A New Perspective on... Listening

Some more from Bonhoeffer for you – this time pertaining to listening.

Can you hear me now? What did you say? I didn’t hear you. According to Webster to listen means "to pay attention to sound; to hear something with thoughtful attention; to be alert to catch an expected sound."

“Just as love to God begins with listening to His Word, so the beginning of love for the brethren is learning to listen to them. It is God’s love for us that He not only gives us His Word but also lends us His ear.”

I think we would be hard pressed to identify an act, other then listening, that says “I love you” the way listening does. Think about it. How do your friends and loved ones know you care? You listen to them. How do your co-workers judge your sincerity and honesty? By the way you listen to them. How do children feel loved and secure? They feel love and secure when parents and family take time to listen. Let’s not stop here… How do those on the streets (literally speaking) know you care? Yeah, for some it might be the money and for others it might be a warm blanket but, I would venture to say that for all of them, your willingness to stop and listen mean more then anything else. What about those who might feel disenfranchised, neglected, and uncared for from the church; how do they know you love them? Is it by the stiff shoulder, loud voice, and glare that can be so easily communicated or is it by a willing ear? An ear that is quick to listen and usurp the power of the mighty tongue.

“But he who can no longer listen to his brother will soon be no longer listening to God either; he will be doing nothing but prattle in the presence of God too. This is the beginning of the death of the spiritual life, and in the end there is nothing left but spiritual chatter and clerical condescension arrayed in pious words.”

Like I said, I now have a new perspective on listening. Thanks Bonhoeffer.

Songs of Hope... It is well with my Soul

The author of the hymn, It is well with my soul, is Horatio Spafford. Spafford was born on October 20, 1828 in North Troy, New York. He was a successful lawyer in Chicago who was deeply spiritual and devoted to the scriptures. In the Chicago fire of 1871 Spafford lost everything he had because his large real estate investment burned to the ground on the shores of Lake Michigan. Later on that year, Spaffords only son passed away. Two years after the fire, Horatio Spafford planned a trip to Europe for him and his family. He wanted to take his wife and his girls on vacation. Certain circumstances arose and he was not able to travel with his family. The day they were due to depart, Spafford had a last minute business transaction and had to stay behind in Chicago. Nevertheless, he still sent his wife and four daughters to travel as scheduled on the S.S. Ville du Havre, expecting to follow in a few days. On November 22, the ship with his wife and daughters was struck by the Lockhearn, an English vessel, and sank in 12 minutes. After the survivors finally landed somewhere in Cardiff, Wales, Spafford's wife sent a message to her husband with two simple words, "Saved alone." Shortly after, Spafford left by ship on his way where his beloved four daughters had drowned, with a pen in hand he wrote the following words that so significantly described his own personal grief – "When sorrows like sea billows roll..." With these words, the hymn "It is Well with My Soul" was born.

I share all of this with you because I believe the history of this songs increases its meaning that much more. I wonder if, admits the times like Spafford experienced, we can say the same. When life is crappy and full of it .... Do you rejoice in your sorrow? Do you find and rely on the peace that only comes from God? Do you have a tender understanding so that you can sing with Spafford and declare, It is well with my Soul?

I encourage you to watch the following video. It is worth it. Check it out.

Shiloh Basin Community Church

Shiloh Basin Community Church is a small rural church located in western Oregon just outside of Rainer on the Columbia River. It is a community church, rich in history and character. Its roots run deep and wide throughout the community and into the world through the lives they have supported and prayed for, for decades. Back in the day, Shiloh might have been classified as a thriving and blossoming church; where as now, you might categorize it as (for a lack of a better term) stagnant and dormant. Over the past few years some issues have evolved that have caused Shiloh to fall upon some hard times (this is not a bad thing my friends and it should not be frowned upon). I am certain that these hard times are building and developing the character of those at Shiloh as they persevere and remain faithful to their Father in heaven. It is because of this that I jumped at any chance to preach at Shiloh Basin.

Over the past month or so, while at Shiloh, we attempted to work through the book of Psalm. I say “attempted” because I knew I would be leaving sooner then later and that I wouldn’t be there for 161 weeks to cover the whole book. In my short time there we covered five chapters – 1, 2, 23, 42, & 43. Chapters 42 and 43 have since become a favorite of mine.

The two Psalms can be broken into three sections. In each section we hear a voice of sorrow followed by the voice of hope. After the voice of sorrow speaks we hear and read the voice of hope. In Psalm 42:5, 42:11, and 43:5 we find the Psalmist talking to himself, answering his internal sorrows with a declaration of hope. "Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence. ” It is here that the Psalmist reasons his faith with his fears, his hope argues with his sorrows. When our soul seeks to embrace itself it sinks. It only stays above the water when it catches onto the power and promises of God, this my friends is hope; a hope that leads us to strengthen our comforts instead of questioning them.

A New Perspective on... Sin

You might here the phrase, "a new perspective" come out of my mouth much more now. It is all because of the most recent book I am reading. Now that I received my present (any six books off of my wish list) from my wife I can read. The first book I choose to dive into was, Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Faith in Community, written by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Though small in pages (approx. 150) this book, which actually is an essay is rich and full of profound insight. The most pressing thought I would like to share with you deals with sin.

I think we all know how we respond to sin. We don't like. We tend to be judgmental and harsh in order to create separation so that our "sin" is not discovered. On a grander scale, we can reflect upon history and see that the "church" most often was the ring leader and spearheaded the charge against the "sinner", casting them (the sinner) out. Because of this, the very place of love and acceptance morphed into a place of hypocrisy. The most recent/most visible example of this is the handling of the Ted Haggard saga. If you don't know, Ted recently returned to the pulpit, accepting an invitation of a former classmate to preach at his church. I only bring this to refresh your memory and ask you a question. What might have happened if we (the church as a whole) reacted differently and had a new perspective. A perspective that is quite different then what we are used to. A perspective that Bonhoeffer shares here:

"Even when sin and misunderstanding burden the communal life, is not the sinning brother still a brother, with whom I, too, stand under the Word of Christ? Will not his sin be a constant occasion for me to give thanks that both of us may live in the forgiving love of God in Jesus Christ? Thus the very hour of disillusionment with my brother becomes incomparably salutary, because it so thoroughly teaches me that neither of us can ever live by our own words and deeds, but only by that one Word and Deed which really binds us together - the forgiveness of sins in Jesus Christ."

So, next time you feel yourself becoming judgmental towards a brother or sister in Christ why don't you celebrate. How? Instead of "slapping their hand" while scolding them why don't you "grab their hand" and pray together. For it is in that prayer where you both can confess and admit the sin in your life; it is in that prayer you can acknowledge that no matter how hard you try you will always fall short; it is in that prayer that you can receive the unconditional love that only Jesus gives.

2 T-Day Jokes 4 U

Here is the first one....

A man in Phoenix calls his son in New York two days before
Thanksgiving and says,'I hate to ruin your day, but I have to tell you that your
mother and I are divorcing; forty-five years of misery is enough.

'Pop, what are you talking about?' the son screams.

We can't stand the sight of each other any longer,' the father says.
'We're sick of each other, and I'm sick of talking about this, so you
call your sister in Chicago and tell her.'

Frantic, the son calls his sister, who explodes on the phone. 'Like
heck they're getting divorced,' she shouts, 'I'll take care of this,'

She calls Phoenix immediately, and screams at her father, 'You are NOT
getting divorced. Don't do a single thing until I get there. I'm calling
my brother back, and we'll both be there tomorrow. Until then, don't
do a thing, DO YOU HEAR ME?' and hangs up.

