah? He is swallowed by a BIG fish. Not eaten, just swallowed. Now, Jonah prays. It took Jonah ending up in the belly of a fish to reach out to God!!!

And there is a big part of our struggle. Why should it have to get SO bad before we turn to God? Why can't it just be semi-bad, or minimally bad, and then we turn for help already? Instead of being Jonah, why can't we be like a 3 year old? I say this because I have the image of my son Micah.

"Can you help me with these legos dad?

Sometimes at the smallest bit of resistance of something, he turns to me to ask for help. Whether it's puzzles, legos, or socks; Micah will ask for help. What if WE turned to God like that? Instead of being stubborn and prideful like Jonah, what if we could be like a child constantly turning to a parent for help?

Because that's truly who God is. A caring and loving parent. Jesus invites us to come to Him in Matthew 11:28-  ²⁸ “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
The rest, the comfort, the peace, that COMES from God. God gives us that. So instead of just taking the BIG things to God, let's try taking all those little things too. Let's stop looking for the next bad thing to happen, but instead look for the next unexpected blessing. 

God is good, even if many things in our world are not.  

They definitely weren't waving at me...

Have you ever excitedly saw someone waving at you and you wave back?

And then you look behind you and quickly realize they weren't actually waving at you???

Have you ever REALLY liked a song....like that one song you just HAVE to sing anytime it comes on? And then you look up the lyrics later and realize you were singing the lyrics wrong EVERY TIME....

Getting new clothes is also an awesome thing! You go to the store, pick out a new shirt or new pants and you just can't wait to wear them that first time. So the next day you put on your new shirt and head out to take on the world. The first person who sees you does not notice your shirt, but instead the sticker that says LARGE on it.

Humbling moments for sure!

All of us have been there. Maybe it was a silly moment like this that you could laugh off or maybe there was a time where you were really embarrassed. It seems like these moments can hit us when we feel we are at the peak of our performance or our self-confidence is at an all-time high and then BOOM, we are sent crashing back to earth.

In all honesty, I feel these moments are important to all of us! Now, I don't rejoice in other people's embarrassments, but I certainly do the best to laugh at my own. We live in a world now that gets completely tailored to us! If you have done any online shopping lately, you know what I am talking about. If you go shopping for a new baseball hat, all of a sudden the ads on the side of different websites you visit all include baseball hats. It's a little creepy, but it's definitely personally tailored to you.

Being such a target to these companies is the opposite of humbling. It makes us feel important even though they REALLY aren't after us, they are after the money that is in our pockets.

If you don't believe this rationale, go into a restaurant and just sit down. Don't order anything. Just say you want to rest for a little bit. I would guess, unfortunately, MOST places wouldn't enjoy your company. If you aren't going to buy anything- why are you there? They may even throw out the term- LOITERING! OH NO!

It's NOT about us...it really isn't, and being humbled and being embarrassed is always going to be a part of our lives. The reality is IT'S OK TO FALL sometimes! It's ok to sing the wrong lyrics or wave to the wrong person, it's ok to keep the tags on.

Why?

Because all of us are flawed just like the person next to us is. We aren't perfect, and sometimes we get TOO caught up in ourselves and forget WE make mistakes. And we have a God who forgives our imperfections and it's OK when we get humbled from time to time. In first Peter 5:6 it says, "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time." Sometimes when we fall, God will help us up. Sometimes when we put OTHERS first, God will move us forward in the line.

So this week don't forget every once in awhile you need to laugh at yourself. Take your humble pie from time to time and remember that it's just a small part of life. We have a God that's bigger than any embarrassment or wrong song lyric. And hey...at least you were nice enough to wave to someone in the first place right?!?

Compacity

Have you ever heard of the word compacity? If you have been around me enough, you probably have. But you know what? Compacity...ISN'T a word! I try using this word when I think I'm saying the word capacity. You know the word that means FILLED to the brim or the amount something can hold? That's the word I'm trying to say. I even had a mini-message at church that focused on the word- capacity. Did I say the word correctly? NOPE! I kept using the wrong word....over....and over....and OVER again.

Compacity isn't a WORD!!!!

As much as I try to make the change, I keep saying it wrong. What's the deal? Do I want to add the word compassion to the word capacity, or do I need to go back to middle school English class?

All of us have mistakes we make-not once, not twice, but OVER and OVER and OVER again. That's life. I pride myself on word usage, and I write my own blog, but I say the word capacity wrong every time I use it.

