Caine’s Arcade from Nirvan Mullick on Vimeo.

This short film will make your day.  It did mine.

A little background from the director of the film:

Caine Monroy is a 9-year old boy who spent his summer vacation building an elaborate DIY cardboard arcade in his dad’s used auto parts store.
Caine dreamed of the day he would have lots of customers visit his arcade, and he spent months preparing everything, perfecting the game design, making displays for the prizes, designing elaborate security systems, and hand labeling paper-lunch-gift-bags. However, his dad’s autoparts store (located in an industrial part of East LA) gets almost zero foot traffic, so Caine’s chances of getting a customer were very small, and the few walk in customers that came through were always in too much of a hurry to get their auto part to play Caine’s Arcade. But Caine never gave up.

One day, by chance, I walked into Smart Parts Auto looking for a used door handle for my ’96 Corolla. What I found was an elaborate handmade cardboard arcade manned by a young boy who asked if I would like to play. I asked Caine how it worked and he told me that for $1 I could get two turns, or for $2 I could get a Fun Pass with 500 turns. I got the Fun Pass.

Hat tip to Gloria Cotten for putting me on to this little gem.

The difference between an admirer and a follower still remains, no matter where you are. The admirer never makes any true sacrifices. He always plays it safe. Though in words, phrases, songs, he is inexhaustible about how highly he prizes Christ, he renounces nothing, gives up nothing, will not reconstruct his life, will not be what he admires, and will not let his life express what it is he supposedly admires. Not so for the follower. No, no. The follower aspires with all his strength, with all his will to be what he admires. And then, remarkably enough, even though he is living amongst a “Christian people,” the same danger results for him as was once the case when it was dangerous to openly confess Christ. And because of the follower’s life, it will become evident who the admirers are, for the admirers will become agitated with him. Even that these words are presented as they are here will disturb many – but then they must likewise belong to the admirers.

Any Christian who has ever sinned knows the temptation to return to the Father like the Prodigal Son did – attempting to win back the Father’s affections by self-punishment, and penance-making.  But this is not the heart of God!  He runs out to meet you each and every time you sin.  There isn’t a hint of smugness or “I told you so”.  Just joy in the restoration.

What if Romans 8:1-11 is actually true?  What if there really is no condemnation for the Christian?  There is nothing to pay for, it’s been paid in full.

Christian, you are as loved and accepted by the Father as Jesus is.  Let that sink in.  Let it melt your self-willed desire to earn your place at His table of grace.  Bow your knee to His mercy.  Your sin has not been counted against you.  You have been pardoned.

When you sin, it doesn’t need to be paid for.  It’s already been paid for.  Repentance isn’t about “making things right”.  It’s about beholding Christ as your treasure all over again.

Repentance is about beholding the glorious, loving, merciful, and holy face of Jesus once again.  It’s about a merciful Father running out to meet you when you are still far off.  It’s about seeing yourself in the light of His grace instead of in the light of your worst moment.

This is not easy believism.  Sin matters.  One only has to look at the violence of the cross to see that sin has terrible consequences.  But, why are we so loath to admit that someone else has born the violence of our sin?  Why must we take the flog of condemnation and whip ourselves instead?

Lift up your head.  Your father is running out to meet you.

I love the prophetic vibe of this song, and much of Josh Garrels’ music.  It would be easy, I think, to write off this kind of lyric as young, post-modern angst.  But that’s too easy, and misses the heart of God.

“Lord, let your kingdom come as it is in heaven.”

Click through for the lyrics…

Zion & Babylon

Oh great mammon of form and function

Careless consumerist consumption

Dangerous dysfunction

Described as expensive taste

I’m a people disgraced

By what I claim I need

And what I want to waste

I take no account for nothing

If it’s not mine

It’s a misappropriation of funds

Protect my ninety percent with my guns

Whose side am I on?

Well who’s winning?