The old man hangs up his phone and turns to his wife. 'Okay,' he says,
'they're coming for Thanksgiving and paying their own way.'

Here is the second...

Bob the Birdman has a parrot. His name is Grumpy. Grumpy had a bad attitude and an even worse vocabulary. Every word out of the bird's mouth was rude, obnoxious, and laced with profanity.

Bob tried and tried to change the bird's attitude by consistently saying only polite words, playing soft music, and anything else he could think of to "clean up" the bird's vocabulary.

Finally, Bob was fed up, and he yelled at the parrot. Grumpy yelled back. Bob shook the parrot, and Grumpy got angrier and even ruder. Bob, in desperation, threw up his hand, grabbed the bird, and put him in the freezer. For a few minutes Grumpy squawked and kicked and screamed.

Then suddenly there was total quiet. Not a peep was heard for over a minute. Fearing that he'd hurt Grumpy, Bob quickly opened the door to the freezer.

Grumpy calmly stepped out onto Bob's outstretched arms and said, "I believe I may have offended you with my rude language and actions. I'm sincerely remorseful for my inappropriate transgressions and I fully intend to do everything I can to correct my rude and unforgivable behavior."

Bob was stunned at the change in the bird's attitude. As he was about to ask Grumpy what had made such a dramatic change in his behavior, Grumpy continued, "May I ask what the turkey did?"

My Second Thought....

In case you are wondering, it took some time to gather “my second thought”. For the past few weeks it has been sitting in my brain incomplete longing to come to fruition. It has now reached maturity and evolved to the point where it is bursting forth anticipating an exposure to the world on this here blog. This "second thought" was birthed while I was training at work where I was forced to watch the “Fish Philosophy” movie. Now, I have seen this short flick many times so (as you can imagine) I wasn’t filled with much joy and excitement over it. In fact, I was honestly contemplating closing my eyes to take a short nap. But if I did this I would not only garner the attention of my trainer, I would also wake up her sleeping child (6 months old) in the back corner. So, I stayed awake and to my surprise I learned something new. However, it had nothing to do with “choosing my attitude”, “playing”, “being there”, and “making there day” all of which are equally important and communicated through the “Fish” movie as it chronicles the lives of the workers at The World Famous Pikes Place Fish Market in Seattle, Washington.

What I leaned was this: creativity matters! In the segment on “play” in the movie one of the workers can be quoted as saying. “If you copy us you are stuck…The fact that you are copying us, doing what we are doing, signifies that you are stuck and lack creativity…. (paraphrased a bit)” Wow, what a statement; what a statement full of implications and insight for the church today. This is why - there are those in the church who copy and duplicate a structure or program from another church in hopes that it reproduces and garners the same result in their present situation. Let me share an example to illustrate what I am talking about.

Church A in Portland desires to expand and increase one of its programs. In so doing, they research and read about church B in Sacramento that has been successful doing what Portland longs to do. Because church A has a result oriented approach (yes, this even happens in the church) they simply COPY the structure and program from church B in Sacramento. In COPYING everything from the church in Sacramento the church in Portland neglects laying the necessary foundation that is critical to such a program. (This critical information could be demographic information, specific cultural patterns, church members, church member patters, ethnic information, and the like.) Church A is also acknowledging that they lack creativity and the intestinal fortitude to get on their knees to seek God’s answers and ways instead of other mans successful (or failed) attempts. In such a situation, the answer is not to COPY another church but, it is to seek God’s guidance as he (through the power of the Holy Spirit) provides fresh and divine insight, releasing a new found creativity to reach the world we live in.

In closing, I want to leave you with the following quote because it is this quote that completed my "second thought", bringing me to the point of sharing this with you. In his book Surprised by Hope, N.T. Wright mentions the following as he explains what the connection should be between hope, the church, and creativity.

"The church, because it is the family that believes in hope for new creation, should be the place in every town and village where new creativity bursts forth for the whole community, pointing to the hope that, like all beauty, always comes as a surprise."

My First Thought...

I have had a few thoughts since being back in California so I thought I might share them with you. I only have time to write one at a time so you will have to wait in suspense for the next. The first has to do with Proposition 8…. (need I say more?)

For those inside California you will understand, without much explanation, the role Prop 8 has played in our lives over the past few weeks. For those outside California all you need to know is that Prop 8 was a constitutional amendment seeking to redefine marriage as only between a man and women. It doesn’t take rocket science to figure out that this is heated and controversial proposition. Prop 8 has led both sides to protest in droves at major intersections throughout California, including one only miles from where I am living. On each corner there were those in favor and against, shouting, screaming, hoping to get the most attention so that one might look at their sign that they are holding. All of this leads me to ask:

1. Is the best way to communicate the saving and sacrificial love of Jesus?
2. If one is shouting at the other, causing the other to feel hated, un-loved, and despicable then how does one expect the other to feel when they interact within ones church?
3. Did at anytime, those in favor of Prop 8, cross the street and apologize to those against, in hopes that a cordial and respectful dialogue might take place.
4. When all is said and done and the election is over. What type of hostility and perception will we (I say we as Christians) have to overcome to share and prove the undiscriminatory love of Christ?

Jesus on the cross....

Maya just handed me a piece of paper and said, "look daddy it's Jesus on the cross." Take a look at the picture and see that Jesus is in plain view, He is easy to identify. Beneath the face you can track the vertical and horizontal lines that represent the cross. You will notice the big dot at the top of the drawing. I was not quite sure what it was so I asked. Maya looked at me puzzled with a look that said, "dad, you should know what that is..." Without hesitation she informed me that it was the nail that nailed Jesus to the cross.

Times like this I love being a daddy. I love communicating Christ's love to my daughters so that they may experience and embrace the same love. I love observing Maya as she loves and cares for those around her, ask her why she does it and she will be quick to tell you that she loves because He first loved us. I love listening to Maya as we read through a Bible story and talk about. Her young mind is constantly working as she asks me to explain ever detail of the story I am reading or telling her. Prayer times at night are especially fruitful as we pray together about her friends and family.

All this to say is that I can't wait for Finley to grow up so that she and I can have the same type of conversations. I am just as eager to observe her understanding of who Jesus is in her life. I am also eager (I may resent the following statement) for both my girls to grow and mature as adolescents and teens so that we may have even more conversations centered on Jesus and the love that He has for them.

Lord, have your way with me and my family...

Wow, it has been awhile. I did not realize that it has been over a month since my last blog. It's not that I haven't felt the urge to blog, I have. The problem is that I didn't have the energy and mindset to do so. My tag line for my blog if you haven't noticed is "raw insights on faith, family, and fun." Truth be told it normally is anything but raw. My posts are never spur of the moment and have often sat in my brain for a few days as I have mulled it over, it is only then that I sit down and type it all out. But not this one. Nope not this time. This one is raw and coming straight from the heart in one sitting (that is if Finley agrees and stays asleep so I can finish).

Life has been crazy for the Harris household over the past few months. We have prayerfully committed to planting a church in Placerville, California just outside of Sacramento with a family we grew to love and adore while in Seminary. We can't wait to get there - to love people, to see lives transformed, touch a community, to be a part of something new, and I can go on and on. But we are not there yet. I will be honest (raw that is) with you , it's hard waiting, it stinks and is no fun sometimes. I know what you might say or think, "Mark, you just need to pray about it." I have, many times.

Isn't that the token Christian answer? Don't get me wrong, it should be, we should pray, we are told to pray. In fact, it is the first thing we should do and we should do it continually - all the time. But what are we praying about? What are we praying for?

