red, white and walnuts

So the big holiday celebration was in full swing at the Hidalgo house. It all started at 8:27 AM when I was awoken from a dead sleep by Myles screaming, “DADDY!!!!” I stumbled into his room and was brought out of my deep sleep when Myles excitedly told me of all that we were going to be doing that day which included … getting a new bike helmet, decorating his bike with red, white and blue streamers, watching the parade (where he would get tons of candy), then our big neighborhood cookout, a big water-fight with all of the kids on our street, and last but in no way least … FIREWORKS! He was talking so fast I could hardly keep up. I had never been so excited for the 4th of July.

We started our day with the best laid plans (and the whole time I was trying to figure out how I could catch the Germany vs. Italy soccer match at 3:00 PM) by going to Meijer for the bike helmet. I had a great time just watching my son enjoy all the day had to offer. Payton was sitting watching everything and talking in her infant gibberish non-stop. The weather was even perfect … the whole day was perfect.

After the parade we went to the cookout and chatted it up with the neighbors. At the end of our meals some of the parents started filling up the water balloons and getting the hoses ready. Myles came over ready to battle … he looked quite like a partly burnt marshmallow (stark white with the only dark spot being his black shorts). He was running, laughing, sliding … coughing … coughing? I went over to him, and his lips were swollen beyond belief, his face was red, and he was scratching at his throat. He had ingested a walnut.

Myles has a nut allergy … and walnuts top the list of his sensitivity. I held him close to my chest while my wife (who is an RN at a pediatric hospital), and our neighbors (who are both pediatricians) gave him some Benadryl and stood poised with the EpiPen in case he needed something more. While I could not have been in a safer place with the amount of medical personnel on hand, I was scared. I hated seeing my son with swollen lips, tongue, and throat cough and choke for air.

At this point someone said, “What time did you give him his first dose?” I looked down, and at this point it was 3:10 PM.

Germany and Italy had begun playing.

The swelling started to go down … his breathing was better. We finally got up and carried him back to the house. Our neighbors took another listen to his lungs … and then we went inside. He later vomited and did all the things that people do when reacting to things to which they are allergic. Finally everything started to settle down, and I was laying down with him on my chest just listening to him breath as he faded in and then out of sleep. At this point it was 5:45 PM.

Germany and Italy had finished.

My phone rang and it was a friend of mine. He was talking about the game, and I said, “I didn’t watch a minute of it.” He replied, “What happened that made you miss the game?” I told him what went on that day … he in turn told me about the game.

I hung up and began to think about how many times I plan my day, and life, according to my schedule. Just like Myles had done. Yet so often the best laid plans … well they don’t always work. The one thing I knew however was what Myles said later that evening after he was feeling better. He said, “I had a nut, it was not good. God made me better though.” Indeed he did … he does for all of us when our plans seem to fail … he is there for us and he makes us better. While going through it all is painful, and like a nut allergy may stay with us for a long time ... in the end He makes us better.

abraham, isaac and jacob

“I want my kid to learn Bible songs and the whole bit like I did, but not if he has to go to church to do it.” These words were just spoken to me recently by a friend. He is disillusioned with the church. As much as he wants to go back for his child, he and his wife can not imagine going through that. With as much research as has been done about the younger generation leaving the church in droves, he would seem a mere statistic. He is however, a person, a man, a brother in Christ who is the image of God. So why is he so turned off by the church?

The list he gave me was long and detailed. He watched several people that he loved dearly get hurt by people in the church. Beyond that, his idea of church is a few people meeting together and identifying needs in their neighborhoods, and serving those needs. The whole corporate-mega-complex church thing doesn’t do it for him. I honestly can understand where he is coming from, and I truly appreciate his sentiment. I have found myself there often … as Ghandi said, “I would be a Christian were it not for Christians.”