So what's your repeatable mistake? What thing do you keep doing even though you know it's wrong? Maybe it's something you are aware of when you are doing it OR maybe it's just something that comes so natural to you now that you don't even notice it.

My message for today is this- don't get discouraged- you CAN change! You can fix the wrong and replace it with right. You have the capacity in you to change. (see what I did there?..haha).

A great Biblical example of this was the woman at the well. (Full Story from John 4- HERE) This was a Samaritan woman. She had made may mistakes in her life. She had 5 husbands and was already on to the next. She was SO embarrassed to what she had become she would go to the well to get water in the middle of the day. Why is this a big deal? Well, she lived in a desert where it's REALLY hot, and she would only go when no one else was around. On one particular day though, her life changed. She ran into this guy named Jesus at the well. Jesus knew the woman's history- He even mentioned it to her!  The woman though MADE the change in her life with the help of God. She went and told other people about Jesus! About her Savior. Look at this Scripture from John 4:39- ³⁹ Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.”

Even though this woman had been through so much in her past and had made mistakes, she didn't miss her opportunity to make a change. 

And we can do it to! That mistake you keep making...make the next time you do it THE LAST. 

Sure there will always be mistakes in the future, that's the reality of a sinful world. But don't forget Jesus words from John 16:33-  ³³ “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

We have it in us to change because we have God in each one of us. And the word capacity doesn't really exist to God because God is without limits....there is nothing TOO big for God. Maybe that's what compacity really should mean....

  

Getting Rid of the Bad Taste

Hard boiled eggs are SOOO good! Every year at Easter, I eat 10-12 hard boiled eggs and reflect upon how much I like to eat them. Then for whatever reason, I NEVER make them the rest of the year until next Easter rolls around.

Since I only eat hard-boiled eggs once a year, I seem to forget the only thing I REALLY don't like about hard-boiled eggs.....the after taste. You know that horrible odor that becomes associated with your mouth after eating an egg?? YEAH...that one. And the worst thing is, no matter what you do, you can't get rid of that odor. Brush your teeth and chew gum? Minty for a minute, but then it's all ruined with just one burp....

YES this may sound a little disgusting BUT if you have EVER had a hard-boiled egg, you know exactly what I'm talking about. The taste the egg leaves behind sticks with you WELL after eating it.

Life can sometimes be very much like a hard boiled egg.

Sometimes we get in an argument or disagreement with someone. Instead of moving past the conflict, we continue to stew in. The yelling or word exchange may be over, but our negative feelings towards what happened linger on. Eventually the conflict becomes bigger than the relationship we have with that person.

While trying to figure out what our best future course of action is, I look to the Scriptures for guidance. One of the best stories I can think of is Jacob and Esau. The short of the story is they are twin brothers. Esau by general rule or law of the time because he is the oldest, would receive the entire inheritance from his parents. Well that idea didn't work out too well for Jacob. So Jacob tricked Esau and stole his entire inheritance. Esau would receive nothing. In fear for his life, Jacob fled. Imagine the bad taste left in Esau's mouth?!? His own brother betraying him to such a DEEP extent. One day, Jacob decides to return home. This means seeing Esau again. Here is the Bible verses from Genesis 33 with Esau's reaction- ⁴ But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept. 

Imagine all the different ways that story COULD have ended. Esau had every right to be angry or vengeful towards Jacob. He could have punched him square in the nose and no one would have probably blamed him. BUT, instead Esau chose love and forgiveness.

This is the challenge that all of us face. We know for sure that bad things will happen to us in this world. Relationships with people will become strained and broken. But ultimately we don't have any control over how other people act. We can't stop people from being anger or spiteful. What we DO have control over is how WE respond to them. Esau had a choice, and he choice forgiveness and love. 

So this year, whether you like hard-boiled eggs or NOT, get that bad taste of past hurt out of your mouth. Easter is a week where we celebrate Christ forgiving ALL our sins...not just some of them. Let's try doing our best to forgive others too- even if the forgiveness is more important for us than them! 

Better Together

When I was going through college, one aspect that I always struggled with was the dreaded "group projects." The problem with group projects wasn't the project itself, but working with the other people in my group. No matter the class, the assignment, or project, the group always seemed to be made up of the same people.

First, you had the "know everything guy." This person would have the best idea for anything! Even if you made a comment, they would make a better comment. They had the perfect way of doing everything, their only problem was you getting in their way.

(NOTE- pictures in this blog has been used from google images, these are my hilarious best guess at putting a visual to some of these descriptions I am giving) 

"Let's do the project my way...I mean it's obviously the best!"