We will get back to this thought because I am going on a tangent and will hopefully bring it all back together....

I mentioned that my family's life is crazy right now. Sometimes life is like that isn't it? Sometimes life makes you go a bit crazy. Sometimes you get sick of the waiting, you get discouraged, you get lazy, you get grouchy and moody. You might even get depressed, downhearted, dejected, and down in the dumps. All of these feelings (and many more) are part of life. All of these feelings effect our prayer lives (and here is where I am going to bring it all back together).

Sometimes we don't feel like praying, we don't have the energy, the stamina, or the conviction to always be on our knees. Sometimes we get sick of praying the same thing over and over and over again. Sometimes we realize that it is not about me (insert your name), that there is a bigger picture that we are not privy to see. Sometimes we realize that our current circumstances are God's way of molding and transforming us. Sometimes we realize that we should stop our prayers centered on our circumstances and start our prayers centered on our hearts.

So, instead of saying - "Lord, bring the right buyer to buy my house. Lord, provide the right job for me to do your will as a Pastor. Lord, help us work out the details and logistics." I should say - "Lord, have your way with me and my family. Lord, shape me and mold me. Lord, use this time of uncertainty to make me certain in the one who loves me so much that He died for me. Lord, use this time to transform my heart to love like you love. Lord, more then anything in the world I want to grow in you, to be more like you so if that means I wait - I wait. If that means my house does not sell and move in my timing - then so be it because your ways are bigger and better then mine. You know what you are always doing and I rarely do. Lord, have your way with me and my family."

Let me repeat myself (dare I say quote myself). "Sometimes we realize that we should stop our prayers centered on our circumstances and start our prayers centered on our hearts." I have - have you?

You want a piece of me?

Just this past week I was on the floor playing with Finley while Maya was in the chair right above me. My back was to her so I couldn't see her coming. All of a sudden she pounced on me and began to tickle and wrestle with me. I looked her square in the eyes and said, "you want a piece of me?" She promptly replied, "no daddy, I want all of you!" To which I replied, "you can have it all, I am all yours."

Now you might be saying to yourself, "that's impossible Mark, you can't say that (or give her all 100%) because you have a wife and another daughter that deserve some pieces as well, not to mention the rest of your family, church, and friends." But here is the problem with such a perspective - it's compartmentalized. When we compartmentalize our lives we reduce everything to small separate equations, limiting ourselves to each aspect or "box" in our lives. There is no freedom or joy in such a life. When our lives are confined to separate "boxes" we are bound to the rules and regulations that we set for each aspect of our lives. This type of perspective and approach to life can only lead to shame, frustration, and disappointment.

I don't know about you but I don't want to live such a life, so I don't. I can tell Heather, Maya, and Finley that I am all theirs because I mean it. After all, what type of husband and father would I be if I told Heather she gets 40%, Maya gets 20%, and Finley gets 20% (leaving only 20% for the rest of my life)? Yeah you guessed it, I don't think I would be a good one at all. Look, I am not claiming to be the world's best husband and father because I have it all figured out. I don't. But what I do know is this:

My life is not my own. I don't live it so that I may have the most wealth, look the best, be the coolest to be around, or .... (you fill in the blank) - I live it for God. This means that I try my hardest to put others before myself. This means that I recreate and model the love that Jesus has by giving of myself so that others may live. This means that I give my all to everyone I come across and everything that I do. Do I do all this? No, but that doesn't stop me from trying again and again and again.

You see, Heather, Maya, and Finley deserve all that I have because Jesus Christ gave all that He has so that you and I may live.

Jesus.... Through the eyes of a four year old

The night before last while I was tucking Maya into bed and saying our nightly prayers she decided to ask me a question. Here is the dialogue starting with her question:

"Daddy, can I ask you a question? When we fly way up high in an airplane can Jesus see us? Daddy cause that is where heaven is."
"Of course He can, Jesus can see everything. He is everywhere."
With a perplexed look in her eye Maya simply stared at me. I knew I had to do something... and fast. I said. "Maya do you know where else Jesus is?"
"No daddy, where is He?"
"Jesus is in your heart. If you love Jesus, He is with you always in your heart."
"I love Jesus, does that mean He is in my heart? Daddy, I know you love Jesus too... that means He is in your heart." Suddenly she stopped and smiled. Realizing what she was about to say she chuckled and corrected herself. With a huge smile she said. "Daddy, Finley is too young to love Jesus, huh? She doesn't know any better. "
"Your right she doesn't, but Jesus loves her just like He loves me and you. You know what that means?"
"What?" She asked.
"You need to help me tell her all about Jesus, can you do that?" I asked.
"Of course I can daddy. I can tell her that He is strong (they are weak, but He is strong, yes Jesus loves me...) and that He died on the cross for her."
"That's right! Do you know why He died on the cross for Finley?"
"Because He loves her." Maya replied matter of factly. Before I could say anymore she looked me square in the eyes and said. "Daddy, I love you."
It's as if she knew our conversation reached an end point. You see, she knows that Jesus died on the cross for her because He loves her. It is because of that love that she can tell her sister and others in her life about Jesus. She knows and understands 1 John 4:19 that states. "We love because He first loved us." Do you?

Call Me Mr. Mom (Day 24)

It was bound to happen sooner or later - I just didn't think it would happen at age four. While at the park the other night I became an informed father because I found that Maya was being pursued by a younger boy in the neighborhood.

While sitting on a park bench watching Maya play another girl (couldn't have been older then 10) came over to me and asked what Maya's name was. By this time Maya was in my lap. I gave her a nudge and asked her to introduce herself. As always Maya didn't say a peep so I acknowledged the other girl and said, "this is Maya." Without any hesitation this girl immediately pointed out to the grass and said. "See that boy out there, he likes her!" Maya and I turned our heads to see who this "boy" might be and there he was, Lucas (see #2 here). Seeking to protect Maya's innocence I said. "Yes, Maya and Lucas are good friends. He is our neighbor." Looking at me as if I didn't understand the girl restates the obvious. "No, you don't understand. Lucas LIKES her!" By now Maya has a puzzled look on her face because she doesn't understand what this girl is talking about. I think she was so perplexed because she knew what I was talking about and didn't understand why the older girl didn't understand me.

I don't know if the relationship between Lucas and Maya will blossom, but I do know this - I like Lucas. Just the other day Lucas was playing "David & Goliath" at the park (he was David). His parents are nice, they attend a local church, and I often hear praise music coming from their house. However, one thing bothers me - he is quite the ladies man. The other day he was at the park on his John Deere hauling around four older women on a tractor that only holds two kids.

(UPDATED @ 4:05)

This just in - I don't like Lucas! He has already gotten Maya to take off her clothes. You see, Lucas parades his manliness around by running around the neighborhood in shorts, a bandanna, and a satchel (to hold his stones when being David in "David & Goliath). No shoes and no shirt! While talking to Lucas from upstairs Maya came over to me to tell me her shirt was stuck on her ponytail. "Maya, why are taking your shirt off?" "Daddy, I am hot." It must be noted that it is not even above 90 right know. Because I was writing about Lucas he was fresh in my mind so I asked, "does Lucas have his shirt off right now? You want your shirt off because Lucas has his off right?" To which she simply replied, "of course daddy!" Needless to say, we had to reach a compromise - so she put on a tank top!