Yesterday I was mulling this over in my mind, as news of yet another friend being wounded by his brothers and sisters in his faith community reached my ears. I was reflecting on this with my own words from the morning’s teaching ringing in my ears “… the God of your fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” I was driving, my eyes filling with tears. I was deeply hurting for my friend who had been treated with such indifference and dishonesty (of course with all of it being cloaked under the guise of “prayer” and “God’s will” which makes it all okay), and I was frustrated with God for him allowing this kind of stuff to go on. Then the words again, “… the God of your fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

Something stuck me, “… the God of your fathers, Abraham the Liar, Isaac the Liar, and Jacob the Liar.”

The book of Genesis tells us that all three generations told lies that put others at risk. The lies were told for there own gain, and completely for self-interest. Jacob’s name is a Hebrew idiom for deceiver … These are the “fathers” who God referred to when speaking to Moses. Then the drama continues to unfold with stories of Samson, the women loving, disobedient Judge. King Saul, a conniving unrepentant guy, who was paranoid, and power hungry king. King David, who lied to a priest, and by virtue of his lie, the priest was killed. He later stole a wife, murdered her husband, and lied about that. On it goes … do we have time to talk about the disciples?

Why am I saying all of this? Well I guess because nothing is new under the sun. The men and women today who are doing displeasing things are no different that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all of their descendants. This by no means excuses the way we act … but the reality is that God’s ways supersede anything that you or I can do. His plan is not contingent on our perfection. (Again, I say this does not give us license to act in despicable ways, as some have chosen, and chalk it up to “Abraham, Isaac and Jacob).

I found a little comfort in this while driving. I realized that my life is far from perfect (I am confident this is not a shock to any of you), yet I see that God has chosen to use me … I am truly a descendant of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Like them, I am always missing the mark … along with my brothers and sisters around me. Let us not forget however, that Abraham trusted God, and because of that it was called righteousness.

So what do we make of these people who treat others horribly, and seem to go on about their life with little or no consequence? It is not ours to say … but let us not forget the upheaval that came about in the house of Abraham because of the sin of different men and women in history. I write that, and I am sobered concerning my own sin. My ultimate response is to recognize that His ways, are not our ways. I am both frustrated that he allows openly sinful people to be used, and humbled that he chooses to use this sinful person … it will forever be a tension.

soccer woes

Years ago Franz Beckenbauer made the comment of the United States in relation to soccer, “I am afraid we have awoken a sleeping giant.” It is obvious that while we may be a giant, we are still a sluggish one, wiping the sleep from our eyes as we stumble toward the kitchen to brew some coffee so that we can begin our day. The state of American soccer is pathetic.

I am not saying this because we lost. I am saying this because we were flat outplayed, out-skilled, and out-hustled. The reality is that Reyna, McBride, Dempsy, Beasly, Donovan, Onyewu, Lewis … all of them played like they were tired and would rather be watching the game than winning one. When will the US begin playing soccer as it is meant to be played. Attacking the goal, defending as a unit, moving toward the ball, making good runs, switching the point of attack … none of these things were executed well. We looked more like an NBA team (that being a group of overpaid men who allow one or two guys to run around while they watch … they are also guilty of barely jumping for a rebound).

I love soccer … but I had a hard time this last go round with being a fan of American Soccer … we allowed ourselves to be dominated, and looked more like a soccer league than a national team. So here is to another four long years during which we have to live through the hype of our national side to see if we can do anything new in South Africa in World Cup 2010. Hopefully the “fire in the belly” that was non-existent this year will come raging back.

the good news is here

Today I saw this headline at data.org AIDS toll may reach 100 million in Africa (click here to read the article). My heart sank, and tears filled my eyes. I hate this disease, I hate that this is happening. I hate even more that it could be stopped.

What served to break my heart even more is that I read in a separate but related article, “Although their ranks remain small, increasing numbers of American evangelicals are willing to donate money for AIDS education and prevention in Africa, according to recent polls.” Why are our ranks remaining small? If we really believed that Africans were our equals, then we would not allow this to be happening. I am convinced that we do not.

