Then Tim Happened

Axioms of Life II

2011-06-02T19:35:00.000-05:00

[This is part of the Axioms of Life series. Read the entire series here.]

1. Your favorite jeans will eventually be unwearable.

2. At least once, you will accidentally misspell public "pubic".

3. Your poop really does stink.

4. The Twitter trolls will find you.

5. It's not your parents' fault.

6. Some women are actually great drivers.

7. The music of your youth will one day become "classic". Or better yet, "oldies".

8. Odds are you bring other people much more joy than you realize.

9. Dick Clark will never die.

10. God knows the plans he has for you... to give you a hope and a future.

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What's In A Name | Part 3

2011-05-31T21:35:00.000-05:00

[This is part of the What's In A Name series. Read the entire series here.]

What does this make you think of?

When you hear names like McDonald's, Lowe's, Wal-Mart, Apple, and Starbuck's, what comes to mind? There might be a few variations on specific terms, but most of us would come up with things that are pretty close for each of these names. Fast food; home improvement store; big-box retailer; computers; premium coffee. Maybe you get even more specific: Big Mac; Let's build something together; iphone. You get the idea. There is a reason behind this. Corporations work very hard and spend a lot of money to make sure you think specific things when you think of their name or see their logo. Through their advertising, products, and in-store experience, they define their brand. They do such a good job of it, people freak over a simple logo change. Remember when Gap and Starbuck's both tried this recently?

Through these efforts, the company or organization takes on a unique meaning. When I was in college, I worked at The Home Depot. The orange apron is Home Depot's signature. We were well-trained to know that when we put on the apron, certain things were expected: great customer service (above everything else), intimate knowledge of products, salesmanship, etc. I knew that the company's mission was to help the do-it-yourselfer complete his/her project as quickly, easily, and affordably as possible. My job was to facilitate that. The Home Depot wants its customers to associate its brand with "the folks who know how to help me get my projects done." When I saw a customer come in and thought to myself "This person has a project to finish; I'm here to help him" it made me a much more effective employee.

Organizational Leaders
What does your brand stand for? What is its meaning? You need to know these things. More importantly, you need to communicate (and over-communicate) them to your team. It will help set expectations. It will give them a sense of purpose. It will answer a lot of questions and clear up confusion in many cases. If you don't know what your organization is specifically about, then neither does your team. Chances are you have in your mind what you want partakers of your organization to experience. Write that down. Flesh it out. Clean it up. And communicate, communicate, communicate that to your team.

Workers (Employees, Volunteers, etc.)
Find out what your organization is all about. What does its brand stand for? What do they want people to experience? If you haven't been told, you need to ask for at least these two reasons. First, odds are your boss hasn't clarified these things yet, so being asked will help him/her to do that. Second, without clear purpose, there are inevitably unclear expectations about your job. Those will become clear, usually around review & raise time. And it will be your fault for not living up to them.

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I'm A Substitute Teacher And Jesus Doppelganger

2011-05-27T16:56:00.000-05:00

I got called in for an afternoon substitute teaching job today at a local middle school (8th grade). Half-day jobs are rare enough, but one on the second-to-last day of school is really unheard of. So I knew the day would be different, if not downright strange. It did not disappoint.

I don't see it, personally.

As the students piled in, one girl whispered to her friend, "He looks like Jesus." I quickly replied with, "Yes, I do. And I act like him, too." She was a bit chagrined that I had heard her, but got a good kick out of it. You can imagine how quickly the "Hey, our sub looks like Jesus!" joke infected the classroom. It provided fodder for the rest of the hour.

But it didn't just stay "Hey, he looks like Jesus." It pretty quickly turned into them just calling me Jesus, instead of the standard "Mr. Young" I usually use. Not only did they call me Jesus, but they started saying things like "Do you love us all, Jesus?" and "Jesus is the coolest teacher ever." And since it's almost the end of school, they had quite a bit of free time. While they were drawing on the white board they wrote things like "Jesus is awesome," and "Jesus was here."

Actual photo of the white board.

Halfway through the afternoon, they switched classes. We were at the end of a hall, in a four-room block. During the passing period, the "Hey, he looks like Jesus. Call him Jesus" bit filtered through the entire 8th-grade hallway. So the second class picked up on it as well. For the last hour of school, they were just playing games and the whole time the Jesus talked continued.

So for 3 solid hours this afternoon, a bunch of 8th graders thought about and talked about how awesome Jesus is and how he loves everyone. What a way to start summer vacation.

What's In A Name | Part 2

2011-05-26T16:57:00.000-05:00

[This is part of the What's In A Name series. Read the entire series here.]

In Part 1 of this series, I talked about how last names started as descriptors of a person's way of life. I also asked you to reflect on what your last name originally meant, what your ancestors were like, and how your name is perceived in your community now. If you haven't already, you should go read that post now, before reading this one.

Young
My last name is Young. Originally, someone in my lineage was a younger, probably male sibling. He was mostly likely referred to as "So-and-so the Younger". Over time, this shortened to Young. On the vast canvas of last names, Young is pretty common; and the meaning, obviously, is not that exciting.

As far as I know, I am not related to Neil Young.

Unfortunately, we don't know much about the Young side of the family past a couple of generations ago. I never go to know my paternal grandfather and, from what I've heard, I didn't miss much. So the meaning of Young for me gains much of its substance from my dad and his brother. My mental image of "Young" consists of phrases beginning with "hard": hard-working, hard-headed, and (increasingly) hard-of-hearing. But I also think of words like stable, faithful, honest, trustworthy, and go-to person. That's my own perception. I'm sure others would give different descriptions.

Remember, you're a __________.
When I was a teenager, my dad used to say to me before I left the house "Remember, you're a Young." I never had the heart to tell him, but I had no idea what he meant by that. (I guess the cat's out of the bag now). "Thanks. I was a little unsure about my last name there, old man." The interesting thing is that while I didn't always know what "being a Young" looked like, I did know what it didn't look like. And when I strayed, there was that realization deep inside that I was, in fact, not behaving like a Young.

