One Last Shot At The War Against Christmas...

The following is a letter I found at this blog. I thought it was pretty good, and a good way to end all of this war against Christmas bloo-hooey.

Letter From Christ

Dear Believers,

It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking my name out of the season. Maybe you've forgotten that I wasn't actually born during this time of the year and that it was some of your predecessors that decided to celebrate my birthday on what was actually a time of pagan festival.

How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate my birth just, GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER. Now that I have that off my chest let me go on:

If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting my birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity on your own front lawn. If all my followers did that there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be one every few feet all over town.

Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a "holiday tree" instead of a Christmas tree. That tree never actually symbolized me anyway. The tree was a part of an old pagan ritual people just started calling it by my name, then a few folks added an angel on top and a Nativity at the bottom to remind them of my birth.

If you want to give me a give me a present in remembrance of my birth here is my wish list—just choose something from it.

1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way my birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell me all the time.

2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.

3. Instead of writing George complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up, it will be nice hearing from you.

4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of my birth. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.

5. Pick someone that's hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt take their own life this season because they are feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile—it could make the difference.

7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word.

8.If you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to me,then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in my presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.

Finally don't ever forget that I'm God. I can take care of myself. All you need to do is obey my commandments and let me take care of the rest.....

Random Top Ten: Top Ten Weezer Songs

Agree? Disagree? Don't care? Let me know.


10. Why Bother? - off of Pinkerton

9. We Are All On Drugs - off of Make Believe

8. My Name Is Jonas - off of the Blue Album

7. Keep Fishin' - off of Maladroit

6. Perfect Situation - off of Make Believe

5. Say It Ain't So - off of The Blue Album

4. Hash Pipe - off of The Green Album

3. Dope Nose - off of Maladroit

2. Surf Wax America - off of The Blue Album

1. El Scorcho - off of Pinkerton

Create Your Own Caption #3

Started A Great Book This Week...

called "No Perfect People Allowed: Creating a Come As You Are Culture In The Church" by John Burke. So far, it's a great, great book. Especially because it hits right where Southwest Church is striving to be: a church that reaches unchurched people. Here are a couple of quotes from the first couple of chapters that hit me right between the eyes:

- "As Christians in a post-Christian society, our job is to become cultural farmers. Church leaders, ministry leaders, and small group leaders must come to trust the God who is already at work all around us, making things grow. Our responsibility is not to make people grow or change. Our task is to create the right soil, a rich healthy environment, in which people can grow up in faith until the invisible God is made visible through His Body, the Church." (page 22)

- "During the first two years of Gateway's existence, I consistently was asked two questions by spiritual seekers more than any other questions: 'What do you think of other religions?' and 'How do you feel about gay people?' I've discovered the real question they are asking is: 'Are you one of those narrow-minded, bigoted, hate-filled, intolerant types of Christians I've heard about?' What they really want to know is whether we promote love or hatred." (page 39)

- "I find our generation incredibly open to spiritual truth and dialogue, but they have grown up in a world of competing beliefs. People just check out when they feel that Christians are arrogant and unwilling to consider the "truth" claims of others as well. But they are very open to hearing expressions of truth and stories illustrating why God's words are true. They long to experience something firm and solid that "feels" true. They don't resist truth; they resist arrogance. But there is a humble way to express truth..." (page 42)

- "Generally, emerging generations do not ask, 'What is true?' They are primarily asking, 'Do I want to be like you?' In other words, they see truth as relational. 'If I want to be like you, then I want to consider what you believe. If I don't see anything real or attractive in you or your friends as Christ-followers, I don't care how 'true' you think it is, I'm not interested.'" (page 42)

- "Broken people are wounded people. Like abused puppies, they often run from those attempting to help them. Leaders must create a safe climate, so the healing work of God can begin in their lives. It will take patience and time. People will come and go, walking toward the light of freedom, then plunging back into darkness. But they must see the church as a lighthouse; always there to lead them into the safe harbor of God's grace." (page 44)