We have misguided values. In the church we want to know more … more Bible, more Jesus, more songs (the ones we like), more groups, etc. We do not want to serve more. Serving is hard, it is messy, and it doesn’t always make sense. What sense does it make for a people who are a part of the Church in Maputo, the capitol of Mozambique, to go and clean the house of a man dying of AIDS? This man contracted AIDS from a prostitute, infected his wife who died as a result, infected his daughter and impregnated her, she gave birth to an infected child who died, and she was beginning to show early signs of the disease. This is the guy they were serving … why? Because those men and women say:

“The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives … For I, the LORD, love justice.”

They believe that the man dying of AIDS, who is responsible for the deaths his wife and grandchild, the one who raped his daughter, and cheated on his wife, that man is the image of God. The pastor of that church made one comment to me as we walked in the slums of Maputo, “The King will say to you, ‘whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”

This is not just about Africa ... it is about those of us who follow Jesus serving others. It is about us doing for others what we would want done for us. There are people in our towns, cities, country and world who need to be served. May the Church in America, which holds 80% of the Worldwide Church's resources not squander the great responsibility we have. We have been given much ... much is expected.

The good news is here ... we have it ... let's live it ... let's share it.

a bible for eveyone

As many of you know, I love the Bible. My life is about teaching others the Bible so that ultimately they will understand the God the Bible is about. Recently I was on a website of a Christian Book store, and out of curiosity clicked on the “Bibles” icon. What unfolded before me took my breath away. I realized that the Bible for years has not worked … but do not worry my brothers and sisters. As you can see below, whether you are a United States Marine, one of the “girlz”, a toddler, a Catholic Couple or Jewish Woman you now have your own Bible that speaks directly to you. This is huge for us. For 1,900 years men and women lived and died without a Bible that spoke to them … but now with the help of Christian publishing houses this is no longer the case!

I know that I am so thankful that finally I can find a Bible that means something to me … that being The 29 Year-Old Husband, Father, Youngest Son, Brother, Friend, Pastor, Irish-Cuban, Occasional Cigar Smoking, Dark Haired, Sub 6 Feet Tall, Former Soccer Playing, Alive, Discovery, Adventure, Exciting, Humorous, Magical, Illustrated, Modern, Electronic, Men’s, Parallel (NIV, TNIV, KJV, ASV, NASB, NKJV) Study Bible.

This is a real list of Bibles that are for sale … not one Title seen below is of my own invention (the parenthetical comments are mine).

Abbreviations:
KJV - King James Version
NKJV - New King James Version
NASB - New American Standard Bible
ESV - English Standard Version
NLT - New Living Translation
CSB - Christian Standard Bible
NCV - New Century Version
NIV - New International Version
TNIV - Today’s New International Version