I'm still not convinced he was entirely sure what he meant by that either. But the more I reflect on it, the more I see the wisdom in it. It wasn't the name that was important. It was what that name stood for. When I left the house, I was a representative of our name and our family. People expect certain things from a Young - honesty, hard work, faithfulness, etc. When I left the house, I would impact people's perception of the Young name, for better or for worse. It didn't matter what Young originally meant. It didn't matter what my uncle or my dad made it mean. What mattered was what I would make it mean.

Did you catch that? You are constantly - positively or negatively - defining what your family name means.

I don't know about you, but this seems like a really big deal to me. I want people to think well of me and my family. But more importantly, when my kids are teenagers, I want to be able to say to them "Remember, you're a Young" and have it actually mean something to them, even if they don't know exactly what. I want them to have a last name they can be proud of. One they want to emulate. One that describes their way of life. One that serves as an inner compass, letting them know when they've strayed.

So here's your homework for this part:
1. Think about what values you want associated with your name. What do you want people to think of when they think of you and your family? How do you want your kids to act when they're teenagers?
2. Start exhibiting those values.

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What My Dog Is Teaching Me About Being Missional

2011-05-20T21:37:00.000-05:00

This is my dog, Beau. He's a great dog. Handsome. Loving. Obedient (for the most part). Fantastic with kids. He's been everything my family wanted in a dog. He's gone running with me. He's cuddled with our kids in the floor. He's a huge attraction when we take him to the park with us. We've loved him and he's been a blast to have as part of our family.

But over the past couple of months, my wife and I have come to the decision that he's just too much. With four kids now and all the other responsibilities of life, we just don't have the time to spend with him like he needs. It'd also be good for him to have a doggy brother or sister, but we aren't up for that. And he's a big dog who needs room to run and roam. Living in the suburbs, we don't have that. He stays on a run in our backyard. So for all of those reasons, we've decided to give him away.

Through kind of a quirky series of events, we've been connected with a wonderful lady out in Colorado Springs who wants to take Beau. He'll be moving there in a couple of weeks. This lady is single and loves dogs. She already has one (who ironically has his own column in the lady's magazine), so Beau will have a friend. She walks her dog every day and takes him to the dog park, too. I know she is going to take great care of Beau. I am excited for him.

Still, there has been this sort of strange feeling about the whole transaction in the back of my mind. I haven't felt completely comfortable about the whole thing. Last night it dawned on me what it is: I have a hard time imagining what Beau's life will look like in Colorado.

Where will he sleep? Where will he run? At what time of day will he eat? What if he and his new canine sibling don't get along? Will he adjust to the thinner mountain air? Will he be safe? Will he miss my family? There is a little patio couch in our yard he likes to lie on. Where will he lay down at his new house? These are all questions that will be answered in time, I know, through Facebook communication and pictures that we will get to see. But they are, nonetheless, questions that make me nervous about giving Beau away.

Missional expert Ralph Winter once issued a challenge to the Church in the U.S.:

Are we in America, for example, prepared for the fact that most non-Christians yet to be won to Christ (even in our country) will not fit readily into the kinds of churches we now have? The bulk of American churches in the North are middle-class, and the blue-collar worker won’t go near them. Evangelistic crusades may attract thousands to big auditoriums and win people in their homes through television, but a large proportion of the newly converted, unless already familiar with the church, may drift away simply because there is no church where they will feel at home. Present-day American Christians can wait forever in their cozy, middle-class pews for the world to come to Christ and join them. But unless they adopt E-2 methods and both go out after these people and help them found their own churches, evangelism in America will face, and is already facing, steadily diminishing returns. You may say that there are still plenty of people who don’t go to church who are of the same cultural background as those in church. This is true. But there are many, many more people of differing cultural backgrounds who, even if they were to become fervent Christians, would not feel comfortable in existing churches. (Read the full address here)

I get excited at Winter's suggestion. Churches of all shapes and sizes. The gospel reaching new cultures right in our own backyard. New believers free to express themselves in ways not foreign to them. The possibilities thrill me. But yet, the idea makes me squirm a bit. I have to admit, just like my feelings about Beau's new life, I have a hard time imagining what the gospel life will look like in other cultures. Churches that look and feel different? When and where will they get together? What will they do? What songs will they sing? How will they worship? In what ways will they express their faith?

Inherently, I know that the gospel works in all cultures. It's a beautiful gospel. I know it will succeed. Flourish, even. Thrive. But what will it look like? What will it change in a person? What will the church look and act like at the skate park where we do outreach? What about the junior college? The goth crowd? Single parents? Recovering addicts? What will an indigenous church look like in these cultures? And more importantly, does my lack of vision ever make me uneasy about giving the gospel away to them?

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What's In A Name | Part 1

2011-05-20T16:19:00.003-05:00

I live in middle America. It's a blue-collar town built on the sweat and values of both immigrants and good-ol' boys. Most have hard-sounding eastern European names like Hagnauer, Hostmeyer, and Grote. There are also Italians and folks from down in the southern states in the mix, too.

To meet a man over 50 is to meet a man who has spent at least part of his life working in the steel mill. Men drive pick-up trucks and little-league is still a big deal. It's a town where Starbuck's went out of business, but taverns flourish. People eat bacon and eggs and black coffee for breakfast, not muffins and a mocha.

And in my brief time in this small town, I've discovered something interesting: A name still means something.

What is interesting to me is that it's not the name that's so important, it's what the name stands for. What the name conveys. There's no greater intrinsic value in, say, the name Grote than there is in Hostmeyer. It's what comes to mind when one hears those names that is important. Let me give a few examples from my town.