- "Emerging generations, like never before, crave this sense of community inside a spiritual family. If they don't experience hope for authentic relational support, I don't care how hip the service, or how rippin' the music, or how vintage the bive...they won't stick. The challenge for leaders is first learn how to live in community with others, and then to provide ways to ensure that nobody stands alone." (page 46)

- "But how many people outside the family of faith never feel safe enough to even come close? How many people have the stereotype that Christians "love" them only if we sense we can get them to be like us or believe what we believe? Is that what it means to be like the Father, who loves even those who are his enemies and seeks to do good toward them? How do we engage and convince the world that the reason to believe is not to avoid hell but to know the love of a Father, a love that transcends all cultures and all hostilities?" (page 52)

This book is great so far. I can tell this is one I will be rereading immediately after I finish it.

Things That Make You Go Hmmm....

From an AP report a couple of hours ago about people picketing Wal-Mart because of the Happy Holidays "scandal":

Dick Otterstad of the Church of the Divide donned a Santa Claus costume and greeted shoppers with the message: Don't forget about the meaning of Christmas.

What? Does that make sense to you? It doesn't to me.

Create Your Own Caption #2

Create Your Own Caption #1

Scared Of Santa

This is my daughter's first year of really understanding Christmas, and it's been a lot of fun watching her excitement and joy as Christmas approaches. One of the things that a parent always wonders about when their child is old enough to "get it", is how their child will deal with Santa. Noelle was great. Everytime we went to the mall in December, she wanted to go see Santa. We would stand outside the picture-taking area, and she would stand there for a long time, watching what Santa was doing. One of the first times, Santa had to go to the bathroom, so he walked away from his chair and walked right up to Noelle. I didn't know how she would react to see him that closely, but he came up and shook her hand, and she's been fascinated with Santa ever since. Of course, there are those children who are deathly afraid of Santa, and when we had Noelle's picture taken with him (she did great), there were several kids in line who did not do so great.

So in celebration of these children, I offer this link, which contains many a picture of kids scared of Santa. Enjoy!

A Minister And A Rock Star Start Discussing Theology...

No, it's not the beginning of a joke.

I want to promote a great podcast in my blog - you can find it at www.theohacks.com. The podcast consists of two guys who discuss theology, spirituality, the church, and more. One of the guys is someone I've known for a very long time - his name is John Chandler (his blog can be found here). We grew up in Colorado, and although he lived about 45 minutes to an hour away from me, we saw each other quite a bit through junior high and high school because of a program we were in called Bible Bowl. We also went to Pacific Christian College at the same time. (EDIT: John reminded me that we were roommates our first year, but now that I think about it, it was two years.) He was a student minister at a large Christian church in Mesa Arizona for a long time, but has recently moved to Seattle with his wife and family to help plant a church there with another guy I know from PCC and Mesa named Dean. The other guy (that would be the rockstar) is named Zach Lind, and he is the drummer for the band Jimmy Eat World (my second favorite band, if you saw my "Favorite Music" list). You can find his blog here.

Anyway, they are just starting this podcast, and if you are interested in the emerging church movement and perhaps non-traditional ways of approaching church, spiritual life and more, check it out. Podcast #2 is up, and I'm listening to it right now.

Best Top 25 Post Ever

I used to be really into debating Calvinism vs. Arminianism (me being the latter). I would spend hours with my nose in theology books, trying to find the right argument for a debate I was having with a Calvinist. I actually thought I was doing a lot of good when I was into this.

It was sucking my soul dry. Thankfully, I left the debate and have never looked back with regret once.

But it's great when you find something funny concerning this debate. And here you can find a great top 25: Top 25 Signs That You're Becoming A Hyper-Calvinist.

I was surprised to find out that Derek Webb was no longer the poster boy for Calvinism. No wonder I like him better as a solo artist.