My kingdom’s built with the blood of slaves

Orphans, widows, and homeless graves

I sold their souls just to build my private mansion

Some people say that my time is coming

Kingdom come is the justice running

Down, down, down on me

I’m a poor child, I’m a lost son

I refuse to give my love to anyone,

Fight for the truth,

Or help the weaker ones

Because I love my Babylon

I am a slave, I was never free

I betrayed you for blood money

Oh I bought the world, all is vanity

Oh my Lord I’m your enemy

Come to me, and find your life

Children sing, Zion’s in sight

I said don’t trade your name for a serial number

Priceless lives were born from under graves

Where I found you

Say, my name ain’t yours and yours is not mine

Mine is the Lord, and yours is my child

That’s how it’s always been

Time to make a change

Leave your home

Give to the poor all that you own

Lose your life, so that you could find it

First will be last when the true world comes

Livin’ like a humble fool to overcome

The upside-down wisdom

Of a dying world

Zion’s not built with hands

And in this place God will dwell with man

Sick be healed and cripples stand

Sing Allelu

My kingdom’s built with the blood of my son

Selfless sacrifice for everyone

Faith, hope, love, and harmony

I said let this world know me by your love

By your love

Oh my child, daughters and sons

I made you in love to overcome

Free as a bird, my flowers in the sun

On your way to Mount Zion

All you slaves, be set free

Come on out child and come on home to me

We will dance, we will rejoice

If you can hear me then follow my voice

I have a dog that loves to run. When she runs full tilt she looks like she is hovering over the ground like a low flying plane. It’s why I call her Daisy the Wonder Dog. If I leave the gate open long enough, she will make a break for it. She really can’t help it, and I don’t blame her. When she’s running like that, she’s doing what she was made to do and it’s an absolute joy to watch.

I’ve begun a sermon series at the church called “What If”. I’m essentially asking a series of What If questions that amount to wondering what the Christian life would be like if the gospel were really true. I like the format of “what if” questions because they invite us to dream and imagine instead of making us feel like we aren’t up to snuff. I’m discovering that thinking this way is making room in my soul to believe God for this kind of life with Him.

This week’s What If was this:

“What if your dreams for your life were more than weak and misguided attempts to define yourself by something other than Jesus’ love and mercy towards you. What if your dreams for your life actually reflected the glory that God designed you for.

What if your dreams actually fit the “You” God made, instead of the “You” that has been shaped by brokenness and cynism?”

You see, I think that most people fall into one of three categories when it comes to the idea of dreaming big about your life:

1. People that don’t dream. They just exist day to day because that’s how you survive. They were either never encouraged to expect more, or life has beaten the dreamer out of them. They are constantly telling dreamers to be realistic, not because they are wise but because they are jaded. They develop a theology of suffering that does not include blessing and makes God into a petulant dictator that arbitrarily assigns destinies to people without the heart of the person ever entering into it.
2. People that are chasing dreams that have very little, if any, connection to the reality of life and what they are actually born to do. They don’t have any idea who they are so they are always chasing dreams that aren’t for them and that did not originate in the heart of God. They are constantly frustrated and disappointed because nothing ever works out.
3. People that make their dreams only about them. They exist for their own success and nothing, and no one, else. Life is all about the pursuit of personal fulfillment. The reality for this person is that achieving their dream is the worst thing that can happen to them because when they do, they always find themselves unhappy, unsatisfied, alone, and disoriented.

All three of these misses the mark completely. Each one, in its own way, settles for an idol instead of unearthing God’s dream for our lives. We allow the counterfeit dreams to become counterfeit gods. God leads us through disappointment so that the counterfeit dream can die. He topples idols, even when they are small. And in the ashes of what’s left behind He resurrects the person that He created us to be. He shows us the real dream, the true destiny, that He created us to put on display.

I’m well aware that many people that hear this who are going through something hard can get really mad. When you feel truly hopless it’s very hard to hear someone talk about hope. It’s far easier to just give in to cynicism and jadedness.

Hope hurts when it gets mixed with disappointment.

But, I think the best thing anyone can say to you in that moment is “DON’T YOU DARE QUIT. Don’t you dare.”

So don’t quit on what God made you to do. Persevere. Let the counterfeits die. And the minute you see that gate open, turn on the afterburners because you were made to run.

I’m coming across an awful lot of rumor mill alarmists that are sharing things on Facebook and Twitter without really understanding what they are sharing.  What this amounts to is gossip.  Facebook and Twitter make gossip easy.  You can do it with the click of one “Like” button.

My concern is that in the end, all of this RT’ing and Liking will only result in delaying the Scripture getting to these people groups that so desperately need it.

The above article is an abridged version of this one, which is longer but more detailed.  Please share these articles whenever, wherever, you can.

These stories have left me very concerned that the world is moving faster than many parents are prepared for.

If this has happened to you and your child, please know that Jesus can and will restore that child’s innocence when you pray! Talk with your child and work through all of their questions. Then pray with them, and for them, and you will be amazed at how easily Jesus can wipe their little soul clean for a new start. The last thing you should do is start down a self-accusational road that makes you feel condemned and keeps you from ministering effectively to your child.

So, I want to address this in as helpful way as I can. I don’t normally write blog posts that are this long or this detailed, but I really believe this is an important and timely issue. If you have young children, or have friends that do, please take the time to read through this and pass it on.

Don’t Feed the Monster that is Hunting Your Child’s Innocence

The porn industry is incomprehensibly big. The ease and anonymity of the internet allows us to consume pornography without any of the social consequences of former generations. The sex trade is a booming business and at the end of the day it exists because we want it to exist.