NCV - The Devotional Bible
NCV - Refuel: The Complete New Testament
NIV - Life Application Bible - Updated
eBible Deluxe Edition
The Illustrated Bible
Holman Christian Standard Graduates Bible (good for those with a GED as well.)
NIV - Women of Faith Study Bible
CSB - Soldier's Bible
NCV - Blossom Bible
The Growing Reader Phonics Bible (makes Nebuchadnezzar no sweat!)
NIV - Teen Study Bible, Revised
NIV - Young Women of Faith Bible
Extreme Teen Bible: Personal Size
NIV - The Daily Bible
NIV - Life Application Study Bible
NIV - 2:52 The Boys Bible
Immerse: The Water Repellant Bible (good for those baptismal services!)
NIV - Compact Thinline Bible
NIV - The New Adventure Bible
NIV / KJV - Electronic Bookman Bible Pocket-Size
The Word Becomes Flesh Audio New Testament on CD
NIV - Study Bible - Revised
NLT - Bible Alive! Dramatized Bible (good for late night reading!)
CSB - Teacher's Bible
NIV - The Message Parallel Bible
Archaeological Study Bible (for all of those trips to Egypt)
The Message Remix Hyperco
TNIV - Bible XB2
iPocketBible
NIV - Trimline Bible-in-a-Bag
NIV - Faithgirlz Backpack Bible (for fans of Nsync)
NLT - The Life Recovery Bible
NASB - Zondervan Study Bible
Life Application Bibles for Boys
NKJV - Holy Bible UltraSlim Edition
The Adventure Bible for Young Readers (Rated G)
NLT - Student's Life Application Bible
NKJV - MacArthur Study Bible
NIV - The Listener's Bible Audio
CSB - Policeman's Bible (complete with handcuffs)
Baby's First Bible
KJV - Life Application Study Bible
Life Application Bibles for Girls
Today's Parallel Bible
NIV - Couples Devotional Bible
Revolution Bible for Teen Guys
TNIV - Blue Polka Dot Thinline Bible (Isaac Mizrahi eat your heart out!)
NKJV - The Scofield Study Bible Readers Edition
NIV - Quest Study Bible
Magnify Bible
KJV / NKJV Compact Bible
DuoTone Gift Bible
KJV - The KJV Bible for Toddlers (ummm … can toddlers read?)
NCV - Revolve Bible #2
NKJV - Precious Moments Bible - Small Hands
NIV - Duo Tone Compact Reference Bible
The One Year Bible
NLT - Daily Study Bible for Women
KJV - Personal Size Giant Print Reference Bible
A Child's First Bible
TNIV - Thinline Duo-Tone Bible
NLT - Hands-On Bible
Becoming: Devotional Bible For Women
NIV - Adventure Bible with Bungee Toggle (comes with Crocodile Hunter action figure!)
God's Word Prism Leathersoft Bibles
Baby's Bedtime Bible Stories
Catholic Women's Devotional Bible
The Scofield Study Bible III
NKJV - The Explorers Bible
CSB - Airman's Bible
The Evidence Bible (elementary my dear Watson!)
NIV - Revolution Black & Orange Stripe Duo-Tone Bible
NKJV - Compact Snap Flap Bible
NIV - Quest Study Bible - Personal Size Duo Tone
NASB - New American Standard Bible Updated Edition
NKJV - The Life Principles Bible
My First Study Bible
TNIV - The Pocket Bible with Magnetic Closure
NIV - Discoverer's Bible
NCV - Checkbook Size Compact Bible (for those too embarrassed to carry a regular Bible.)
NIV - Study Bible Compact
NIV - Women's Devotional Bible
NLT - Metal Bible - Thirsty (not suggested for airline travel.)
Beginning the Journey
CSB - Sportsman's Bible (read it before you kill bambi.)
Amplified Bible - New Edition
The Message Remix
CSB - Fireman's Bible (complete with blaring siren.)
NIV - Men's Devotional Bible
TNIV - True Identity: The Bible for Women
CSB - Marine's Bible (Semper Fi)
NIV / KJV - The Rainbow Study Bibles
NIV - Key Word Study Bible
First Communion Bible (good for only one use.)
Seedling Bible - Sixteen Favorite Bible Stories for Toddlers
NIV - Life in the Spirit Study Bible
Comparative Study Bible
The Interlinear Bible
NCV - Real
The Beginner's Bible (comes with training wheels.)
The Picture Bible
Red Blossom Bible with Snap
NLT - HoneyWord Bible (delicious!)
Bedtime Bible (it is really just a pillowcase with words on it.)
NASB - New American Standard Bible Updated Edition
ESV - Compact TuTone
The Thompson Chain Reference Bible
NKJV - Precious Moments Baby Bible
NKJV - The Word for Today Bible
PC Study Bible (Version 4) (like all PC software it is prone to freeze up).
Read And Learn Bible
A Faith to Grow On Bible
NIrV Read With Me Bible Revised
KJV - Personal Size Giant Print Holy Bible
God's Word for Students
Refuel Epic Battles Bible (comes with lifelike toy rifles!)
True Images Bible for Teen Girls
Little Books Of The Bible: The Stories Of Jesus
NKJV - Spanish Bible MacArthur Study Bible (arrriba!)
NIV - The Edge - Devotional Bible
CSB - Holman CSB Sailor's Bible
NAB Catholic Bible Family Life Edition
Every Man's Bible
NLT - iConnect Bibles
NIV - Starting Point Study Bible
New American Standard Ultrathin Reference Bible
The Children's Discovery Bible with Action Figure (no, seriously it comes with a Jesus action figure … of course he floats.)
God's Word Personal Size Text Bible
NLT - Men of Integrity Devotional Bible
The Jewish Study Bible
Lightning Study Bible
TNIV - Strive: The Bible for Men
Ultimate Student Bible
KJV - Super Giant Print Reference Bible
NCV - Align Biblezine (a Bible magazine with monthly chapters.)
Catholic Couples Bible
NIV - Faith in Action Study Bible
The Bible in 90 Days (this is like so much cooler than the Bible in a Year.)
NCV - Revolve
Spirit-Filled Life Student Bible
Seaside Bible
My Personal Promise Bibles (for no one else but you!)