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things (Music)

I've been thinking about this for some time - I want to post some of my favorite things. I think it could perhaps help you understand a little better who I am and what I'm about. I have a hard time ranking some things, so if there is no number beside each item, it's because they are equally my favorite. For this post, I will focus on music. Well, here goes:

My favorite music videos:

1. Johnny Cash - Hurt
2. Weezer - Buddy Holly
3. Coldplay - The Scientist
4. Michael Jackson - Thriller
5. The '85 Chicago Bears - Super Bowl Shuffle (the greatest comedy video ever made)
6. Smashing Pumpkins - Tonight, Tonight
7. Fatboy Slim - Weapon of Choice
8. Beastie Boys - Sabotage
9. Danielson Famile - Rubbernecker
10. Metallica - One

My favorite concert DVD's:

1. U2 - Elevation Tour Live In Boston
2. Coldplay - Live 2003
3. Matt Redman - Facedown

My favorite bands:

1. U2
2. Jimmy Eat World
3. Coldplay
4. Weezer
5. Smashing Pumpkins

My favorite CDs of 2005:

1. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois
2. The Decemberists - Picaresque
3. David Crowder* Band - A Collision
4. Coldplay - X&Y
5. Sigur Ros - Takk
6. Stars - Set Yourself On Fire
7. Eisley - Room Noises
8. Weezer - Make Believe
9. John Davis - self-titled
10. Eels - Blinking Lights and Other Revelations


My favorite all-time CDs (these go to eleven):

1. U2 - The Joshua Tree
2. The Juliana Theory - Understand This Is A Dream
3. Jimmy Eat World - Clarity
4. Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream
5. Jars of Clay - self-titled
6. Five O'Clock People - The Nothing Venture
7. Weezer - The Blue Album
8. Coldplay - Live 2003
9. Cool Hand Luke - The Fires Of Life
10. Steve Camp - Doing My Best Volume 1
11. Chasing Furies - With Abandon

My Favorite Musical Artists To Make Fun Of:

Radiohead
pretty much all hip-hop
every country music artist from 1990 on
Nirvana
The Beatles
Glam metal artists trying to make a comeback

Favorite Guilty Pleasure Artists:

Simon and Garfunkel
Neil Diamond
Kelly Clarkson
System Of A Down
Stryper
The Carpenters
MxPx
Lisa Loeb
Fiona Apple
Bjork

The Responsibility Of A Minister

There are basically three types of readers: the first group are those who read books when they were in school because they had to, but now that they are out of school they haven't read a book in years. The second group consists of those who "dabble" in reading. They may read a newspaper everyday, they may pick up the latest Grisham or Clancey novel, but they never really get into reading. Reading is something that may or may not happen each day. Then there is the third group, of which I am a part of. This group devours books like they are eating their last meal. They savor every letter, every word, every page. This group may have fast readers or slow readers, but for them, reading isn't a chore. It's an adventure. It's an opportunity to learn just a little more about a subject that excites them, an opportunity to once again delve into a different world (as I am doing right now, reading the entire Chronicles of Narnia again. I just started The Silver Chair.). It's an opportunity to learn about a new subject, something unfamiliar but becomes more familiar with every page turned.

There are times when I read a book, and it just doesn't hit me. When a book hits me, I will find myself stopping, closing the book for a couple of minutes, and chewing on what I just read. But sometimes, I'm just not in the right frame of mind, or the subject matter doesn't seem applicable at the time - and when I'm done reading I may appreciate the book but it won't "stick" with me. However, days...months...even years later, I pick up that book again, read it and find that this time it hits me.