So, before we talk about keeping your kids safe, I want to give you a few resources that will help you keep your heart clean.

• If you need some info on how to deal with a porn problem Biblically, or if you are not convinced that pornography is a problem for the Christian life, read “Porn Again Christian”. You can read it online, or download it as a pdf. Really good stuff. It’s written primarily to men, but frankly, if you are a woman that struggles with this it will benefit you as well.
• FREE Accountability software, X3 Watch. It doesn’t filter your internet, just reports any and all suspect traffic from your computer to the email address of your choice. It’s like having your best friend, or spouse, looking at your screen all the time. I recommend this to people all the time – works great. It’s FREE too.
• Get support, help, encouragement, information and more at the awesome web ministry xxxchurch.com
• Confess your problem to a trusted friend or spouse. Maintain an open relationship with that person so that you have a place to go when you stumble. It gets easier with time as your heart changes, I promise! Don’t let shame and fear keep you from freedom.

Do It Now, Don’t Wait

The first thing that has to change is that you have to confront any naivete you have, and most of us have it to some degree. Understand this: the porn industry, doesn’t care that your child is too young for sex. The younger the better. Stop assuming that your child will not encounter hard core and disturbing pornography unless they go looking for it. This has not been true for a very long time.

This is not about you not trusting your little ones. It’s about you not trusting the porn industry. Your children may complain, and you may have to get into some tricky conversations. You will have to decide what to say, when. But, if the villagers continue to complain, I suggest you introduce them to the brick wall that is your wise parental will. Whatever you do, don’t sacrifice their long term innocence on the altar of their short term convenience.

Start With Common Sense:

1. Get every child-accessed computer in the house out in the open. Your children should never, ever be allowed to use a computer in privacy. If there are computers that you want to keep behind closed doors then password protect them and do not give your children the password. Require them to use a public computer, in a public area of your home. This will provide implicit accountability, and it will allow you to very easily monitor their computer usage without being overbearing or annoying. It will also teach them early that privacy is not a right in your home. It is a privilege that comes with age and trust and can be revoked at any time.
2. Talk to your children about internet safety. You are the parent so you should trust your instincts about what to say at what age. But all children, regardless of age, should at least know that there are bad people out there and that not everyone they meet online, and not every website, is good. They should know never to give anyone their name, address, etc.
3. For younger children, any time he/she wants to visit a new website they have not visited before, they should ask your permission first. Then you visit the site to check it out before giving the green light. (don’t just trust the web address of the site – in the scheme of things, it means very little)
4. Don’t be afraid to restrict social media access until your child is ready for it. Surviving the social media insanity takes a certain amount of emotional maturity. Make them wait until they can handle it.

Software Solutions:

There are basically two routes to go here. The first of which is that you can purchase software that you install on every computer in the house. You would then have to configure them to block unwanted content at each computer and portable device. The problem with these is that if you have multiple computers you have to keep up with them all. For novice computer users, this can be a pain. These programs are also notoriously easy to bypass, so for your older children this may not be a great solution.

I like SafeEyes for this, but there are others.

Though I don’t think these programs are the best option, they are far better than nothing. If this is all you can manage, go for it. Lots of people use it and are very happy (especially if they are not dealing with more than one computer or internet device in the house).

The second option is a proxy filter. This redirects your internet traffic through a 3rd party service that filters your web traffic. The advantage here is that you can configure your home’s wireless router to feed all of your internet traffic through the filter regardless of what device or computer is accessing it. It’s a web filter for your entire home, setup and configured once and in one place. This means that smart phones, tablets, etc will also be filtered. And once it is setup, you can manage your filter settings from a convenient web interface.

In my opinion, this is a much better option.

Of course, these services can also be bypassed by an enterprising child, but it is much harder to do and makes browsing much more inconvenient for them if they try. There is no perfect web filter, but in my opinion this is as close as it gets.

The clear winner in this category is OpenDNS. It’s free for personal use too, so there’s no reason not to try it. I use the “OpenDNS Home” service (FREE) and have no complaints. OpenDNS provides pretty good instructions as you go along, even specific to your brand of router, but if you need more step by step details try this.

I should also mention that many newer wireless routers have some basic parental controls included. Often, these options are not obvious if you don’t know about them. You can typically do things like:

• filter by a set of keywords
• block specific websites
• have internet access shut down at specific times of day (night-time, homework time, etc)
• block specific types of media like video, chat, etc.

Some routers even allow you to set these options for specific computers in your home network. None of these router features can fully protect your home, but they are handy as a second tier of protection in addition to something like SafeEyes or OpenDNS. Check your router settings or user manual to see if these additional features are available in your hardware.

What Works for You?

I’m very curious about other parents, and what they have done that has worked well for their families. Have you come up with any solutions that I have not mentioned here?