If for any reason you cannot find your Bible on the list just wait … there will be a Bible that can change your life soon. Be sure to check back soon for the Bible accessories that can personalize your Bible!

the saga continues

DISCLAIMER: I want to acknowledge at the beginning of this post, that this post is very forthright, and truly may be offensive to some. I do not write claiming perfection in all that I do. Enjoy.

I often will stay up late on Sunday nights, writing, reading, or watching televangelists (you have no idea how hard it is to admit that I watch televangelists). So it was Sunday, I was between channel 19 and 21 watching the big-hair-gold brigade do their thing. I then flipped over to ESPN 2 to check on the French Open coverage, when on my way I saw another televangelist talking about that ever popular book The Da Vinci Code. I smiled really big for two reasons:

1. I thought to myself, “This guy is really, really mad.”
2. I was friends with the guy’s son when I was in high school.

He was waving his arms frantically, and kept using words like, “deception” “heresy” and “lies.” At one point I think he got confused because he mentioned something about the Death Star. I sat watching him and for a moment was chuckling to myself. Somewhere on this earth I realized that J.K. Rowling is finally at peace because the cross-hairs of the Hyper-Fundamentalists are, for a time, off Harry Potter.

He was still going. He would yell, flail his arms bearing a gold watch, a ring with bling, and gold cuff links the size of dinner plates … then it would fade to a Power Point slide with The Da Vinci Deception written across the top. He would yell while the slide was up, then it would cross fade back to his jet black hair, gold rimmed glasses, and tanned face burning with anger. It was really unbelievable. What was more unbelievable was that I was watching all of this at 12.10 AM, and more than that is I had met this guy several times. I kept thinking I was on Punkt.

The longer he yelled the more I heard that was factually incorrect. Then I started to wonder what he was even talking about. He began yelling about Leonardo and his paintings. Besides calling his famous work, The Last Supper he got absolutely nothing else right. Then he implicated Leonardo as being a bad seed because he through his paintings led people “astray.” He then started yelling about art in general. He began naming names of people that I had never heard of that supposedly work in the modern art world. I began to get nervous that at some point in his rant he would yell my name … I mean I actually do know this guy.

Then came the apex of his “Stalinesque” speech. He slowly raised a copy of The Da Vinci Code yelling the whole time. He gave all of the statistics about the book. How many copies it sold, how many people have read in how many languages, in how many countries, and how many more would see the movie ... it was not only a gripping climax it was rather informative one too. Then he raised his Bible, a really big leather one with (and you will never believe this) gold edged pages. He then gave all sorts of statistics about this book too … again it was rather informative.

Then he asked a question that forced the audience in front of him, the television audience, his colleagues on the platform, (and now you who read my blog) to wrestle in their own minds. He said, “What are you going to build your life on? A book that is two years old written by a pagan? Or a book that is 2,000 years old written by God?” Then he yelled (think Howard Dean presidential primaries) saying, “I know what my choice is …!” And with that he leaned back, cocked his wrist, lurched forward and threw The Da Vinci Code up in the air … it twirled, pages flapping, cover jacket coming off until in landed on the ground.

The place erupted like he had just scored the game winning goal in the final minutes of a tied game against a loathed rival.