Ravanelli - This name is instantly associated with a small restaurant chain known for its fantastic fried chicken and large Italian entrées. "Ravanelli" means "good food".

Stamps - As in Stamps Sewer & Drain Co. They've been in business since 1896, family owned the entire time. They have built a reputation of trustworthy, dependable work. When the city needs work done, it calls the Stamps family. "Stamps" means "a sewer guy you can trust".

Hagnauer - Local politics. We have one as mayor and one who is well-known in the education system. "Hagnuer" means "city business".

Teetor - This might not be well-known around the community, but if you've known a Teetor for long, you know what they're about: hard work and family. It just oozes out of them. "Teetor" means "hard work" and "lasting legacy".

This idea holds true on a national and international level, too. Names like Bush, Daley, and Roosevelt bring to mind certain values and characteristics associated with them. Likewise with Hitler, Mandela, and Ghandi.

A name is much more than just a title. It's a descriptor. This is how last names got started, anyway. Suppose I lived centuries ago and worked as a metal smith. I might have been called "Tim the ironsmith" or something similar. Eventually, this shortened to just "Tim the smith"; and later on just "Tim Smith". Or if I was a valiant warrior, I might have been "Tim the Lionhearted" (hey, a guy can dream), which could eventually shorten to just "Tim Lion" or something. You get the idea. A name is a descriptor. (To find out what yours means, go here).

Working with metals. Fighting bravely. It could have been anything. A name really described the dominant way a person lived.

Before we move on to Part 2, I want you to do a few things:
1. Think about some well-known names in your community and what they stand for.
2. Find out what your last name means (again, do that here) and think about what your ancestors might have been like. Maybe you already know some of that story; reflect on that for a while. (I'd love to hear some of this info in the comments!)
3. Think about how people today view your family name. What do you think they think of when they think of your surname? What values and characteristics come to their mind? Maybe ask a few people. What do you want people to think of when they think of your name?

Doing these things will make the rest of this series more meaningful for you. So you really should do them.

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Stop Living In The Past

2011-05-19T13:02:00.001-05:00

Don't be dead.
It's not cool.

A lot of people are stuck living in the past. And I'm not just talking about fashion and hairstyles. I mean, literally, they are stuck in the past. I hear a lot of people dwelling on things like...

That great boyfriend/girlfriend they had in high school or college.
When they used to be physically in shape.
When "the world was a simpler place."
The revival from 20 years ago that changed their life and their church forever.
When their spouse used to love them and show it.
When their kids weren't hell-ians.
When money wasn't so tight.
When kids had respect for authority.
When the government wasn't crooked and the people weren't overtaxed.
When people accepted truth for truth.
When they were the leader of the pack.
When America was a Christian nation.

For the love of Pete: Stop. The Freaking. Madness, People!

I know that the past happened. It was real, and for some, glorious. I get that. But why live life dwelling on the "splendor in the grass," or the "glory in the flower"? After all, nothing can bring them back, you know. (read this poem if that doesn't make sense).

I'll celebrate with you what glory has existed; but my main concern is What is happening in your life now that we can celebrate?

You used to have a great marriage? Awesome. How is it now? And what can you do to make it better?
You used to be in shape? Fantastic. What kind of shape are you in now? And what can you do to improve?
You used to be in a good place spiritually? Sweet. What about now? And what can you do to get closer to God?
Your life used to be so much simpler and easy? Okay. What are doing to embrace today and your life right now?

See, the reason why people get stuck in the past is because in some way, they perceive the past to be better than where they are now. Instead of lamenting about how great things were and how bad they are now, why not figure out what caused the change and then fix it?

Assignment:
What part of your life seems to suck right now, but was good in times past?
What changed to make it suck?
What can you do to reverse that and improve?
Now start doing it.

And stop living in the past.

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Things Not Found In The Bible

2011-05-16T22:36:00.002-05:00

Matthew 5:10 "Blessed are those ~~who are persecuted~~ whose life is nice and easy because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

John 16:13 "But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, ~~he will guide you~~ I'm still going to need you pastors, teachers, and well-studied laymen to guide everybody into all truth."

Matthew 5:28-30 "But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully ~~has already committed adultery with her in his heart~~ is just struggling with the same thing everyone else is. If your right eye causes you to sin, ~~gouge it out and throw it away~~ I wouldn't worry about it too much; it happens to all of us. It is better for you to ~~lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell~~ maintain appearances than be labeled one of those "Jesus Freaks". And if your right hand causes you to sin, ~~cut it off and throw it away~~ again, I wouldn't think too much about it; it's sin working in you, anyway. ~~It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell~~ Holiness is old-fashioned. And besides, I'm not even sure hell is real anymore."

Luke 16:29-31 "Abraham replied [to Lazarus], 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.' 'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.' He said to him, '~~If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead~~ You know, you're right. That stuff is obsolete; and those stories were just allegory, anyway. I don't know what to tell you.'"

Matthew 7:13-14 "Enter through the ~~narrow~~ wide gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to ~~destruction~~ life, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to ~~life~~ destruction, and only a few find it."

John 14:6 "Jesus answered, "I am the way and truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Unless that offends you, or doesn't jive with what you believe."

Acts 1:8 "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses ~~in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth~~ to all those who come to your Sunday morning worship event."

Matthew 19:23 "Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'I tell you the truth, it is ~~hard~~ just as easy for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven as everyone else."

Luke 19:5 "When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, 'Zaccheus, come down immediately. I ~~must stay at your house today~~ would love to minister to you, but we both know Christians don't hang out with your type.'"

Luke 12:51 "Do you think I came to bring ~~peace~~ division on earth? No, I tell you, but ~~division~~ peace."