I'm reading a book called The Contemplative Pastor by Eugene Peterson. I purchased three books in a series by him, all about being in the ministry. One is called Five Smooth Stones, the other has something to do with angles. (My office is too dark and I'm too tired at this point to look at my bookshelves and try to find the book.) I remember reading this book in 2004, but it wasn't the right time, I guess. Nothing stuck. But this time, as I started reading it again last night, (honestly, I have probably passed over it a hundred times in favor of a different book, but last night it seemed appealing to me again) every page seemed to drip with incredible truths that I needed to think about at this time in my life and ministry. Even the preface of the book, which is more of an interview with the author (I don't know if I've ever seen a preface like this) spoke to me in many ways. And that's what this post is about. Something that Peterson said resonated within me in a huge way:

Interviewer: As a pastor then, you see grace in some unlikely situations.

Peterson: Yes, and my job is not to solve people's problems or make them happy, but to help them see the grace operating in their lives. It's hard to do, because our whole culture is going the other direction, saying that if you're smart enough and get the right kind of help, you can solve all your problems. The truth is, there aren't very many happy people in the Bible. But there are people who are experiencing joy, peace, and the meaning of Christ's suffering in their lives. The work of spirituality is to recognize where we are - the particular circumstances of our lives - to recognize grace...sometimes I think all I do as pastor is speak the word "God" in a situation in which it hasn't been said before, where people haven't recognized his presence. Joy is the capacity to hear the name and to recognize that God is here. Ther's a kind of exhilaration because God is doing something and, even in a little way, it's enough at the moment.

I think one of the reasons why this hit me is because it sounds very similar to what Henri Nouwen's mantra was when it came to the role of a minister. He wrote this in one of his classic books, called "In The Name Of Jesus":

- I am deeply convinced that the Christian leader of the future is called to be completely irrelevant and to stand in this world with nothing to offer but his or her vulnerable self. That is the way Jesus came to reveal God's love. The great message that we have to carry, as ministers of God's word and followers of Jesus, is that God loves us not because of what we do or accomplish, but because God has created and redeemed us in love and has chosen us to proclaim that love as the true source of all human life.

I think people are looking to those who are called by God to ministry to, as Philip Yancey says, dispense grace. To demonstrate through example how to recognize and thank God for the grace moments that are present at all times in all of our lives. No matter what we are going through, no matter what we've been through, grace is present. Grace is a reality. And recognizing grace in our lives is hard work sometimes. Thank you, Eugene Peterson for reminding me what I'm supposed to be about.

The War On Christmas

This article came out Wednesday. Because the President didn't put Merry Christmas on the card he and his family sent out, people are up in arms. "They're taking Christ out of Christmas, and now even the president is involved" is what some Christians are saying.


Although I have mixed feelings on the fact that more and more retail centers are shying away from a Merry Christmas theme and adopting more of a Happy Holidays theme, I do think this is a perfect way for Christians to get distracted from what we should really be doing during the Christmas season: worshiping God, thanking Him for Jesus, and being a light to the world. It seems like we are always defending ourselves against something, rather than showing the world what we are for. There are several responses one could take as a Christian this year:

1. BOYCOTT ALL RETAIL STORES THAT REQUIRE EMPLOYEES TO SAY "HAPPY HOLIDAYS" INSTEAD OF "MERRY CHRISTMAS" AND WHO DO NOT INCLUDE THE WORD CHRISTMAS IN THEIR MARKETING CAMPAIGNS OR CIRCULARS.

- Boycotts don't work. And they are dumb.

2. WHEN SOMEONE SAYS "HAPPY HOLIDAYS" TO YOU, FIRE BACK WITH A QUICK "MERRY CHRISTMAS".

- This is fine, as long as it's done with a good attitude, and not mean-spirited.

3. DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.

- My plan of action. If I truly thought that themes and slogans save people's souls, you would see them on bumper stickers all over my car. The only sticker I have on my car is to remind Red Wings fans of who the best NHL team is: the Colorado Avalanche, of course.

I don't think it's an ACLU/Liberal/Communist conspiracy to take Christ out of Christmas. I just think it might have to do with political correctness: there are other religious holidays being observed at the same time. It doesn't bother me - I don't like Christmas and consumerism/commercialism lumped together anyway.