Call Me Mr. Mom (Day 15)

Well, I think this day will be one of the days that I remember most while holding the official title, "Mr. Mom." Let me tell you why:

1. My day started with Finley crying uncontrollably (this is completely out of her character). It lasted on and off (mostly on) all day. It feels like she is teething so we may be in for a few more days of this.
2. Amidst Finley's crying I heard Maya yelling at Lucas, our three your old neighbor. It turns out they were fighting over who's father was the strongest (me of course). Maya was visibly and audibly upset with Lucas. He just didn't want to face the fact that I could beat up his dad. Maya ran to me three times in utter frustration telling me that Lucas is making her mad because he just doesn't understand that I am stronger.
3. I watched Pete's Dragon with Maya today. Don't you just love that movie. It's fantastic. We couldn't sing the songs at the top of our lungs like we usually do because Finley was sleeping. It is good thing that she eventually woke up so Maya and I could sing. While we were watching the movie I had Finley on the floor. We played together and I watched her roll over from back to stomach and then stomach to back. It's official she can do a complete roll over. She can also "lunge". Finley brings her knees up while on her stomach and falls forward, each time moving closer to her desired destination like a toy or pacifier. She has gotten really good at it because she can now do at least four or five "lunges" in a row.
4. After dinner I promised Maya that I would take her to the "brown" park. (We differentiate our parks by their colors.) I told her to ask her mother if she wanted to go. In front of Heather she replied. "No mommy, you can't go. I am going with daddy all by myself. We need to be alone." Needless to say, Heather let it be and sent us on our way. On our way to the park Maya said. "Daddy, thanks for getting me out of the house. I really needed to get away." Isn't that adorable?

Have a razle dazzle day!

The Eyes of Jesus

The other morning I was on my way to get some donuts for the family. I turned on the radio and an interesting song came on, one that instantly grapped my attention. It didn't grab my attention because of the tune and jingle, it was the lyrics that grapped my attention and made listen attentively. The song is titled, Give Me Your Eyes by Brandon Heath. It has everything to do with my recent post so I thought I would share the words with you.

Looked down from a broken sky, traced out by the city lights

My world from a mile high, best seat in the house tonight

Touched down on the cold black tile, hold on for the sudden stop

Breath in the familiar shock of confusion and chaos

Are those people going somewhere? Why have I never cared?

Give me your eyes for just one second

Give me your eyes so I can see

Everything that I keep missing

Give me your love for humanity

Give me your arms for the broken hearted

Wasnt it far beyond my reach?

Give me your heart for the once forgotten

Give me your eyes so I can see again

Step out on a busy street, see a girl and our eyes meet

Does her best to smile at me, to hide whats underneath

Theres a man just to her right, black suit and a bright red tie

To ashamed to tell his wife, he's out of work, he's buying time

Are those people going somewhere?Why have I never cared?

Chorus

I've Been there a million times, A couple of million eyes

Just moving past me by

I swear I never thought that I was wrong

Well I want a second glance

So give me a second chance

To see the way you see the people all alone

Vantage Point & The Eyes of Jesus

Over the 4th of July weekend Heather and I rented Vantage Point. It was a good movie, a solid rental if you are looking to have a relaxing (though it is classified as "suspenseful") movie night at home. The movie communicates a sequence of events from multiple points of view. As the movie unfolds more and more perspectives are communicated, leading to the complete unfolding of the actual events. No single perspective is complete, capturing the whole story. Each perspective is lacking something. It is only when they are all pieced together that you see what actually takes place (this is the "suspenseful" part, if you want to call it that).

The movie sent me off on a tangent as I pondered my perspective or vantage point on life, family, and church. Is it right? Is it complete? Who is the center of it? What makes my perspective the best? What can I do to enhance it and broaden my perspective? All these questions are good to ask and can be helpful as long as they stay within the framework of Christ's perspective. In a sense we need to put on new lenses (or clean our existing ones) and see the world through the eyes of Jesus.

There is a story in the Bible where there is a stark contrast between two perspectives. While Jesus is talking with his disciples they listen and begin to picture and imagine something that is familiar and relevant to them. Jesus begins talking to the disciples using present day illustrations that correlate to "worldly" greatness. We know this because Jesus says. "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them." This is something the disciples can see and experience. From their earthly and material vantage point this is exactly what power, greatness, authority, and leadership looked like.

But through the eyes of Jesus it looks completely different. Jesus continues with the disciples by saying. "It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." The emphasis of the last verse of this section of Scripture (Matthew 20:20-28) lays in the phrase, just as the Son of Man. It is as if Jesus is looking his disciples squarely in the eyes imploring them to follow his example and way of life - to view life a bit differently, from his vantage point.

Seeing life through the eyes of Jesus will enable us to set aside our own ambitions of greatness and power, allowing us to serve and love those beyond our wildest imaginations. The eyes of Jesus will make us to funnel our time and talents towards those who are not as privileged and blessed as we might be. Ultimately, the eyes of Jesus will begin to move the rest of our body towards action as we our filled with compassion and love. I don't know about you, but this is a perspective and vantage point that I long for more and more each day - do you?

Call Me Mr. Mom (Day 4)

The last couple days of being Mr. Mom have brought some hilariously funny quotes from my oldest, Maya. I think I should share them with you:

While we are playing "Phillip and Aurora" (those are the main characters from Sleeping Beauty for those who don't know) Maya informed me that I had to be Aurora. I told her I am the boy so I should be Phillip. She didn't like that idea and quickly said. "Daddy, you can't be Phillip because he is not a King. He is only a prince, so here be Aurora." At least she knows the who the king is in my house, huh?

While driving home we passed a mini van (the one that Heather wants) to which Maya said. "Look daddy, it is a van that mommy wants. Let's kick all the people out, steal it, take it home, and give it to mommy."

The third and final quote needs no explanation. Last night Maya walked in on me and asked. "Daddy, why do you go pee-pee like that?"

Needless to say I laughed out loud at each statement by Maya. I look forward to many more. If there are any I will be sure to let you know.

Take A Guess....

We just had Finley's four month old pictures taken. Heather decided that she wanted to have it taken in the same outfit that Maya had her four month old photo taken in. It is amazing to compare the two portraits. There is no doubt that they are sisters. Go ahead, take a look at the two pictures and decide for yourself which one is Maya and which one is Finley.

In case you are wondering - Finley's is on the top and Maya's is on the bottom.

Call Me Mr. Mom (Day 1)

Well, it's 7 in the morning and I am dressed, showered, and sipping on a fresh cup of coffee just waiting for some noise to come from beyond the closed bedroom doors. By all calculations it should be at least another hour before my girls wake up, but only time will tell. I am looking forward to this time with them. It's totally bittersweet. On one hand, I morn with my wife that she has to go back to work (albeit, only for a few weeks) and on the other I am excited to be a full time daddy of two girls (albeit, only for a few weeks). This is why I choose my pink polo shirt to wear today; I need to represent as a daddy of two adorable girls!

I don't expect much difficulty with Maya and Finley, they are easy girls. Maya is getting to the point where she is self sufficient and Finley is so pleasantly mannered that a day with them is very enjoyable, filled with laughter and fun. To be honest with you, I am mainly worried about two things today - being on time and Finley pooping. It is always a task to get kids out the door and to your desired destination on time. Luckily for me we only have two appointments today, one that we need to go to (swimming lessons) and one that is coming to us (our Realtor). As far as the second, well let's just say that it has been days since Finley pooped. The last time she did this (went days without pooping) I walked into the room while Heather was changing her, took one look (and smell) and was forever grateful Heather was right there so I could promptly turn around and walk out (hey, don't laugh I am just being honest). This time it's all me!