Second, there was always the "I'm too busy, I can't help person." This individual would only be able to work with the group on the project at 2:35am on Tuesday morning, but only for 30 minutes because then they had to go to sleep because they worked at 8:00am. This person would gladly take a portion of the project on their own because they could work on that during class or while they were working on something else.

"My next open time slot is April 29th at 7:36pm. I can give you 20 minutes then."

And then finally, you always had the "I don't want to do that person." This person would shoot down any idea the group has. While delegating duties, this person also would not want to take any portion of the project. It would be too tough, or not something they liked, or just something they didn't find important enough to do. They are sometimes also labeled the "lazy person", but in all reality they just don't want to do anything you are suggesting.

"I agree spaghetti is good, but I don't want to do that part of the project."

Then of course their is yourself. The person in the group trying to be the glue person and hold it all together.

Group projects!?!? Gotta love them. HAHA.

Group projects make you work as a team, and you know what? That's what life ends up looking like when you get older too. There is always things that you collaborate on with others whether it be at  job, or with your family, or in a church.

And you know what?

That's GREAT!

As much of a struggle working with others can be, we all bring unique gifts and abilities to the table.Even though group projects in high school or college weren't easy, I was always amazed at the end product. It always came together and was WAY greater than any of us could have done on our own.

This idea of a group being greater than one isn't a new one, and it's even Biblical. These selected verses from 1 Corinthians 12 really state it well.
¹² Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.
¹⁴ Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” ²² On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, ²³ and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, ²⁴ while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, ²⁵ so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. ²⁶ If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

The last line especially rings true, when one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 

Think about sharing in that joy with others? How exciting is that? And what can be accomplished is so much greater with others than what we can do on our own. 

So don't discount those other people around you in your life. God might have a greater plan for you working with them than you ever imagined. That is the possibility of God!

It all takes a Toll

I like driving. I always have. I enjoy the journey part of trips- the random things you find between point A and point B. For example, check out this awesome picture from a gas station stop with my family in Wisconsin from last fall.

Micah LOVES his hats! Haha Thank you random gas station in Cadott, WI

However, one thing I don't like about trips is TOLLS!?! Why should I need to stop and pay for the road I am driving on? Aren't I paying enough tax in my own state? Why can't that state just do the same thing?

Anyways, while I was driving to Indiana last week, I had to drive through Illinois. Illinois has tolls. And if you are on a toll-road there is NO way to avoid the tolls. There is sensors, cameras, and all kinds of electronic devices to monitor every car that passes by. If you haven't been on a tollway lately, here's an idea of what it looks like-

So if you are driving on a tollway, there is no LEGAL way to escape paying something. The tollway will take it's determined amount of money from your bank account.

The reality is that life is the same way. As we go throughout each and every day, each part of our lives can take a toll from us. Go three nights in a row without getting enough sleep? Well, you are probably grumpy and tired. The lack of sleep takes a toll on your patience and behavior. Lift too many weights or go for a run without stretching first- you are probably sore the next day.


Life very much has a give and take aspect to it. I think a great way to look at ourselves personally is to relate us to a car. Cars need regular maintenance; cars need gas to run; cars need to be cleaned every once in awhile so they don't develop an odor.....sounds just like us right, haha!

The problem though we encounter as people is we don't have something as simple as a dashboard warning light to let us know something is wrong with us. We instead are complex individuals and sometimes we struggle to notice our warning signs of breaking down.

Some simple questions for you to ask yourself this week. Think of these as maybe a tune-up or inspection for your car.

1. Are you getting enough sleep? If you are tired everyday at 2:00pm and you need a 5 hour energy, you probably aren't.
2. Have you had any "good" conversations lately? This talk could be with a friend or a loved one. We need support from other people, so if you haven't had a good chat in awhile- find a friend and coffee shop!
3. Have you been taking your celebrations and troubles to God? We need to remember to take the good and the bad to God. Ask for help when needed! Thank God when something awesome happens! Keep God included in every significant moment you have.

After you go through these questions, read to yourself or out loud Matthew 11:28-30. I've provided the traditional NIV translation and then the Message translation. What Jesus is saying in this Scripture is being said to YOU.

NIV- ²⁸ “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Message- ^28-30 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Remember this week, everything in our lives takes a toll on us, HOWEVER, we have a God who will take on all those tolls FOR us. God wants us to have rest and comfort IN Him. Don't forget in our journey of life we are NEVER in the car alone- our Savior is right by our side.