Acts 2:42-47 "They devoted themselves to ~~the apostles' teaching~~ committee meetings and ~~to the fellowship~~ programs, to the ~~breaking of bread~~ writing of budgets and to talking about prayer. Everyone was filled with ~~awe~~ pride, and many ~~wonders and miraculous signs~~ mundane, administrative tasks were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and ~~had everything in common~~ bickered incessantly. ~~Selling their possessions and goods~~ Padding their IRAs and other retirement accounts, ~~they gave to anyone as he had need~~ they stored up as much for themselves as they could. ~~Every day they continued to meet together~~ They were faithful to gather together on Sundays in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising ~~God~~ each other and enjoying ~~the favor of~~ their separation from all the people. And ~~the Lord added to their number daily~~ the number of those who were being saved decreased daily."

Matthew 28:19 "Therefore go stay and ~~make~~ talk about making disciples of all nations..."

Feel free to add some of your own in the comments!

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My Theory On How People Make Decisions

2011-05-09T22:01:00.003-05:00

Most people, in any given scenario, take the easiest path.

Now, "easy" is a pretty subjective descriptor. So I have to qualify that statement by saying that I mean "easiest" in the sense of "easiest from the perspective of the individual."

Courtesy 123rf.com

I have held to this theory for some time now and increasingly believe in its validity. It dawned on me again today as I was considering whether or not to call AT&T about my shoddy internet connection. It goes out constantly. On one hand, having an unreliable and painfully-slow-when-it-works internet connection is a nuisance. On the other hand, doing something about it requires calling an 800 customer service line. So far, I've taken what I believe is the easiest path - live with crappy internet.

But I see this theory playing out all around me - in my own life and in the lives of others. Here are just a few examples:

Work. People who stay in jobs they hate do so because it's easier than taking a risk to go out and do something they would love. Those who chase their dreams do so because it's easier to flirt with poverty than be stuck in a crap job.

Health and Fitness. Those who exercise and stay fit do so because it's easier for them than being fat and out of shape. But many people stay fat and out of shape because it's easier than working out consistently and having good eating habits.

Marriage. People who work at having great marriages do so because the hard work of having and maintaining a marriage is easier for them than living in a bad one. Then there are people who just suffer through marriage because it's easier for them than putting in the hard work of marriage.

Spirituality. People who do what look like crazy things in obedience to God really do so because it's easier for them to do something crazy than to be disobedient and letting God down. And for others, saving face in front of peers is easier than obedience.

All of these areas are made of daily decisions, though. Every day you make decisions about your work. Every day you make decisions about your health and fitness. Every day you make decisions about your marriage. Every day you make decisions about your spirituality. And every time, I think you choose the path that's easiest for you, even if it seems hard to others.

Am I off my rocker here? Do you agree or disagree? If you agree, in what other areas do you see this theory at work? If you disagree, do explain.

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Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-08T08:37:00.001-05:00

How To Cut Your Church's Building Expenses... And Bless Your Community, Too

2011-05-06T14:31:00.001-05:00

Share.

Think about it. Most church buildings sit empty most of the week. That's because most churches run essentially the same schedule:

   Sunday
   9:30-10:30 Sunday School
   10:45-12:00 Worship Service

   Wednesday
   7:00-8:30 Midweek Activities for all ages

There's usually a few meetings scattered in there through the week as well.

Buildings are empty more than 90% of the week.
There are 168 hours in a week. The basic schedule I give above consists of about 10 hours of activity, and that's stretching it long (I'm not counting staff office hours; when it comes right down to it, they can work at home). That means the church building is being used only about 6% of the time. Now, you could argue the numbers one way or the other. Your church might be a little more active. I understand that. But I'd be willing to bet it isn't using its building more than 84 hours a week (50% of hours in a week), or even close to that. So why do churches pay thousands of dollars every month on mortgages/rent and upkeep of buildings that sit empty most of the time? It's asinine to spend tens of thousands of dollars every year for something that gets used so little. You wouldn't take out a mortgage on a house and then spend only 10 hours a week there, would you? Of course not.

Sharing facilities with another church would drastically reduce building expenses.
So what if half of the churches in your town sold off their buildings and started sharing facilities with another church? I see three things that would happen immediately.

1. Christians would have to learn how to get along with each other. Want to change carpet color? Or put a projector screen in the sanctuary? Now you have two congregations who get to argue over it instead of just one. I actually see this as a good thing. Maybe both will want to save a little face and they'll be more willing to compromise than when they only get to argue internally. Maybe.

2. Schedules would have to change. I know, it's scary. But just imagine it. Worship services on Saturdays. Or Mondays. Or Fridays. In the mornings. In the afternoons. In the middle of the night?! I know I'm leaning toward blasphemy here (that's sarcasm for those who don't know me), but sharing buildings would force churches to break out of the old mold of when church events happen. They'd be forced to do things at untraditional times. And who knows, they might accidentally minister to someone who couldn't make it on a Sunday morning before.

3. Resources would stop being wasted. How much is your church's monthly building payment? $1500? $2500? More? Now how much are the utilities and other expenses? Another $500? $1000? More? Imagine having half of that back to be able to actually bless your community with.

It sounds good in theory, but do you think it could really work?

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Why I'm Not Reading Your Blog

2011-05-05T14:41:00.000-05:00

For the record, I don't claim to be any better than most at these things...