I will let you know how it goes.

(UPDATED @ 10:09)

Well, it's 10:00 and all the lights are off except for a few night lights in the house and the glow from my mac. My girls are all soundly sleeping, including my beautiful hard working wife. In case you are wondering, I made it to swim lessons on time and handled an excessive amount of greeny-brown gooey poop with out gagging. I do believe the house is just as clean as it was this morning when I woke up, however I will have to verify that in in the morning when the lights are on - I think the darkness may be playing tricks on me. Till then.

Recreative Love

I read this story about a man who was unlike any other. He was a noble man of character and justice. The story goes like this:

In a time when he had every right to punish and torture his servant till the servant repay his debt, the man did the unthinkable and excused him; relieving him of all his debt. Now this was no small debt; it was a debt so large that by today’s standards it would be equivalent to 3 million dollars. You would think this servant, having just received an unthinkable and gracious gift would be forever changed, but this was not the case.

Unable to identify how life could be different in light of his new found freedom the wicked servant sought out and captured one his fellow servants who owed him some money. The fact that the total amount owed to the wicked servant was only a days wage did not stop him from grabbing him by the throat while demanding him to repay the debt immediately.

Needless to say the word got out. The noble man upon hearing this said to his slave, “You wicked man; I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?”

I love stories like this one, as well as many others like it that can be found in the Bible. This parable for the most part sheds light on our response to what God has already accomplished in our lives if we are Christ followers. It is because we have been completely forgiven that we are to forgive. In a sense, the love and forgiveness that has been given to each one of us is to be recreated, passed on, and shown to those around as we live our lives accordingly.

Laughter

Laughter filled my house growing up as a child. As a parent I long to raise my girls with a similar experience. Heather and I got an early start with Finley on the changing table. Take a look.

Graduation Weekend....

This past weekend I walked across the stage to my name as I was presented with an academic hoodie and a diploma, signifying that I am now in possession of a Master’s degree. The ceremony was special because I had multiple family members in the audience (and in the lobby with my daughters) sitting through two hours of “ceremony stuff”, waiting patiently to cheer as my name was called as I walked across the stage. My brief moment in the spotlight lasted all but 30 seconds. Everyone stayed for the weekend. While they were here we made a point to celebrate Maya's birthday. We enjoyed a fabulous dinner at beaches and took in the beautiful northwest scenery as we drove the historical Columbia highway. Here are some photos that capture some of the moments. If you want to see all of the photos, go here.

Typical Oregonians...

If (with a strong emphasis on the IF) the temperature reaches over 70 degrees most Oregonians can be found doing one of two things - either hiking or fishing. Since my family has been in Oregon for three years we have finally "adapted" to the culture. I have proof! This past weekend the temperatures reached into the 70's and Heather and I took the girls for a hike and then I took Maya fishing. Enjoy the photos of the hike to Multnomah Falls and the fishing at the Harris "fishing hole".

With Him... For Others...

It is easy to think about what is best for yourself. It is even easier to think of the things, whether good or bad, that you might need or want. Let’s face it, it is easy to be about yourself, placing your own desires and wishes before those around. Let me let you in on a little secret, it’s not about you!

As Christ followers we are called to live with Christ for the sake of others. We are called to lay aside our fleshy desire for the benefit of those within our sphere of influence and beyond. The ways of Christ are in total contrast to the ways of the world, which propel us into individuality, claiming what is rightfully ours. Let me illustrate the contrast:

Heather and I have a bet. Once she was given the OK by her Dr. to start exercising we weighed ourselves. We each set a weight loss goal that we desire to achieve by the end of the year. On December 31, 2008 we will weigh ourselves and whoever lost the highest percentage of their goal will win the grand prize. It must be noted that we have tried this once before and we had to delay the bet because I cheated. I figured the only way to win was to make Heather gain weight. On December 31, 2007 I was the clear winner because I had maintained my weight loss and Heather had gained weight because she was with child.

Now to the point, I am in complete conflict regarding our bet; it is as if each personality (my flesh & Spirit) within me wishes to prevail. Although they appear as polar opposites, it is simply a different side to the same coin. On one hand, I want to win because I am extremely competitive. In case you are wondering what side of the coin this is, it is the backside because that is where the dust that heather will be breathing comes from as I run away (literally & figuratively) with the victory. The other side of me desires nothing more for Heather to be victorious as I embrace her with my loving arms, celebrating with her every step of the way.

Living with Christ for the sake of others means doing what is best for those around us. It means being aware and cognitive of the wants, needs, and desires of those we come in contact with. To do this, we must be determined and focused, in tune with the Spirit’s prompting and leading. In case you are wondering I am not going to lay down in defeat so that I my fleshly desire will not win, that wouldn’t be what is best for Heather now would it? I am going to be determined and focused on my goal as to drive and motivate Heather towards hers.

Over Under

Every so often I pull, Hope for the Brokenhearted, off my book shelf and read a chapter or two. The author of the book, Dr. Terveen was one of my professors at Multnomah Biblical Seminary. Just this past week, I read the chapter entitled, “In the Deepest Waters and Darkest Nights.” In this chapter Terveen takes a look at the all too familiar story of Peter walking on the water to Jesus. If you are like me you might have heard this story numerous times; it most likely is one you can recite without even thinking about it. You know that the disciples departed by boat, across the lake. A storm took place and the disciples were frightened by it (this is odd because they were fisherman and would have been used to stormy weather). Amongst the chaos, they saw a ghost, or at least that is what they thought of Jesus when they saw him walking on the water. As he got closer he said. “Take courage. It is I. Do not be afraid.” Peter, after a brief interaction with Jesus, gets up out of the boat and walks towards Jesus. He eventually removes his focus from Jesus and is reminded of the turbulent storm moving about him. It is at this point that he begins to sink and fall. Immediately, Jesus stretches his hands out, grabbing Peter, saving him from drowning.

Do you feel like that sometime? Do you feel as if your footing is unstable, causing you to stumble and fall? Notice that Peter did not become consumed by his surroundings until he lost sight of Jesus. Peter’s initial step of faith was solid and firm because it was rooted on the presence of Christ directly in front of him. I can imagine him thinking. “Hey I got this. This is easy. Hey guys, look at me I am walking on the water.” If we are honest with ourselves each one of us can imagine Peter thinking those words because we all would probably think the exact same thing. It is in our nature to draw attention to ourselves, seeking praise for what we have done through our own power. It is the other way around; we should praise and glorify God for what he has done through us through his power.

Let me leave you with a phrase that Terveen writes towards the end of the chapter as a reminder that though we may seem over burdened and afraid we have a God who loves and cares for us, stretching hi hand out to us.

“We must remember that what looks like it is going to be over our heads is already under Jesus’ feet.”

Peace ....

It is one of those verses that routinely pop into my brain. One might consider it a coincidence, but I don't because I know that it the Spirit reminding me of the words of Jesus. Jesus says. "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid" (John 14:27). Notice that the same peace that is in Jesus is given to each one of us if we are a Christ follower. This peace that is given to us is contrary to the ways of the world. This means that true peace does not come from our salary, education, social status, living situation, or bank account. True peace can only come from the power of the Holy Spirit. I relax in the fact that there is a divine peace within my soul. It is comforting to know that I need not be troubled or afraid because God is in control.
This brings me to something else that has recently entered my brain. While jogging this past weekend an old school Newsboys song came on. I have since listened to it countless times as a prayer. As you read through the lyrics may they be your prayer and reality in your life, amongst the trials, troubles, and unclear circumstances in your life.

