Consider the times...

Can i ask a question....

What do the following characteristics remind you of…

• Tolerating all religious beliefs, philosophical teachings, and government systems made ultimately compatible, or a reflection of, a larger system…

• An obvious disparity between rich and poor....

• A government that requires heavy taxation of its people…

• Women being considered second-class citizens…

• A culture very interested in the supernatural…

• A culture thriving on syncretism – seeking to have all people maintain their own traditions and philosophies, and yet seeing them all under a general governing perspective…

If you were thinking of our nation, the United States... you would be incorrect. The above characteristics marked the 1st century world of the Roman empire.
It is this world that Jesus was born into... and it was perfect timing....

But when the fullness of the time was come,
God sent forth his Son, made of a woman (Gal 4:4 KJV)

There is much to be learned from the 1st century world that Jesus was born into... it would seem that for all of our technological achievements and sophistication in this current century... the more things have changed the more they have stayed the same.
Perhaps that is part of the reason this simple story of a babe in a stable feeding trough (manger) wrapped in rags (swaddling clothes) still inspires awe over 2000 years later... I love that!

I'm Thinking of...

....an incredible wife...
....four great kids that are amazing and continue to amaze
....a staff that are I call friends
....a church that truly loves all people
....in-laws that love the church
....people that live in places like Edmonton, Indianapolis, Lincoln, Avon, Noblesville, Cromwell, Calgary, Love's Park, and all over Chicagoland
....freedom in this life and in the life to come
....an opportunity to make history
....a warm bed to lay down in at night
....the ability to watch the snow that is falling outside my door
....the food that currently sits in my refrigerator
....great books
....the right to teach our children in our home
....a nation that is a great idea come to life
....my failures and my successes
....forgiveness for my deepest faults
....this quiet moment

and my challenge is to never take any of this for granted and to strive instead for an attitude thankfulness every single day!

Have a great Thanksgiving!

Do You Feel Old?!?

Serving as a pastor for now about twenty years, it was bad enough when the kids from my first ministry in Calgary, Alberta started having their own children... but now comes another blow...

... this past week my oldest son went and took his driving test for the state of Illinois and passed.

There it is... another official notch in the proverbial "you're an old dude" gun!
It's not all that bad though... I mean the fact is, his Mom is technically even older than me (Don't worry, she never reads my blog... just sort of nods when I tell her about it and says "Uh-huh...")!

It was almost like an out of body experience watching him back the car out of the garage without his mom, another adult or me riding "shot-gun" as it were. He still has a lot of learning to do in my book and the state has the audacity to tell him he is ready to drive our family vehicle without his mom or me in the car with him? Who do they think they are?!?

He looked so.... "independent".

Does that make sense?

It was almost like he didn't need his mom or dad for anything at that point. I mean, I know that's not completely true but the driver's license thing is a significant rite of passage to adulthood in our culture. This is one of those critical points at which what we have invested in our children as they have been and continue to grow into adulthood pretty much shows up.

I'll tell you this much... my son is blessed to have his Mom as his mom because every fiber in my body screamed not to let him even begin learning how to drive... oh it's not that I don't trust him, because I trust him implicitly. I am just not sure about the other 17 year olds out there on the roads.

The upside to all of this however is that having another driver in the family has been helpful... the next hurdle however is on the horizon and getting ever closer (*gulp*)... college.

Man, I'm old.