1. Your content is uninteresting. I'm sorry, but your blog is just plain boring.
2. Your post titles don't entice me. If you post a link and title on Twitter or Facebook and it doesn't catch my attention, I'm not making the effort to click over and read it. Take a few extra minutes and come up with a strong, catchy title.
3. You say the same thing over and over and over and over and over, day after day after day after day, post after post after post... Come up with a new hobby horse, dude.
4. Your posts are too long. And your writing isn't creative enough to keep my attention through it. And no, I won't even take the time to give you a TLDR comment. I know you have a lot to say, but break it up into a series or something. That might actually keep my attention. It'll also give you more posts to write, help you focus your thoughts better, and probably get you more traffic via comeback readers and people clicking through the series.
5. The page is distracting and hard to follow. Less is more. Less is more.
6. You obviously don't know what you're talking about. Blog about the things you do know about. There has to be something.
7. In opinion pieces, you dictate instead of discuss. Don't argue with me, you close-minded jerk.
8. I don't even know you have a blog. Seriously. Until you create a strong community of followers on your blog who will share your posts all over the internet, you have to do that sharing yourself. If you don't tell me you're there, I'll never find you. (Note: I am TERRIBLE about this).
9. Your content is pointless. Pointless content only makes a good blog if that content is funny. No, it pretty much needs to be hilarious to make it worthwhile. And yours isn't. It's just dumb.
10. You don't engage with me. I've actually seen blogs with a "Share" button, but no commenting thread. Really?! You expect me to share your stuff with people when you won't even discuss it with me? Fat chance. Also, if I leave you a comment obviously looking for discussion, I expect some. Don't ignore it. It's rude. And if you see I've shared your stuff via Facebook and/or Twitter, a "thanks" would be nice. Not expected, but nice.
11. You don't proofread. And it's driving me absolutely insane! Words have meaning. Using the wrong word means you've given the wrong meaning. You are a writer, for crying out loud. As an artist, words are your craft. Use them well. (And learn to punctuate correctly, too).
12. Too many videos. This might have more to do with my shoddy internet connection that takes forever to load videos than it does your blogging abilities...
13. You link-bait way too much. A blog post shouldn't be a list of your old post titles. A few is fine, but don't go overboard with it.
14. Your blog reads like a diary. And we all now how awkward it can get when someone else reads a person's diary.
15. You mention your book(s) too much. I know you've written a book. I know you have another one coming out soon. You don't have to tell me in every other sentence of every post. Also, if I want to read your book(s), I'll go buy them. So don't simply make your blog a rehash of what's in your books.

And now that I've insulted you, I suspect you'll stop reading my blog. If you haven't already, that is.

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On The Death Of Osama Bin Laden - A Christian's Response

2011-05-03T09:43:00.001-05:00

My wife and I were sitting in the spare room waiting for the surprise Presidential address to the nation when we heard the news. Osama Bin Laden is dead. It was one of those moments that had the scent of history on it. One of those events that rightly wears the label "world-changing." Instinctively, I knew I'd remember that exact moment for the rest of my life.

A sense of deep satisfaction came over me. A man had paid for his crimes. Justice was served. And in some small way, there was vengeance for the evil things Bin Laden had done both here in the United States and around the world.

My wife's reaction was different. She caught me off guard when she said, "I feel sick to my stomach. I mean, I know he's an evil guy, but are we really celebrating the killing of another person?"

I kind of wrote off her response, thinking How can anyone not be happy this guy is gone?!

The Conflict
As the blogosphere exploded, it became clear that my wife and I weren't the only Christians split by these two responses. On one hand, there was rejoicing. On the other, a questioning of that rejoicing. Christians began throwing out Bible verses like candy at a parade, each verse intended to dictate how we should respond. Or better, how God responds to things like this. Christianity Today put out a list of the most common Bible verses that started to show up on Twitter. That article - 'Do Not Gloat' vs. 'Joy to the Righteous' - pretty well describes the discussion.

The pacifists say that killing is never the answer. And in so doing, they spit on the graves of those murdered and sign the death warrant for those Bin Laden would have killed in the future. Likewise, there are those who clearly lavish in his demise from a position of hate and unrighteous, un-Godly anger.

The pacifists say that killing in any form is foreign to the God of the Bible. But in so doing, they ignore vast portions of that Bible. And those who out of hate and anger relish in a man's death do so in direct opposition to love.

It seems my wife and I are experiencing the same tension as others. The more I've thought about it, though, the more I understand where the conflict is. If all of those Bible verses being thrown out there did any good (and that's a huge 'if'), it was to show that God, in the demise of evil, is both satisfied and saddened. He is satisfied in justice done. He is saddened that a person whom He loves has rejected Him, and this for the final time.

My hope is that Christians embrace any response that lies somewhere between those two ends. Personally, I don't feel much of the sad/we-shouldn't-be-happy-about-this side of things. But, I think that those in tune with the heart of God realize that there is, in fact, room for both responses. My encouragement is simply that we recognize the object of our reactions.

What do we celebrate? And what do we grieve?

We don't celebrate the killing of a man. But we do celebrate justice. We celebrate the fact that a viscous killer will kill no more. We celebrate that the head of an organization of terror has been destroyed. We celebrate that the world is a somewhat safer place. We celebrate the lives saved.

We don't grieve the removal of an evil killer from the world. But we do grieve the loss of a life for whom Christ died. We grieve the sinfulness of mankind. We grieve the damning effects of sin on this one individual. We grieve that Satan has claimed one more. We grieve an unredeemed soul. We grieve another who will spend an eternity in hell. We grieve that it had to come to this. That it ever has to come to this.

But it did have to come to this. And I think everyone, if they are honest with themselves, knows in their heart of hearts that this is true - no matter how uncomfortable they might be with it.

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5 Ways Writer's Block Rears Its Ugly Head

2011-04-29T17:46:00.002-05:00

Some days I'm just lazy and don't want to spend the time writing. Other days I simply can't write. So how do I know the difference between when I'm just being lazy and when I'm really experiencing writer's block? Here are 5 things that, when they happen, I know it's writer's block and not just laziness. Interestingly, they all basically boil down to deciding on the topic for a post. Once I have a topic in hand, I can usually knock out a post fairly quickly.

1. Everything is important. As in, Gosh, there are so many good things to write about. I feel passionate about all of them. I just can't narrow it down. This is kind of like how I feel looking at the menu at Taco Bell. Do I go for the Nachos Bell-Grande? I know it's awesome. But so is the Grilled Stuffed Burrito. And the 5-Layer Burrito. But the Grande Meal (5 soft tacos and 5 bean burritos, thank you very much) is such a bargain! I have noticed, though, that I never get so overwhelmed at Taco Bell that I walk out without ordering.

