Answer and More Questions!

The difference in grilling and Bar-B-Quing - when it is one hour or less you are grilling. If it takes more than one hour - you are barbquing. So, there (at least according to the Salt Lake Tribune). Thanks, Chris for the techinal foul - I lumped "Jethro Tull" as a flute player, while the actual flute player is Ian Anderson. Well. I've got to be more careful next time.

Anyway, this weekend we are having our annual booth at Taylorsville Dayzz. This year we had a bakery donate a thousand loaves of bread! We placed a sticker about the church - inviting them to enjoy the bread of life. We also have five different pins for kids to pick out. (At Halloween we had a reverse trick or treat - we handed out microwave popcorn with a message that said, "pop in and see us sometime!" - some thought it a corny idea - but we had some families to visit!). Pray for this effort!

Okay - more questions -- does anyone else put salt on their watermelon besides me? These Utah people, its like living in a foreign country. Anybody esle love cold chicken for breakfast?

Questions

What is the difference in grilling and barbequing? Anything better in the summer than homemade ice cream? Any better banjo picker than Earl Scruggs? Any video game better than Galaga? PS2, XBOX, or Game Cube? Can you name any flute player - other than Jethro Tull? Any finer song to blast on the radio while driving other than Bad Moon Rising by CCR? What is the one sports record that will never be broken? Who doesn't like to hear Alison Krauss sing? What is your question?

Finding Brennan Hawkins

For the last five nights and four days the whole nation has been gripped by the search for a young boy scout Brennan Hawkins who was lost in the rugged Uinta mountains of Utah. 3,000 people gave up their Father's Day celebrations to join the search and rescue. Today - he was found by a volunteer on a remote trail.
After four days, many had lost hope that he was alive. A year ago, just fifteen miles away in the same mountain range, another young boy scout walked away and has never been found.
Today, Brennan was found alive and well. Every one is celebrating! This is a great day!!
A powerful reminder for us - "volunteers" in search and rescue of people who are lost spiritually - to never give up hope in our search!
The mother just talked to some reporters a few minutes ago while walking into the hospital. She said, "People say that the heavens are closed. I am here to tell you that the heavens are open. Prayers are heard. Children do come home."
Indeed.

Perfect Father's Day Gift!

My girls got me the perfect Father's Day present - the second full season of The Andy Griffith Show on DVD. I know it didn't cost much - but it's not the cost that makes the gift special. Speaking of Andy Griffith, just saw where Andy Taylor came in second as the all-time favorite TV dad - (Bill Cosby came in first). I say it was rigged! Charles Ingalls was #3. I can live with that. But Andy being #2? Ah, man. That's just not right!

Father's Day

Tomorrow is Father's Day. To all fathers - I hope you have a great day! Father's Day for me is always bitter sweet. I love to celebrate with my three daughters. The homemade cards - the kisses! It's a great time!
The day is also bittersweet because I remember my dad. I was just 16 when he passed away from a cerebral hemorrhage. I'm now 47. The truth is I still miss him.
Hug your dad today. Call him and tell him what he means to you. Share a favorite memory.
If you're not on good terms - call him - begin to build a bridge toward a healthy relationship.
I wish I could. Take advantage of the time you have.

A Graduate Challenge

My oldest daughter graduated from high school last week. (How did that happen? Was in first grade just last year!) She has received many cards and calls of congratulations. A few days ago, she received this note: "To whom much is given; much is required. God has given you many talents. God is expecting great things from you!"
I love that! I love that because young people will rise or fall to our expectations. We need to challenge them to greatness!
Thanks, Jerry for giving my daughter a Godly reminder - a challenge as she goes off to college. It means much more coming from someone other than a parent!
Pass on a blessing and a challenge to some young people you know!

God Values Diversity

Just looking at creation and something is obviously clear - God values diversity. How many species of fish swim in our lakes and oceans? Jesus certainly expressed this in his choice of staff - tax collector, fisherman, former prosecuting attorney - to realize that he wanted a variety of personalities and backgrounds around him in order for his work to thrive. His welcoming of women into the inner circle was scandalous at the time, and yet he assigned to them the task of being the first to bear the message of his resurrection.
The church had better wake up to this reality! Usually, our churches (in the restoration movment) have not been diverse groups. Growing up in Arkansas, we had the "white" church; the "black" church; the "anti" church; the "liberal" church -- all in a small town of 20,000. Even today - our congregations do not reflect the population around us. Soon, the minority will be the majority. Will our congregtions soon be irrelevant? (If they're not already!).
We need diversity -both theological & racial - in our congregations! What can we do to encourage more diversity in our congregations?

He Went Small to Go Big!

Finally - a new blog. I hope to blog on a regular basis - the stream of ideas just tried up for some reason. I've been reading an excellent book "Teach Your Team to Fish" by Laurie Beth Jones. So far, one of my favorite chapters is on the subject of "He Went Small In Order To Go Big". Jones writes:
"The first computer required an entire warehouse just to store it. And for all its size, only a handful of people could use it. It was slow, clunky, and not very functional. But, by golly, it was BIG! Any of us who have witnessed the microprocesor revolution have seen computers and telephones get smaller and smaller. Yet, as they have decreased in physical size, their power and accessiblity have increased exponentially. The quantum physicist John Hagelin recently reminded us that our entire world could be destroyed by scientists releasing the energy in a single atom.
Jesus knew that in order to get big, he had to go small. He didn't amass the largest collection of people to try and change the world; instead he released the latent energy in the hearts of a few individuals, and the world was changed. Perhaps that's why observers saw tongues of fire appearing above the Apostles' heads on Penecost. Each individual was set on fire from within, and through that process, Jesus' cause and mission was multiplied exponentially. He went small in order to get big.
Which would you rather have - one Joan of Arc or ten thousand scattered soldiers? One Saint Paul, or two thousand committees? One John the Apostle, or six thousand pages of policies and procedures? One David, or a well-positioned army, full of Goliaths?
"And the word became flesh, and dwelt among us." This was God going smaller in order to get big.
Team leaders aren't scanning the horizon for the reinforcements to arrive. Team leaders look deep into the hearts of the people they serve, and set some hearts on fire."

Sometimes I dream of having a large congregation! Perhaps I need to rethink the dream. Maybe I need to think smaller in order to get bigger. Now, I'm thinking of ways that I can go smaller in order to get bigger. Back to the basics you might say - the basics of the life and ministry of Jesus! Instead of having a "mega" church; I'm hoping for a "meager" church - so we can have a "mission" church!