Halloween Just Isn't What It Used To Be

After an evening of handing out candy bars and making sure my kids have their costumes on just right, I have started to wonder if Halloween has become just a holiday where kids just think it's about having fun and getting candy. The following video rightly illustrates my concerns about All Hallow's Eve.


In The Know: Has Halloween Become Overcommercialized?

It's My Fault

Looks like Obama might have me to blame!

Family Gatherings

We are getting ready to load up the CR-V and head north to Raleigh, North Carolina for Thanksgiving. Katie's aunt and uncle live up there (actually in Cary), so we are going to celebrate a day of thanks with them. I counted last night that there will be 16 people in one house. That's right, I said 16!

After my anxiety attack, I told Katie it sounded like there wouldn't be enough room to accommodate all of us. Then comes the information that we will be sleeping on an air mattress for 3 nights. Ugh! This should be FUN!

Why do we do this to ourselves? Why do we decide to pack a house full of people in order to celebrate a holiday? I don't know about you, but celebration to me doesn't involve sleeping on the floor for 3 nights. I like to leave conditions like that for mission trips; not celebration.

Anyways, it's off to Raleigh. Keep me in your prayers.

Breaking The Silence

I have been silent for some time, but I have decided to be more disciplined about my blog. I apologize to anyone who has been waiting to hear some words from me, but I have been really busy (I know it isn't much of an excuse).

I was in Atlanta this past weekend for the National Youth Workers Convention, and again it was a truly wonderful experience. This year I did something new at the convention - the Labyrinth. I had always wanted to do it in the past, but I could never find a time to sign up. I was able to find a time this year, and I am grateful that I did. It was an experience that was moving, challenging, provocative, cleansing, peaceful, difficult, inspiring, revealing, and restful. I hope to use the same model with our youth group some time in the near future. 

That was certainly the highlight of the convention for me. The speakers were great, but one stood out amongst the rest - Shane Clayborne. He got on stage and said that sometimes we focus more on our own story when we should be focused on the greatest story. Then he began to read "the greatest sermon ever preached," which meant he read the whole Sermon on the Mount. Halfway through I thought, "He's just going to read the scripture and that's it." I was right. He finished the reading and prayed that Jesus would give us the courage to live out the greatest sermon ever preached. Truly awesome!

Remembering Today

It was not until I wrote down the date that I realized what day it is. An anniversary of tremendous pain and sorrow. This morning I heard that the eucharist (The Lord's Supper) is a way for us to remember sorrow. It is a ritual that brings us into the time when Christ took on the pain we deserved. Even the pain of September 11th cannot match what Christ took upon himself that day. What September 11th does do is give us a window through which we can experience some of what it was like for Jesus to die the death we deserve.

But this morning I read Mark's account of the resurrection. Jesus defeated death; he overcame the pain and sorrow and lived. It is in the event of the resurrection that we can find hope even as we remember one of the darkest days in American history. We can have the confidence that the pain will not continue and the sorrow will eventually turn to joy.

What is interesting is the reaction of the women in Mark's gospel. After hearing the good news they flee the tomb in terror and amazement. They told no one what they experienced. Terror is a word thrown around a great deal in our culture. The reality is somehow the women overcame that terror. We would not know the story if that fact ceased to exist. We must overcome the terror too. And we must deliver the good news that we don't have to live in a constant state of sorrow or terror, because our hope resides in the One who overcame all of those dark times.

Why I Haven't Blogged Recently

This should give you some idea as to why I haven't posted in a while.

Breaking News: All Online Data Lost After Internet Crash

It's So Hot!

My Lord! 

When you walk outside it is just oppressive! Hopefully everyone is experiencing some sort of air conditioning. To amuse you while you try to survive the heat, here are some "It's so hot..." jokes:

It's so hot ...

• the cows are giving evaporated milk
• when the temperature drops below 95 you feel a bit chilly
• you discover that it really only takes two fingers to drive
• you break a sweat the instant you step outside ... at 6:30 a.m.
• you realize asphalt has a liquid state
• the retirement center is having a wet t-shirt contest
• the Baptists aren't burning any books

Stay cool!