2. Nothing is important. As in, This isn't an idea list; it's a dung pile! Nobody cares about any of this crap. This is kind of like looking in a dumpster for something to eat. I could have a half-eaten turkey sub, leftover spaghetti with...are those meatballs?, or a dirty diaper. What the heck, they're all about the same, anyway.

3. I know nothing about anything. As in, Well, these are all pretty good ideas, but I don't know enough about any of them to actually write anything worthwhile. This is like how I feel when I'm scanning the menu at a really nice Italian restaurant. I could go with the Gnocchi al Cinghiale, or maybe the Pesce del Giorno, or even the Vitello Marsala. I'm sure they're great options. But I don't speak Italian, and I really don't want to order and then find myself wrist-deep in a plate of some broiled fish, asparagus, and mint salad.

4. I've written about that topic too much. As in, I feel like I've written about the plight of midget donkey-crap scoopers in the mountains of South America every day for the past week. Surely my readers are tired of hearing about it. Remember when Andy and Barney faked liking Aunt Bea's homemade pickles that actually tasted like kerosene so she made them a double batch - 16 quarts - and they ended up having to eat pickles with every meal and snack for a week? That's this one.

5. I don't want to waste a great idea. As in, Wow, that's a great idea for a post. But I'll only get one chance at it and I don't want to waste it. I better keep thinking about this one until I get it perfect. This is my wife and I not wanting to use our gift card to Olive Garden while the kids are with us. Instead, we'll save it for the perfect romantic evening "somewhere in the future."

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Deliver Me From My Own Success

2011-04-27T15:39:00.001-05:00

At least that's what I think God is trying to do.

I love success. I hate failure. No results forces me to get creative until I see some. Tangible results then drive me to work even harder.

But in the ministry, it's not my success that I want. It's not my name I wish to have glorified. It's His. In order for that to happen, though, I'm finding that I have to die to my own success.

I have to be okay with looking like a failure. I have to be okay sticking with "things of small beginnings." I'll have to do things that look ridiculous. I'll have to pass up on opportunities that look like those of the "once in a lifetime" variety.

If that's what it takes for You to be glorified, God, then deliver me from my own success.

Review of time4learning.com

2011-04-26T12:51:00.001-05:00

We were given a 30 day trial from http://www.Time4Learning.com. An online interactive curriculum for home use, PreK-8th Grade. They also have online writing tutorials for high, middle, and elementary school students and a forum to chat with parents online about kids, education, and parenting. We only used the curriculum for Kindergarten and preschool. The kids LOVED it most of the time. Our daughter got frustrated at times because you cannot skip over parts of lessons that she was already good at. For example there is a section in a lesson where she had to go through and count objects but couldn’t move on until she had finished them all. While this would be great practice for some, others find it quite boring. Overall I think time4learning is a good program but one, we probably won’t buy a subscription for. I am grateful for the free trial and feel it would be a trustworthy company if we ever sought a subscription service like this.

Not Guilty

2011-04-22T16:04:00.001-05:00

Pilate washed his hands
Turned around and said,
"Surely this man's not guilty."

But Barrabas he freed
While the crowd still screamed,
"Crucify the One 'not guilty'!"

Whips quickly cracked
Across His innocent back.
The soldiers knew He was not guilty.

Still, His flesh was torn
And His blood was poured
But the man'd been found not guilty.

He then carried His cross;
It was His final walk.
He knew He was not guilty.

Nails pierced the hands
And the feet as well
Of this One who was not guilty.

His body now crushed,
And offered gall on a sponge,
He lamented "I'm not guilty."

Cries rose as He asked,
"Father, why Me have You forsaken?
Surely I'm not guilty!"

With that He breathed His last
A lifeless body on the mast.
The body of One now guilty.

With His blood now spilled
A New Covenant fulfilled
Now I'm the one not guilty.

Oh, Sheep!

2011-04-15T07:35:00.001-05:00

Courtesy cafepress.com

That's what my kids started saying the other day while they were playing. Oh, sheep! Oh, sheep! Literally, they were just running around the house screaming this little phrase.

I finally had to ask. Why are you guys saying "Oh, sheep!"?

Because that's what the skaters say when they fall off their skateboards. (See Skater Outreach: Day 1)

And so began our first "Don't say everything you hear" conversation. As you have probably guessed, skaters don't shout Oh, sheep! when they are frustrated from a fall. They say Oh, ... well, you get the idea. Another choice phrase is also common. One that lead my kids to believe the skaters were calling God "Dad." But alas, God-Dad! isn't something they say, either.

Now, I know that some think we are crazy for letting our kids be around all the swearing at the skate park. You don't want them learning that kind of language! It's your responsibility to protect their innocence! To be sure, my wife and I have discussed it and we really do feel like it's stretching our boundaries as parents and as Christians (and as Christian parents...).

But the truth is, our kids are young. They are impressionable. And at this young, impressionable age, they are watching us and discovering what our faith really looks like. So when we explain to them that the foul language isn't something that is honoring to God, we have two options:

1. Retreat back to safety, leave the skaters in their sin, and show our kids that Christians shouldn't hang around lost people.
2. Take the light to the darkness, join with our kids in begging for lost souls, and let them see the power of the Gospel in real life.

I don't know about you, but I'll take option 2 any day of the week. Even if it means my kids pick up a few interesting words and phrases.

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4 Characteristics Of A Leader

2011-04-13T14:09:00.001-05:00

By no stretch of the imagination do I claim to be an expert on leadership. So I write this post humbly, drawing from what I've noticed in my own life as I have influenced people and from what I notice about others whom I gladly follow.

courtesy ubalt.edu

1. An insatiable thirst for learning. Leaders read. And study. And are critical thinkers. They stretch the limits and spawn new and innovative ideas. They are consumers of information - both theoretical and empirical. The leaders I know feel empty and unsatisfied if they aren't constantly gleaning new ideas and expanding their mind.