How does it end?!?

TO BE CONTINUED...

Those 3 words bring me more frustration when I'm watching a TV show than anything else. What do you mean I don't get to find out what happens right now?!? Why should I have to wait for the answers I want? I can google just about any of answer I'd like, but I can't find out what happens on my favorite show.

I would argue that is why TV show BINGE watching has become so popular. When you binge watch 8 seasons of a show from start to finish, you get that instant gratification. You don't need to spend a week waiting to find out what happens, you just wait a few seconds for your next episode to load and BOOM, you get your answers. You get your ending and the story's conclusion.

I feel our search for the ending and conclusion for things is normal. We as a people want to know how stories end. We are taught from an early age of reading books that there needs to be a definite ENDING. Cinderella riding away with her prince into the sunset. Do they have kids or a happy life in the castle? We don't know for sure but we can certainly ASSUME so. We know enough that we are happy to move on to the next story.

But what do we do with a God who has no beginning or end? One of the questions I get EVERY year from the kids in my 6th grade confirmation class is, "What happened before Genesis 1?" Before God made the world, what was it like?  I tell them God was there. They always look at me confused and say, but why? or what? What did it look like with just God?

I always tell them the same thing, I don't know. I can't imagine. It's beyond my spectrum of understanding.

Similar questions then arise on the ending. What happens when we die? What happens when the world ends? All these questions flying out of the mouths of 12 year olds. They, like you and me, want to know the WHOLE story. They have read Cinderella too.

And this is where reliance on knowledge ends and faith begins!

God is NOT a TV show. The reality of our life with God is some questions will always go unanswered. We do not know the specifics of life before the Bible and we don't have a clear picture of what exactly eternal life in Heaven looks like. We have to give up our thirst of knowing all the specifics and details about God and instead put ALL our faith in God. The books of Hebrews expertly sums this up in two verses: Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and  assurance about what we do not see. ² This is what the ancients were commended for. (Hebrews Chapter 11- Read through this and see the power of faith throughout the Bible)

All I truly know is my faith in God will someday lead me to eternal life in Heaven. Even though I don't know exactly what that picture looks like, I can imagine it will be better than any ending I could ever see on TV.

The final whistle

I still remember my last high school basketball game. It was a playoff game. Not the semi-final, or final, or anything glorious, just the 1st round, on the road, in a small town in Wisconsin. The game itself wasn't all that close or dramatic. I got in during the 3rd quarter to score 3 quick points and that was about it. The moment I'll never forget was sitting in the locker room after the game with the other 2 seniors on the team. After 8 years of playing basketball together, we were done, our sports careers were over.

High school sports are special. I was reminded again of that this weekend watching the Minnesota State Hockey tournament IN person and on TV. The energy of the fans all supporting the same cause, the emotion of the players using every ounce of skill they have to win, and the coaches doing everything in their power to help their team succeed. It is electric to see all these factors converge upon a team.

 A whole town cheers a goal with 3 seconds left in the game...their team is going to the state championship!

But like almost everything else, high school sports have a final buzzer and not everyone gets a story book ending.

The challenge for many athletes AND their parents is then "What's next?!" Now that this season of life is over, what else is out there?

Nick Forner's Last Wrestling Match

A hole is left in people who have been following their child play for X amount of years and now that is gone!

Here is the cool thing at this time- the things parents are going through, and the things the players are going through is VERY similar. They are both mourning the loss of something. For players, it's the time on the field in competition with close friends. For parents, it's watching those they LOVE most, their kids, compete.

So instead of looking at this end with sadness or gloom, look for it as an opportunity!

A great Biblical perspective I see here when looking at something differently is Mary and Joseph. Here is an engaged couple going through the same thing. They are excited about the future, they are making plans to have a family. Instead- Mary gets pregnant. Joseph had nothing to do with the pregnancy. Mary is going to give birth to Jesus, God in the flesh, but Joseph has it in his mind to divorce her quietly. But instead an angel appears to Joseph. The angel puts it in perspective for Joseph. The angel shows where the blessing is. The blessing is Jesus.  

See the blessing in the parent/child relationship in sports isn't SPORTS. It's the relationship. It's the car rides to games as a youth. It's the signs parents make to support their kids. It's the hours put in working concession stands. It's the partnership of a common goal. Now that the season might be over, the goal of sports is gone. But you know what is still there? That incredible parent/child relationship.

So while the final buzzer will sound on all of us in our high school sports days, those blessed relationships can continue on.