The Worst Christmas Songs Ever

Through perusing other weblogs, I came across this list of the worst Christmas songs ever - in his opinion, of course. I of course agree and disagree with the author. Here's the list, along with my agree/disagree comments.

(Dis)Honorable Mentions:

- Santa Baby by Everclear: the contention being that no man should ever sing a song called "Santa Baby". I agree. It's kind of creepy.

- A Wonderful Christmas Time by Paul McCartney: his contention is that he heard it too much while he worked retail. I think the song is kind of catchy. But I would go with the Earthsuit version of this song over McCartney's version - which you can find on Happy Christmas, Vol. 3.

- Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, any version: I personally like this song, but I do agree with his point that if we're supposed to have a merry Christmas, why does it have to sound so depressing? I personally like Joy Williams' version off of the new WOW Christmas, or even Amy Grant's version is nice too.

- The Christmas Song by anyone not named Nat King Cole: I had to listen to this song to see which "Christmas song" is actually being talked about. Oh yes, "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire." I like John Jonethis' lounge version of this song off of The Ultimate Lounge Christmas with John Jonethis. Or better yet, give me Andy Williams.

Okay, now for the top (bottom) five:

5. Carol of the Bells by Tran-Siberian Orchestra: I disagree on this one. Since I used to listen to heavy metal back in my high school/early college days, I can appreciate the mixing of heavy metal with classical music. Although I'm not a big fan of everything TSO does, this song is their most well-known one, and for good reason. It's good.

4. Here Comes Santa Claus, with verses 3 and 4: I have never heard a version of this song with those verses included, but when I read the verses, I couldn't believe what I was reading!

Santa knows we’re all God’s children
That makes everything right
So let’s give thanks to the Lord above
‘Cause Santa Claus comes tonight

I wholeheartedly agree with what the blogger says: "That’s right kids! Give thanks to the Lord, not because the Messiah’s born or because our eternal salvation has been enabled, but because a fat guy’s going to bring you wooden toys! Lovely message for the little ones."

3. Winter Wonderland by Annie Lennox: Never heard it. But since I avoid Annie Lennox's voice like the plague, I'm pretty sure that I wouldn't like it either. When I'm in a store and her song "Broken Glass" starts playing, I look for the closest sharp instruments I can find and shove them into my ears. I like John Jonethis' version of Winter Wonderland, but I would also recommend Stryper's version as well. (Yes, it's cheesy, but it reminds me of high school.)

2. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town by Bruce Springsteen: Agree, agree, agree. I heard this the other day, my first time this year, and I just hate it. Of course, I'm not a big fan of changing the melody of a Christmas song anyway (see Third Day's horrid version of O Come Emmanuel), but this is horrid. I especially hate how he tries to interact with the crowd and no one seems to care. That should have been the first clue, Bruce. Don't play the song, please.

And number one (drum roll please):

1. The Christmas Shoes by Newsong: There was a family in my home church who was related to one of the Newsong vocalists, the old guy. After hearing this song, I felt really, really sorry for this family, because I'm sure that every Christmas their famous Christian artist probably sang this song to them and made them lose their Christmas dinner. This song is so filled with syrupy gooshy ickiness, it deserves an award. I give it the "Butterfly Kisses" award for too much forced sentimentality in a song.

As for others I would add to this list, I would say I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus ranks right up there. I used to not like Kay Thompson's Jingle Bells, but it's grown on me. The only way I can stomach The Twelve Days of Christmas is to hear the Muppets' version. Now that was genius. EDIT: after just hearing Andy Williams' version of 12 Days of Christmas, except redone as A Song And A Christmas Tree - I have to add it to my list. Ugghh.

Have a Holly Jolly Fair Trade Christmas

I've been thinking a lot recently about Christmas and what I and my family are going to spend this year. Money is tighter this year than usual - in the past, my wife has worked a part-time job along with my full-time ministry. In moving to Ohio, we have made the determination to have her stay home and take care of our daughter; which has been great from a family standpoint, but from a financial standpoint, it's been interesting to say the least.