At that point I stopped laughing. I thought about how mortified I was for my friend whose Dad just erupted on national television to the delight of a riled crowd. Then I wondered how many people were sitting on their couches watching this as well. Then I speculated that many of them may not be followers of Jesus. And then I thought, “And after seeing this, if you didn’t know Jesus why would you want to follow him now?”

I wondered how would Dan Brown feel ... I mean really would he take this guy seriously? Those who follow Jesus must respect men and women no matter who they are ... if nothing else we must repsect them as those made in the image of God. Can we just stop doing stuff like this? Yelling and name calling will get us no where.

So to you, my friends Dad, I simply ask this, "Pleas stop making my job, and the job of my brothers and sisters as Christians more difficult than it already is."

pastors anonymous

Every other Wednesday night (or there about) a good friend of mine and I get together to talk about all things spiritual. It is a great time, one that I look forward when it comes back around. Last night it, according to him, it was “like 1,000 degrees” in his apartment. So we decided to head for a cooler destination. We headed down to An Roisin Dubh (a.k.a. The Black Rose) downtown to sit on the patio and chat for a while. Just as we arrived a friend of my friend walked out who had just finished her shift waiting tables. She sat down next to Andy, tossed a piece of paper on the table and said, “This is bullsh*t.” I looked down to see a $1,000,000 bill sitting in front of me. It was a well done bit of counterfeit currency, good texture, good color, I mean Grover Cleveland was even on the front of it.

I looked closer and realized that is said something like this:

Have you ever stolen anything, lied, cheated, or lusted in your heart? If you have God will condemn you on Judgment Day! Where will you go when God judges you?

Part of me wanted to write to the people who made the fake $1,000,000 bill and ask them if they realized that according to federal law they were lying, and had they thought of what they might say to God on Judgment Day?

Andy began to tell that I was a pastor, and I quickly shook my head and told him to say nothing (remember this part). I asked her what she thought about the paper in front of me, and she repeated her earlier sentiment. I really had to agree. It made me angry, and confused. Why have we made God and His message into this doom and gloom, fire and brimstone, fire breathing warlord who is being held against the wall by Jesus so that he does not kill everyone on earth?

We spoke for a time after this. She said that she was of Buddhist faith. I asked her what she liked about her faith. She spoke about how it gave her peace, how it gave her hope for her future, and how meditation helped her deal with things. I then told her a little about my faith. I told her that Jesus was not about “getting into religion to benefit yourself.” Rather Jesus was about living a life with a mission that was about other people. I asked her why she thought that humans were the only species in the world that practiced self sacrifice (i.e. a soldier jumping on a grenade to save his comrades, why people will die for the cause of whales, etc.). I asked her why we have never seen a National Geographic episode where a cheetah is chasing a gazelle, when into the frame we see a zebra come through and tackle the cheetah in an attempt to save the life of the gazelle. It just does not happen.

Why? What makes humans different? What is in us that is different? We spoke about heaven and hell. We spoke about what it would look like to bring heaven here, and that maybe this is the mission to which Jesus called us. At one point I do recall saying something about the Yankees beating the Tigers … again.

It was a great talk between the three of us. Then Andy blew my cover. He said, “Do you know what Michael’s job is?” Her face suddenly turned pale, she looked at me as though I was a knife wielding lunatic, and said almost in a whisper, “Oh my God, you’re a pastor?” (remember this too). She stood up, and said, “You’re a pastor!” She began to storm away feeling that she had just been sucker punched. Andy and I begged her not to leave. She agreed to stay for just a second. I asked about her church background, and as expected it was one filled with hurt. I said almost without thinking, “So in an effort to not grow into an old hypocrite like the people you hated, you left to do something else?”

She said, “Exactly.”

I told her of how much my heart has broken over people leaving the church, because for some reason I am continually seeing people leave the church for something that does not hand out hurt and disappointment in such massive doses. I told her that the reason I want to be a pastor is because maybe God would give me the chance to change one person’s mind about the church. If this happened then it would all be worth it.

We ended on a good note; she wanted to know about my faith community and for a split second thought about coming out to “check us out” sometime.

