Walking and Wondering

   Here you go ... my top ten reasons why I love being a Children's Pastor and why I love Kid's Church so much : (drum roll please ............................ hey .................................. DRUM ROLL!) 10.  Because we get to play "old fashioned" dodgeball again.   Believe it or not, the dodgeball that those of us who are ages 35 and up used to play is nearly extinct.  You know ... where two people, officially called "enders" stand on either end of the field and throw overinflated rubber kickballs at a mass of people in the middle who have to avoid being hit by the ball or they are out.  And oh yeah, you can't catch the ball and get the ender out ... nice try though.  Apparently this game is no longer being taught in our schools and it is to our nations detriment that it isn't.  Somebody needs to call somebody ... just saying! 9.  Because it's church with themes.   That means we get to dress up and act like kids again. Cowboys...

   "And He said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!  Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into "His glory?"  And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself."   (Luke 24: 25-27)   As our story continues to unfold, we see the Jesus "taking the disciples to school."  He has joined them on their walk to Emmaus and listened to them complain about their disappointment in HIS failure to meet their expectations.  (Remember, the disciples still don't recognize Jesus is with them!)  After having listened to their understanding of what just happened concerning His arrest and death, Jesus responds.  Here's the challenge ... can we find ourselves today in this same place?  Oh, we may not be complaining about the same issues as the disciples, but we find ourselves complaining about G...

   What is it in us that insists on being able to figure out every step of this journey called life?  Is it pride?  Is it a desire to always be in control?  Or is it simply a lack of faith?  We spend so much time trying to take the raw data of our lives, crunch the numbers, and project out a determined end with our best interests in mind.  After all, we think we KNOW best right?  And we also think we know the heart of God.  So therefore, we should be able to easily calculate His next steps and comprehend how He is bending the laws of the universe to satisfy our every desire.  (It's okay to smile ... we've all been there before!)  But what happens when the events and circumstances surrounding us don't make sense to us?  How does that effect our focus, and our understanding of God?    As you read about the "Heroes of Faith" in the bible, it seems like they never had it all figured out.  In fact, it seems like God...

   In Luke 24 we meet two disciples who are walking to a village called Emmaus, which the bible tells us is about 7 miles outside of Jerusalem.  They were talking to each other about all that had happened recently surrounding Jesus; namely His arrest, His death and resurrection.  In verse 15, it says that while they were discussing, "Jesus Himself drew near and went with them.  But their eyes were kept from recognizing Him."  What an amazing verse!  I just can't stop thinking about this scene lately.  Picture it and put yourself there ... you're walking along and Jesus just shows up!  And the crazy thing is that they missed it.  The person that they are talking about is walking with them.     I have to admit that the thought crossed my mind that if I was there, I would never have missed out on this encounter.  Come on fellas ... wake up here.  The very guy you are talking about is behind you.  And then I re...

   I don't get star struck very easily.  I don't know why ... I just don't!  I've met a few celebrities in my life, but I just don't get star struck.  (Okay ... maybe New Orleans Saints football players, but that is an entirely different matter.)  Once, while working at a movie theater in New Orleans, I served Susan Sarandon popcorn and a Coke.  (I think I even suggestively sold her on up-sizing her popcorn and drink to larges so she could take advantage of free refills for only $.50 more!  I should have been a celebrity for that one!)  Anyway, I had NO IDEA who she was ... not even the slightest clue.  After she left my register, my co-workers started asking me if I realized who I just overcharged for popcorn and high-fructose corn syrup.  Again ... NO IDEA!  When they mentioned that it was Sissy Spacek, you can imagine my reaction ... STILL NO IDEA!  (Caution ... the next sentence will cause me to date myself.)  App...