2. A willingness to try new things. All of that learning inevitably leads them to try to new things. Inherent in this willingness is a willingness to fail, to die. It might not work, they say; But just imagine the results if it does! Often, people will think leaders are crazy or wasting their time and resources. But, it is exactly this pioneer spirit that draws followers to them.

3. Humility. When I hear someone talk about how wonderful they are (in whatever capacity), I almost immediately write them off. But humility is powerful and enticing. Leaders are confident in their abilities, but do not gloat in themselves. They think highly of themselves, but not too highly. They know they can succeed, but also know they can (and in many cases have) fail.

OK, so leaders don't actually put
people in catapults.

4. Working for the success of others. Leaders want those whom they are mentoring to excel, even beyond what they have achieved. They recognize that they will only go so far. So they pour into another person, hoping s/he might take what is learned and use it as a catapult to reach new heights. And when they do, the leader stands in the shadows, smiling and applauding.

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Go! St. Louis Half-Marathon

2011-04-12T10:25:00.001-05:00

This past Sunday, I ran the Go! St. Louis Half-Marathon. As I shared a while back over at the Not Celebrity Fit Club, one of my fitness goals this year was to run this half-marathon in under 2 hours. Sunday was not my day, but I still want to run one in that time this year. Here's how the whole race went sour:

Hills. We had anticipated the course being hilly - it is St. Louis, after all - but not quite as hilly as it actually was. My Garmin Forerunner 305 measured a total ascent of 1917 feet over the course of the race. That much ascent over 13.1 miles averages out to about a 2.8 degree incline. That's crazy! This was my first time running this particular race, but I heard people afterwards talking about how much harder the course was than in the past. I was just plain unprepared for all the hills.

Heat. It was right at 70 when the race started. That is unseasonably warm for this area this time of year. The warmest weather I had run in during training was low 50s. Most of my training was in the snow. Because of the heat, the race directors actually ended up closing the course early for safety reasons. It wasn't that it was so awfully hot, just that most people hadn't trained in that warm of weather, and a body needs time to adjust to that. Personally, I could tell at about mile 3 that I wasn't going to keep the pace I wanted. I chose to play it safe and slow down so I could at least finish.

Lack of water. The heat made it so people were taking more water and Gatorade at the aid stations. By the time we middle-of-the-packers made it through, most stations were woefully low on supplies, and we had to stand around and wait for 15-30 seconds for a drink. I actually ended up getting dehydrated, which cause my calves to seize up at about mile 12.5. That had never happened to me before; I hope it never happens again.

My shoe. Once in training I had a problem with my right shoe. The sole came loose and got up on the back of my foot. Of course, this happened again about 12 steps into the race. I ended up having to step off to the side right at mile 1 to fix my shoe. That's the worst because you lose all pre-race excitement and energy. It's just something else to think about instead of running. I have since acquired a new pair of shoes.

One thing I've learned about running is that some days you're just going to have a bad run. I happened to have one on race day. My final time was 2:29:21. It sucks, but I'll keep training and I'll be out there again soon.

Oh, and I am a little ahead of schedule with another of my fitness goals - I want to run 750 miles this year. So far I'm at 320.5.

Cardinals To Save Money: Leaving Bats At Home

2011-04-07T08:38:00.001-05:00

In today's tight economy, even professional sports teams are looking for creative ways to cut costs. The St. Louis Cardinals have come up with perhaps the most interesting of all: they are leaving their bats in St. Louis.

The Cardinals, who sit at 2 and 4 and are 3.5 games back in the NL West, embark on a 10-game road stretch today.

"We'll be leaving our bats, batting helmets, all of our offensive gear, really, in St. Louis," said manager Tony LaRussa.

LaRussa cites the fact that the Cardinals have yet to use the equipment in their first six games of the season as the basis for the club's decision. The Cards haven't scored more than 3 runs in any game so far this season, leading them to a lackluster 2-4 record one week into the season.

"Look, we've had the bats at the park every game so far, but no one can really tell. We just feel like we'll be better served as an organization to save the money by not packing the stuff all over the country. It's a business decision, to be sure," LaRussa said during a post-game news conference after the Cards' 3-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday.

This is a developing story.

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6 Problem-Solving Tips Math Taught Me

2011-04-05T15:33:00.001-05:00

In my former life, I was a budding mathematician. Most people are freaked out by math; they think it's their mortal enemy, hell-bent on their demise. But really, math is just problem-solving. Sure, it involves letters and numbers and the occasional funny-looking symbol; but in principle, it's only problem-solving. And I've found that the same tips I used in solving math problems have helped me in other problem-solving situations as well (work, ministry, marriage, parenting, relationships, etc.) The truth is, problems occur everywhere. I hope you can take these problem-solving tips with you into your next one.

1. Problems that look easy often have the hardest solutions.
I once took a class that was in 75 minute sessions. In each class, we'd solve one equation. One. In seventy-five minutes. The equations looked tame at first glance. But once we got into them, there were sub-cases and subtleties we had to deal with that weren't obvious at first. Often, I find that things I think won't amount to anything end up being big, hairy deals. There are factors I didn't count on and underlying issues I didn't know would come into play. Things that look easy often end up being real stinkers.

2. Problems that look difficult often have the easiest solutions.
Think trigonometry. Or calculus. These things look like big ugly monsters on the surface. But the truth is that there are a couple of very simple things that happen inside those problems over and over. Their solutions are usually quick and quite simple. I find the things I worry about, those situations that I think are going to blow up in my face and ruin my life, usually don't amount to anything.