Christmas spending is projected to be at an all-time high this year, which is surprising to me because of all the things that have happened this year: the oil prices have shot through the roof (I've surprised myself recently for being happy that the gas prices have hit the low $2.00 range again), the hurricanes and natural disasters in our world have prompted people to give some of their savings to disaster relief, and many people spent money on big vacations this summer as the travel fear after 9/11/01 has generally dissipated.

I have read a couple of very good articles from Time Magazine this year concerning the operations of some of the retail centers that my family likes to frequent for the good deals we get, and it has caused me to rethink my shopping values and strategies, and so this Christmas I'm considering doing something a little different: I'm going to try and buy my Christmas presents from companies that participate in Fair Trade. You may have seen this term in the news recently; if you're a Coldplay fan, you've at least seen Chris Martin's mantra "Make Trade Fair" written on his arm or on his piano. He even says it at the end of each concert.

It just makes sense to me. If I made items to be sold in the market, I would hope that I would have a voice as to how much and to whom these items can be sold. Unfortunately, around the world, business does not work this way. One woman says it this way:

- “Not only does it [fair trade] give [the artisans] opportunities for their families to be lifted out of dire poverty, but it also gives them the dignity of having a safe working environment and also an environment that is democratic. While most imported goods come from manipulative factories, fair trade cooperatives are owned by the artisans and allow every person a voice in decision making. This is especially significant for women in cultures where females typically are not included in decision-making processes. Fair trade groups also offer reasonable wages and support systems for the oppressed."

It's going to be hard, I think, to find everything made by a Fair Trade company. (Do any Fair Trade companies make Dora the Explorer toys?) But I'm going to give it my best shot and see if it's possible.

Let It Snow...

Yes, I know I'm not jaded about Ohio weather yet. Yes, I know that in February my view on Ohio winters will probably change. But for now, I love it!

Closed For Christmas

There has been quite a brouhaha about the fact that several churches are closing their doors for Christmas this year. This is the first year in eleven that Christmas is on a Sunday morning, (in 1994, I was in my first year with my home church in Colorado, and I don't remember Christmas being on a Sunday at all) and several notable megachurches are not going to hold services on that day. This news has made several papers, and there has been some backlash. The reasons for these megachurches closing down on Christmas are pretty easy to understand: in a megachurch, you enlist the help of thousands of volunteers to pull off a Sunday morning, and because Christmas is a time where most families like to stay together, there would be a shortage of volunteers and these megachurches would not be able to pull off what they normally do. Most of these churches have added other services (Christmas eve and even December 23rd) to their schedule, so they aren't really taking anything away service-wise.

Thankfully, this problem won't resurface for several more years (2011 to be exact). Yet I am thankful that Southwest Church is having one service on Christmas Day. Although we will most certainly be down in numbers, I think it will be a great service for all involved as we celebrate the birth of Jesus and worship Him this Christmas Day.

Here is a great article from The Internet Monk about the craziness of Christmas this year.

Spiritual Disciplines Your Momma Never Taught You, Part Two

Okay, back to Gary Thomas' book Authentic Faith. It's been awhile, so let me refresh your memory regarding my post on the first spiritual discipline - which Thomas called "selflessness". In that chapter, Thomas gives four examples of selfless living throughout history. The first was Paul the apostle, the second Augustine, the third C.S. Lewis, and the fourth Orel Hershiser. I would say that living a selfless life could possibly be the hardest thing a person could ever do. I mean, our world revolves around living for ourselves - the advertisements, the marketing, even the way church is structured.

The second discipline could be just as hard.