You are the author of knowledge
You can redeem what's been done
You hold the present and all that's to come
Until your everlasting kingdom

Lord, I don't know where all this is going
Or how it all works out
Lead me to peace that is past understanding
A peace beyond all doubt

You are the God of tomorrow
Turning the darkness to dawn
Lifting the hopeless with hope to go on
You are the rock of all salvation

Lord, I don't know where all this is going
Or how it all works out
Lead me to peace that is past understanding
A peace beyond all doubt

Oh, Lord, you are the author
Redeeming what's been done
You hold us in the present
And all that is to come

Lord, we don't know where all this is going
Or how it all works out
Lead us to peace that is past understanding
A peace beyond all doubt

Do it for Finley!

My friend Don is walking in Portland's March for Babies. He is looking for sponsors. I have done it, why don't you? You don't need to know Don to sponsor him. All you need to know is that the mission for March of Dimes, March for Babies is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality. Don't waste anymore time. Make a donation today. The event is Saturday April 26, 2008.

The governments role...

As we approach the up coming election there will be numerous conversations regarding the governments role regarding the many issues facing our country and culture, one of which is the governments role in social services and social action. I am simply going to let the following words I read from, With Justice for All, by John Perkins this past week speak for themselves:

The only institution in America with the human resources adequate to meet the needs of the poor is the Church. But racism and misguided patriotism have blinded the Church to this great mission opportunity. Only the Church carries the Good News of Jesus Christ, which, when lived out faithfully, responds to the total needs of the poor (and might I add, all peoples) - physical, social and spiritual - in ways that affirm the dignity and self worth of the individual.

Signs of the times...

Have you noticed? Take a gander at the world around us and see how quickly everything is changing. Right before our very eyes technology is advancing, changing and effecting all aspects of life. I find it very silly that I compare things to “the way things used to be”. Isn’t that something my parents and grandparents do? After all, they have an additional thirty to sixty years on me and have experienced the evolution of change longer then I have. The fact still remains that there is a vast difference between the world I was born and raised in and the world Maya and Finley will grow up in. Take for example:

• Maya no longer says to Heather and me, “I want to talk to Grandma and Grandpa on the phone.” She says, “When can I talk to Grandma and Grandpa on the computer?” See Skype to know what I am talking about. It is free video conferencing that we now use.
• Maya (and now Finley) have there own playlist on my ipod.
• One day when I was on the computer updating podcasts on Itunes Maya interrupted. Knowing what I was doing, Maya said, “Daddy, do I have any podcasts?” She climbed into my lap asking me to locate some podcasts for her. Needless to say, we found some (and there video too). This made her extremely happy. We then proceeded to watch them over and over for the next thirty to forty minutes; there were five of them at 1:25 a piece.
• I am constantly being reminded by Maya as to what I said or where something is. Shouldn’t it be the other way around, after all I am the 31 year old and she is the 3 year old. This simply is a sign that despite my young whippersnapper physique, I am losing my mind (I mean memory). Did I mention she routinely wins at memory when we play (and yes I actually try to win).
• On both computers (my laptop and the imac) in the Harris household, Maya has a favorite’s folder so that she can easily access the websites she likes to play on.
• This past Saturday I took Maya out for lunch and a movie (Horton Hears a Who). I gave her the choice as to where she wanted to eat. She decided upon Carl’s Jr. (a restaurant I haven’t been inside of in over three years). When we walked into CJ’s I noticed two ATM looking machines directly in front of two of the three cash registers. Afraid of ordering my food via a teller machine (I only use them to get cash), I waited in line behind another young couple with children and ordered my food the old fashioned way (when it became old fashioned, I don’t know); via a human being.
  

I am sure this is just the beginning. The signs of the times are all around us, they are continuously changing. I hope I can keep up with them. If not, I am grateful that I have Maya and Finley to help me out.

A River of Life....

Life is a voyage, a voyage full of moments which lead to a plethora of decisions. Because of this we encounter countless circumstances that mandate a decision on our part. From the moment we wake up till the time we fall asleep, opportunities arise where decisions must be made. Think about it:

• You decided to press the snooze button more then once this morning (three times if you are like me).
• You decided what to wear.
• You decided what to have for breakfast (or what not to have it all).
• You decided what lane to drive on road on your way to work.
• You decided what to listen to on the radio, CD player, or mp3 player.
• You decided....

I think you get the point. You will notice that the decisions mentioned above are rather easy and mundane, you know the kind we make without thinking. Not all decisions are that way are they? The fact is that we routinely face the task of tackling the "difficult" decisions in life. I refer to them as "difficult" because it is our tendency to elevate them to such a status. We lose sleep over the "difficult" decisions of life. We wrestle back and forth, teeter-tottering on which way to go. Eventually, we end up over spiritualizing the decisions that we must make. As a result, we miss the moments. The moments of opportunities; opportunities to love, serve, share, grow, teach, and on and on. You see, these moments and opportunities that we are talking about combine to make so much more. As I mentioned earlier, our life is full of moments. So, when we fail to make a decision - we miss a moment - we miss a life.

Keep reading and let me share an analogy that might be helpful in regards to life, decisions, God, and the Holy Spirit. Think of it this way, we are a river. As water we are free to flow and meander where ever we desire - as long as we stay within the confines of the river bank. God, is the river bank. He is the channel, He is the guide. He knows where we are going and He knows where we will end up. We on the other hand, cannot see around the river bed. We only see what is right in front of us. But there is more, a river by definition is a moving body of water; one that flows. In each river there is a current that causes the river to flow. This current, is the Spirit. It leads us, moves us, drives us, directs us, and accelerates us to the desired destination.

How does this all fit together with the decisions we make? For one thing, it grants us freedom. Some see the banks as a hindrance, something that is restricting. I on the other hand, see the river as a wide open body of water where I flow freely as I am guided by the Spirit. This my friends, is a river of life where we do not have to lose sleep over the decisions we are faced with. It is a river of life full of moments ready to be seized. A river of life full of opportunities to love, serve, share, grow, teach, and what ever else your heart desires.

It was His voice

I love this time of the year. At this moment I can pear out my window and see the buds on the trees and plants starting new growth amongst brown twigs and shrubs. More importantly, I love this time of year because we are brought to the cross as we remember and celebrate the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Christ the Lord. If you are not reading for yourself (which you should be) you are at least hearing the resurrection story from the pulpit. The resurrection story can be found in one of the four Gospels, each communicating the story from their perspective. I am partial to John’s (John 20) perspective of the resurrection because it involves an interaction that is short, but yet telling.

The conversation takes place between Jesus and Mary; one we know very much about and the other we know little about. I think you can figure that one out. We have to look at a few other passages to piece together an identity for Mary because John simply mentions her by name. From the Gospel of Mark we discover the tag line associated with Mary. When Mark mentions Mary he does so by calling her – Mary Magdalene, whom Jesus cast out seven demons. In the Gospel of Luke, the author identifies Mary as one of the faithful “women” who followed, served, and provided for Jesus out of her own means. Other mentions of Mary in the Gospels place her at key moments throughout the life of Jesus.

Mary arrives at the grave of Jesus ready to anoint the body of Jesus. To her dismay, she finds it empty and promptly leaves to tell the others. The story then tells of Peter and the other disciple running to the grave to verify her claim, perplexed they immediately leave to go back home. Mary who followed the disciples back found herself alone once again at the empty grave. She found herself face to face with the risen Lord. All it took for her to realize who was in front of her was a simple word. “Mary,” He said. All it took was an gentle utterance of her name to recognize and respond to Jesus. It must have been music to her ears. It must have reminded her of the numerous times he called out to her with pure compassion and love. Undoubtedly, her first interaction with Jesus was recalled; you know the one where he cast seven demons out.