3. If you don't see a clear solution at first, re-state the problem.
When a set of cardinality three is added to the opposite of a set of cardinality 1, what is the sum? is the same as asking 3-1=? Obviously, one of those makes a lot more sense than the other. Most problems can be seen from a variety of perspectives. They can be asked in different ways. Your skill set and perspective might not match up with the way the problem is presented at first. Look at it in other ways until you can make sense of it.

4. Identify the constants first, then the variables.
Most people start flunking math when they hit Algebra. This is because in Algebra, there are two different entities in play - constants and variables. And most students fail because they have trouble deciding which is which. Once the constants and variables are identified as such (correctly), the rest is usually smooth sailing. When you're faced with a problem, remember that some things will always be the same and some things will be variable. Identify which is which before you start solving.

5. Decide what information is pertinent and what can be disregarded.
A lot of word problems will start with something like In 1998, a study was conducted... Usually, the 1998 catches the reader's eye because a) it's a number, and b) this is a math problem, so numbers are important. However, that 1998 most likely has nothing to do with the actual problem. This is actually a technique problem writers use to see how much understanding a student has on a topic. In regard to pertinent information, two things will kill you: 1) Trying to use information that has no bearing on the problem, and 2) Not using information that is important.

6. If necessary, don't be too proud to enlist help.
I once spent nearly half a semester in my prof's office asking for help. For some reason, I was really having a hard time grasping the content. He was very gracious and patient with me. Remember, there will always be people smarter and wiser than you; people who have been down the road you're on and have worked through the problems you're trying to solve. Never be too proud to ask for their help.

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A Letter From A Father

2011-04-01T11:53:00.001-05:00

To My Children, Whom I Love:
I've about had it with the lot of you. You are driving me absolutely bonkers. I don't understand why you just will not behave. You won't get along with one another. That ridiculousness you pulled this afternoon? I was about ready to slap every one of you right upside your little heads. How childish can you be? Throwing temper tantrums. Fussing at one another.

You're being foolish!
I am not!
I don't like your nonsense; it is unacceptable!
You're being that way, too!
No I'm not!
Yes you are!
Daddy! He's doing that thing that you don't like us to do! Will you tell him to stop?!
No Dad! She needs a spanking!

Ugh. I don't know how much more of this I can take. This is not how you were raised. If you'd behave how I've instructed you to, then you'd love each other. You wouldn't bicker all the time and call one another names. You wouldn't be kicking and screaming at each other. Arguing about who I love more? Or who I'm disappointed with? Give me a break.

And don't you remember how I taught you what Jesus said? "Love one another." You know that's what Jesus told you all to do. But, no. There are days when I'm so proud of you and think you are just awesome. But then there are days when I don't even recognize you as my children; it's as if you're stuck in a state of perpetual immaturity.

I just don't know what I'm going to do with you.

Sincerely,
Your Father in Heaven

3 Reasons Why I'm Excited About Opening Day

2011-03-31T15:28:00.001-05:00

Well, baseball season is officially underway. Typically, I'm not much of a baseball guy. Someone on twitter today put this "Ah, baseball. All the excitement of football packed into 162 games." That's pretty much how I feel about it, too. But this year is different. I'm actually kind of excited about the St. Louis Cardinals' 2011 campaign. Here's why:

1. It's something to do with my son. I'm always looking for stuff to do with my kids. My oldest son is at the age now where he'll be able to learn some of the rules, pick a favorite player, and enjoy watching the game with dad. I'm hoping to make an outing to Busch Stadium a big adventure on several occasions this year.

2. Albert Pujols. Sure it's fun to watch him hit a homerun. But I'm actually more interested in his contract controversy. A lot of people are saying he'll be a Cub next season. I dunno. What I do know is that his negotiations have all the feel of a watershed moment for MLB. The biggest contracts in history have been signed over the past year. Pujols', if he gets what he wants, would be the biggest ever. How his negotiations play out will I think serve as a gauge to see how far down the ridiculously-huge contract hole MLB will go.

3. Missional Strategy. If I was a missionary to Insert Obscure African Country here, I'd be sure to be a fan of their Insert Obscure African Sport here team. Why? Because sports unite people. (Think Cool Runnings). They are part of the culture. Nowhere is that truer than the greater St. Louis area (though I live in Illinois, I'm right across the Mississippi River from STL). I live in Cardinal nation. People literally associate 'Cardinal red' with the blood in their veins. To not follow this team would be like giving a big middle finger to the culture around me. Imagine the conversation. Hey Tim, did you see the Cards game last night? "No, I don't like baseball or the Cards." Blank, confused stare. I might as well tell him his wife is an ugly whore.

The Theology of Fight Club

2011-03-29T17:02:00.003-05:00

This is your friendly foul-language warning!

Admittedly, Tyler Durden's (Brad Pitt) views about God are out of whack (though not far from what a lot of not-yet Christians think...) with the truth. However, did you catch his thoughts on death?

"Without pain, without sacrifice, we would have nothing." Whoa. Of course, the line was in reference to the first monkeys shot into space. But it makes me think of Jesus himself. Without His pain, without His sacrifice, we would have nothing.

"First you have to know - not fear - know, that someday you're gonna die." Death should be part of our natural Christian life. Jesus said that anyone who clings to his life will lose it, but those who lose their life (i.e. "die") for His sake will find it. Paul said that for the Christian, death has no victory or sting. This is the hallmark of our faith. We embrace death. We even celebrate death because we know that in death true life and freedom is found. (Picking just one link for that one was tough because it's literally all over the New Testament!)

"It's only after we've lost everything that we're free to do anything." Gosh, if this doesn't communicate the heart of what it means to be a Christian, then I don't know what does. Only in complete surrender to Christ do we really find freedom in him. Only as we give up everything for his kingdom and his mission are we genuinely set free. (I'm not even going to try to put links here. There are just too many good ones...) Jesus has counted the cost of following Him and the cost is everything.