I've been thinking a lot about 1 Corinthians 13, where Paul talks about how when he was a child, he thought like a child and acted like a child - but when he became a man, he put childish ways behind him. I've been thinking about that verse, and then also thinking about the ways that we as adults still act like we're children. The first way I thought of was the fact that when we are kids we aren't very good at sharing. We try to horde all of our toys and protect them from any other child who comes to our house - and we also try to take other kids toys and make them our own too. As adults, a lot of us never grew out of that stage. We continue to want more and more "toys", and we certainly don't want to share our stuff with anyone else. Another way we continue to act like children is the "Lifeboat" game that some of us had to endure in class with teachers who I guess aspired to be Adolf Hitler or something. In this game, we supposedly learned values clarification (to repeat the phrase from Steve Taylor's excellent song "Lifeboat") and we decided if certain people were on a lifeboat and one had to be thrown overboard, who would be the one that would be thrown over. I guess the final decision was usually made on who had the littlest value to society. I think usually it was the person who had the lowest IQ (represented usually as mentally challenged) that ended up being thrown overboard. Stupid game, yes, but yet some of us adults still live our lives that way. We don't value other people equally - we base their value on what they can offer us, usually.

The main way that we adults still act like children, however, is this in a nutshell (if a nutshell means two words): instant gratification. When we were kids, we always wanted everything now. Unfortunately, this is one childlike trait that most of us don't grow out of. My grandmother and I were talking about my parents divorcing when I was little, and I asked her what she thought was the main reason for them getting the divorce (since I was around four at the time, I don't remember anything about it). She thought about it for a moment and then said, "I think it's the fact that your mom and dad wanted to have everything right away - a house, new cars, new furniture, etc. And then they had money problems because they bit off more than they could chew." In other words, it all stemmed back to the fact that they wanted everything now. Instant gratification.

It's a serious problem in today's society. Why is the credit card debt so outrageous in our country these days? Because people want what they want now, and rather than saving up to get what they want (taking time to do so), they figure that they'll just put it on a credit card and pay it off soon enough. A lot of time that doesn't happen, unfortunately.

Gary Thomas' second discipline in his book "Authentic Faith" offers a solution to this sickness of instant gratification. It's a rather simple answer, but I think it takes a lifetime to truly understand and hold onto: the discipline of waiting. Waiting is hard. For some, waiting is impossible. Yet waiting is exactly what we need to do sometimes - no, most of the time. When we look at the different characters in the Bible, we see that they were ordinary people who were used by God because they were available to God, but at the same time God had developed character in their life over several years. Moses was eighty before he tackled the huge responsibility of taking on Pharoah and the nation of Egypt. Joseph was in slavery and in prison for several years for things he did not do and was not worthy of suffering punishment for, but Joseph came out of prison ready to lead a nation to stock up supplies for a seven year famine. Jesus didn't start his ministry until he was around thirty years old. As these characters waited, God developed them in time to be teachable and useable.

He brings up two areas that God calls us to wait in: spiritual growth and prayer. I can attest to struggling with waiting in my own spiritual growth. There are areas in my life that frustrate me because I continue to struggle in them, attitudes that I have developed over several years. Thomas makes a great point: "If we have spent ten, twenty, or even thirty years pounding a sinful habit into our lifestyle, we shouldn't be surprised if the residual elements take a long time to be rooted out." I need to be patient with myself and allow God to slowly work in those areas of my life that need to change, celebrating the small steps of growth over the years until He is finished with me - which in our case, is never. Prayer is another area where I struggle in waiting. I'm one of those people who get frustrated if my prayer for something isn't answered. Plus I'm a rather forgetful person, so there are times when I forget to continue to pray for a person or a situation, and then when I am reminded of the situation, I can't believe that the prayer hasn't been answered. I am reminded of when the iron curtain fell in Europe, and communism and oppression in many countries were defeated. Some of the Christians in these countries had been praying for fifty years that God would work in their lives to bring about change in their country; fifty years later, their prayers were answered. Can you imagine the feelings these people had when they stood on the Berlin Wall, or saw their dictator fall from power?

Instant gratification is hard to overcome, no doubt. But God is asking me to be patient with myself and with others around me and to allow Him to change what needs to be changed over time.