It is my hope and prayer that this Easter you may concentrate on His voice. Our Lord is alive! He still speaks today as he did to Mary in front of the empty tomb; intimately and personally to each one of us. Listen to it, respond to it, and embrace it.

Leap Day Baby

Well it happened. FINLEY JEAN HARRIS entered our world 2/29/2008 at 12:30 in the afternoon. She weighed in at 8.4 oz. and was 20 1/2 inches long. Heather and Finley are fantastic. Finley is gorgeous. The evening nurse brought Finley back to us and informed us that Finley was the cutest baby in the hospital. I guess she saw this as critical information because she shared this with us at 2:00 in the morning.

Because of the leap year we knew we would be inundated with requests from the media located throughout the world. We made the conscious decision prior to birth that we were only going to answer requests from the local paper. It is a good thing that the Gresham Outlook was the first to contact us because it made it much easier to decline the Oregonian, NY Times, the Today Show on NBC, and Good Morning America on ABC. (WINK, WINK)

If you receive the Outlook be sure to check out the front page on 3/5/08. Finley, Heather, and I are located on the front page just below the fold on the right hand side. If at any time the Outlook decides to add our photo to there web site I will include a link. Until then you will have to enjoy the following photos.

Lesson #6: Peter Pan & leadership

My daughter is three years old and loves to sing. At any moment, she is likely to break out in song and joyfully sing at the top of her lungs. Her favorite song comes from one of her favorite Disney movies, Peter Pan. She sings the lyrics of Following the Leader whenever we need to go somewhere together, such as a bedroom upstairs, a room downstairs, or the park across the street. With her gorgeous blue eyes she looks at me and says, “OK daddy here we go, follow me and form a line. Following the leader, the leader, the leader, following the leader wherever we may go…” My daughter’s view of leadership is very pure and innocent. It is a very simple perspective; it includes the two basic ingredients – a leader and a follower. But that's not it. There is more to her perspective, one that she gets from watching Peter Pan. A common phrase you hear throughout the movie from Peter is, come on let's go.

In the movie, Peter separates himself from everyone else by showing the initiative and calling others to follow with the phrase, “come on, let’s go.” How many of us can say the same thing? The idea and motion of initiative is what separates those who lead and those who follow. Initiative can be defined as “The ability to act on your own; the ability to act and make decisions without the help or advice of other people.” It can further be defined as the “Introductory step. The first step in a process that, once taken, determines subsequent events.” In other words, it is a key characteristic in the life of a leader because it encompasses the idea of moving in a direction, taking the “first step”. Without the “first step” one is left standing along with everyone else waiting for someone to move and follow. In a sense, showing initiative awakens oneself amongst others who are sleeping. Let me explain:

If we look at the life of Jonathan in the Old Testament (1 Samuel 14) we catch a glimpse of a wonderful example of initiative. He literally moves forward, showing initiative while being surrounded by men who were sleeping. Even his father, Saul – the King of Israel was taking a nap. While amongst sleepers under a pomegranate tree, Jonathan awakes and calls his armor bearer towards him and says, “come, let’s go… (1 Samuel 14:6)” Did you catch the fact that the rest of the men were sleeping under a tree? That is right they were asleep, paralyzed because they did not know what to do. They lay motionless under a pomegranate tree, following the lead of their king Saul, who was afraid. He figured that his defeat at the hands of the Philistine’s was immanent. Therefore, instead of showing initiative and taking a step forward he lay complacent and did nothing. His perceived outcome caused him to react out of fear instead of moving forward with initiative. Sound familiar? We do this often, don’t we? We do nothing instead of doing something; we lay motionless, afraid of acting – afraid of showing initiative.

Initiative is an act of faith, stepping out into the unknown. It is a contagious act, compelling others to follow prompting them to faith as well. Notice that, Jonathan’s armor bearer did not hesitate when Jonathan called him. In fact, he took it one step further and responded to Jonathan be informing him that “I am with you heart and soul (1 Samuel 14:7).” What a response! What an encouragement! What a bond that was bound by a divine love that inevitably led to a divine moment!

Now do you see why this is such a distinguishing characteristic in the life of the leader? The ability to act and respond causes movement, movement that is compelling – drawing others to follow. Jonathan did not move alone, he had a companion for his battle. His nameless armor bearer faithfully responded by following Jonathan into battle where they slay “some twenty men” in about a half an acre (1 Samuel 14:13).

Finley's Room

This past weekend the three of us painted Finley's room. The above is short clip of the finished product. If you want to know what it took to get there, keep looking because there are a few photos included as well.

Lesson #5: For mine or yours

Welcome,

Here we are continuing a series entitled, What I learned in Seminary. You can catch up with the links below.

As I reflect back on seminary I constantly find myself drawn to Jeremiah 9:23-24. This passage has forever been etched into my heart. It serves as a reminder to be that it is not about, "Mark Harris," it's about God. We have a tendency in our world and culture to draw attention to ourselves by laying claim to our human abilities. We are often drawn towards a lifestyle of "bragging" in order to get noticed and draw attention to ourselves. Read the words of the prophet Jeremiah to see what he wrote on this very subject:

This is what the LORD says: "Let not the wise man boast of his
wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast
of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he
understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises
kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these
I delight," declares the LORD.

The words speak for themselves, don't they? Let them sink in and penetrate your heart so as to help you identify areas in which you boast in. Is it your ability to make money, the gadgets you own, the car you drive, the job you have, the places you been, or the education you have that cause you to boast, drawing attention to yourself rather then God. Note, that if we are to brag and boast there is only one who we are to boast in, our Lord. Instead of boasting in the temporal human things of this world we are to boast in the heart of God. What is the heart of God? In this passage Jeremiah reveals three aspects of it: kindness, justice and righteousness. You see it's not about us and the things we boast in; it's about God and his heart for kindness, justice and righteousness. Let us be about his ways and his heart instead of our own selfish ways. After all, it's about Him not you.

Introduction
Lesson #1: Above all else
Lesson #2: The church as the body and family
Lesson #3: People or programs
Lesson #4: To consume or be consumed
Lesson #5: For mine or yours
Lesson #6: Peter Pan and leadership
Lesson #7: Rainbow vs. pot of gold

I'm still here...

Before I forget, please read Dan's Blog on MLK Day. He shares some sections from King's, Letter From A Birmingham Jail. King's letter is very moving and straight to the point. King uses the term "White Moderate" in describing the type of man who is the greatest obstacle to racism. King also labels the church as the "archdefender of the status quo," a term that should not describe the church (but unfortunately it does). Just Read it and follow his links to the complete letter!

Now moving on:
I haven't forgotten about blogging. I have purposefully taken a break and have posted less frequently so I can enjoy more time with my wife and daughter. It's been great! As you might imagine I now have more free time because I am done with school. When I am not hanging with Heather and Maya I can be found reading for pleasure. I just finished my third book for the month (and I still have a week left in January. At this pace of 3-4 books a month I could read 36-48 books this year, we will see if I keep that up). With this in mind I am going to take a small hiatus from my series and mention three great reads. If you have a chance make sure you read Jim & Casper go to Church, The Shack and Quiet Strength (Tony Dungy's autobiography). I shall share from Dungy's book first because I just finished it.