So why do I write all of this? Let me bring you back to two things.

ONE: I shook my head and told Andy to not say anything. This is my own “shame” for lack of a better word. Pastors have a reputation that is really hard to overcome. I hate this about what I do. I have an occupation that, with many, builds walls that I have to gently remove before I ever have a voice with those people who put the walls up.

TWO: She said, “Oh my God, you’re a pastor?” She had put up the wall. I had to gently remove it, and quickly. Compounded with her not liking pastors she had just spent the last bit of time in conversation with one. I asked her immediately after she found out about my secret why she was upset. She said, “Because you are going to tell me I am wrong, you are right, and if I disagree with you that I am going to go to hell.”

To be truthful when she found out that the word “pastor” occasionally is said just before my name, and became upset … part of me wanted to literally cry. My heart hurt, because this friend of my friend represents only one of many with whom I have had similar experiences. When I have had opportunity to ask why people think about pastors the way they do it generally boils down to a few things. First and foremost, they think that we act like people who have everything together, and have all the answers. So they buy into all the easy answers only to find a few weeks later none of the easy answers work.

Second we are the ultimate hypocrites. The rabbis say, “The greatest danger is not heresy it is hypocrisy.” So it is. One and two go hand in hand. Maybe we (pastors … all followers of Jesus for that matter) should just put down our idealistic notions of ourselves. So often we are the ones casting judgment on others about their beliefs, their “ungodliness” and/or any number of things. Meanwhile we are placing a more secure lock on our closest to ensure that none of the skeletons fall out.

I drove home happy and sad last night. I thanked God for the opportunity to speak with Andy again, and thankful that I was able to speak with his friend. I was also sad (but understood) about her reaction to the pastor. I simply said this on the way home several times out loud. Each time I said it I meant it more, and I spoke more slowly.

“I want people to look at You and Your Body on this earth in a more positive way because of my life.”

praise and golf

Yesterday I was playing golf with my son in our front yard. Make no mistake the kid has game. If it were up to him the whole world would be a golf course. He wakes up in the morning, stumbles out of bed, scratches his head … walks sleepily into our room and says in his little morning voice, “Hi Daddy.” I open my eyes to see the most beautiful little boy standing in front of me with a smile on his face. He then says, “I wanna go play golf.” He keeps me outside for hours at a time just hitting the golf balls in our yard.

Now some sneer at golf as though it is not cool. I am just happy that my son likes something that will require a lot of time for he and I. Golf is really just a long walk spoiled, and he and I will take these walks together. During these times I know there will be many great conversations. We will talk about our lives, and how to live them. We will talk about our fears, and how we can overcome them. He will tell me about a girl, and inevitably of heart break. I look forward to these times when we will build our relationship, and over the years become friends.

I think yesterday made me think of this. We were chipping the wiffle golf balls at a tree in our yard. I hit mine high in the air, and Myles yelled with uncontrolled excitement, “Whoa Daddy! Good shot! You are the best at golf!” I smiled proudly (and looked around to make sure that no one could refute my son’s claim). With all of the accolades I have been privy to, I think that none matched the one I received on the grass in front of my house last night after hitting that chip shot. My son thinks I am the best at golf (I decided not to ask him if he thought I was better than Tiger, he loves Tiger).

As I strode across the grass toward the ball, something in me smiled even bigger. I thought about the joy that my son had given me by telling me what he thought about me. That he thought I was the best. Then I wondered how God feels when his kids tell him how great he is.

I had no ego in what my son said. It was simply a special thing for me to hear my son be excited about me. There is nothing in this world like his hugs, kisses and laughter (my daughter is included in that). So I thought about God the Father. What kind of joy does he get when brothers and sisters say to one another, “… that is awesome, praise God.”

Last night, I thanked him, for my life. My wife, my job, my kids, my car … and golf. The game that will give my son many more hours to teach me about our Father in Heaven. When I finally got to the other side of the yard to hit the balls back I could almost see God walking across his yard with a big smile on his face thinking, “There is nothing like the praise of my kids.”