• Quiet Strength - I appreciated deeply Dungy's willingness to share his story. But more importantly I clung to the many words of wisdom that were sprinkled throughout the book. There was always a point to why he did what he did. He defined himself as a man of faith, integrity, and humor in an atmosphere and career that is constantly seeking the world's approval, setting winning above all else. Everything was a process for Dungy, a process of pressing on and remaining firm in his faith. The following paragraph was the second to last paragraph in the last chapter in his book. It reads:

"And so we press on. We press on with our memories, our hearts buoyed by a God who loves us and wants us to know Him deeply. We press on with our sense that life's not always fair. And we press on with the knowledge - and assurance - that even though we can't see all of God's plan. He is there, at work and in charge, loving us. We press on with the conviction that even though we don't deserve the gifts and blessings we've been given, He gives them anyway. We press on into an abundant life on earth, followed by an eternity with God."

• The Shack - All I can say is READ IT! It is a novel, a book of fiction. But within the fiction you will find facts about a triune God who loves you and desires to commune with you just as they (the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) do. On the back of the book it states that the book wrestles with the timeless question, "Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain?" In dealing with this question it brings to light certain aspects of the deity of God that we may not have thought about before (and some might say they are heretical, but I shall leave you to decide). Let me just say this, we cannot place God box. Those who claim to have a grasp of God's Deity, don't. He is God and we are not. The starting point in attempting to grasp and understand God must start with his triune character and this book does just that.
• Jim and Casper go to Church - I bought this book 8-12 months ago and it just sat on my shelf waiting for me to get done with school. It was the first book I cracked open the beginning of this year. It is a book about a former pastor and his atheist friend. They travel to twelve churches around our country, offering their opinions on the parking lots, the lights, the music and of course the message. They attempt to throw their agenda (and they each have their own) out the window but fall short in doing so. But let us not disregard everything they say because of this. Read there opinion and experience and think about it because there is validity to it. If we all could critically think through this book and apply our discoveries to our separate situations I think our churches would be much better off.
  

Lesson #4: To consume or be consumed

Who or what do you consume? If you are anything like me then you consumed a cup or two of coffee this morning. Maybe you recently consumed a movie in the theater or in the comforts of your own home. How about a nice dinner out, where there is no need to cook or clean and you can simply enjoy the food and company. I could go on and on regarding the things that we consume on a regular basis, the things which, we often pay for out of a want or desire not a need. So, can church fit into the consuming category? Unfortunately, I am afraid it can.

There is a tendency (notice I said tendency and did not use an all inclusive term here, although others might, I do not) within Christian evangelicalism to approach church as a competition where we seek to offer newer and better programs and events so that we may attract more visitors. As a result, those who are attracted to the church view it as a "vendor of religious goods and services" where programs and messages are communicated and consumed just like a cup of coffee, a dinner out and a movie. Consumerism is the ultimate manifestation of the "self" or "individual" pursuing only those products that are beneficial to the self. "Consumerism is individualism on steroids. It is the logical end-product of living for self. Consumerism paves the way of worship of self, and self worship leaves us alone with the object of our devotion." When taken to it's ultimate form consumerism leads to complete isolation, away from community and fellowship.

I don't know about you but, I don't want to voyage through life and this world all alone. The pure thought of it makes me sick. I long to be in community with those around me, just as God designed me. Our longing and pursuit of community comes from the communal and relational God who created us. When we say that God is a communal and relational God, we are simply stating that He is not an isolated God but that He is in a reciprocal relationship within the Godhead as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

With this in mind, let us long and join in community with those around us instead of isolating ourselves on an island. Let us be consumed by God and the divine love, which flows from above (Romans 5:5). If we allow ourselves to be consumed (instead of consuming) we will be open to God's transformational work in our lives as we study His word in community with those around us. In his book, Transforming Church, Kevin Ford highlights the differences between consumerism and community. Here is what he has to say:

• Community requires being missional; consumerism demands internal satiation.
• Community shares responsibilities greater then self; consumerism demands entitlements.
• Community expresses itself in service; consumerism feeds and endless hunger.
• Community leads to a shared freedom; consumerism leads to singular addiction.
• Community actively creates; consumerism passively devours.
  

It is my prayer that we who are Christ followers join together in community as we seek to be consumed by God's love. Let us lay aside our individual desires for the betterment of those around us living a life consumed by God's divine love.

Introduction
Lesson #1: Above all else
Lesson #2: The church as the body and family
Lesson #3: People or programs
Lesson #4: To consume or to be consumed
Lesson #5: For mine or yours
Lesson #6: Peter Pan & leadership
Lesson #7: Rainbow vs. pot of gold

Lesson #3: People or Programs

Here we are continuing a series on the lessons learned (although not necessarily new lessons) throughout the past two and a half years in Seminary. If you need to catch up you can go here, here, and here for the previous three posts.

I have done much pondering and thinking on my education and how it has and has not prepared me for ministry. It seems as if people are on either side of the argument in regards to a seminary education as preparation for full time ministry. The most common argument against a seminary education is that people in seminary become more book smart then anything else. In other words, seminary students become learners of books and programs rather then people. I have even heard numerous professors in Seminary claim that Seminary turns out more scholars/teachers that turn to education instead of training pastors. Interesting thought huh? I don't know if it is entirely true, but there is sure some validity to the claim.

Throughout Seminary I have asked myself, is this about people or programs. If it was about people, I sat back and took it all in. If it was about programs, I continually related it back to people and the "real world". Here are some thoughts on programs and people:

• Focusing on programs offers us an easy excuse for not trying and not "getting dirty" as we get involved in the lives of others. In other words, we can blame our lack of success and effort on the program because it did not work out the way it should have.
• Focusing on programs encourages and fosters a consumeristic mentality of individuals seeking the best program (product) in town.
• Focusing on people allows us to create and initiate programs that are unique to our church body instead of copying programs from another church.
• Focusing on people mandates that we continually turn to God for guidance as we shepherd and guide our flock (no seminary training or other education prepares us for this, only God).

There is a definite contrast between the two. As I look at programs and people I see and compare God's way (people) versus man's way (programs). End of argument because God's way is always right.

Introduction
Lesson #1: Above all else
Lesson #2: The church as the body and family
Lesson #3: People or programs
Lesson #4: To consume or to be consumed
Lesson #5: For mine or yours
Lesson #6: Peter Pan & leadership
Lesson #7: Rainbow vs. pot of gold

Christmas Day

The Harris family had a wonderful Christmas. My mom was able to spend the holidays with us, so it was extra special to have family in town. The day was relaxing and refreshing, filled with each other's company. We spent the day with Maya experiencing her new gifts. We played and listened to her new piano, we played numerous rounds of "Memory" and "Candy Land". We even enjoyed playing with her new Princess Set. However, I was stuck being Cinderella as Maya played the role of Prince Charming. I think this was because she liked hearing me talk like Cinderella; every time I talked like her she giggled. Here are a some pictures from Christmas morning:
I can't blame Maya, I did it too. I always went towards the biggest present first to see if my name was on it. Here is Maya, checking the biggest bag to see if her name was on it (and yes, she knows how to spell her name and can tell if it says Maya). We didn't let Maya open the bag until everything else was opened.

Here is Maya and Heather playing with a Disney Princess set Maya received as a present from my sister's family. It was the first present where she stopped and opened it so that she could play with it right away.

Here is Maya playing her new piano (the present in the bag). Notice the music open on the top of the piano. She was playing and singing to Heather, my mom, and myself. I believe she was playing, "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star".