Summer is in full swing and, if your home is anything like ours, you’re busier than ever.  The end of the school year didn’t quite slow the pace of life like you hoped.  Now, with the kids at home, there are more places to go and things to do.

But summertime can be a great time to re-acquaint yourself with you kids – between trips to the library and pool, summer camps and sleepovers.  Truth is, our children grow up so quickly that we’ll one day look back and wish we’d made more of those lazy summer days with our kids.  As my last child leaves elementary school and my oldest enters high school, these are things my wife and I have been pondering of late.

Fortunately, we’ve developed a strong family identity in our home.  I think that a family identity is a vital part of developing a child’s self identity.  Knowing the family’s character and shared beliefs, values, and even traditions gives kids a great platform from which they can discover their place in this world.  Studies show that kids who identify with their family’s values tend to get in less trouble, tend to be less promiscuous, and face less risk of drug and alcohol abuse.

But how to build a strong family identity?  Moses tells us when he says: “These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates (Deuteronomy 6:6-9, NIV).”

Your presence matters.  Moses assumes that parents will “impress” values on children because they are spending time together.  Kids see your presence as a sign of care and connectedness.  Studies show that kids in families who eat dinner together perform better in school and exhibit less negative behavior.  But when life gets too busy, we’ll often dredge up the age-old excuse that, though we don’t have quantity time together, we make it quality time.  Maybe your kids are smarter than mine, but my children don’t seem to recognize the difference.

Talk about faith.  Some of us are challenged by the idea of talking about spiritual things.  But God cares about your family and discussing Him can help build a family identity.  It will also help your children develop the strong convictions they will need as they grow.  Pray together.  Go to church together.  Read the Bible together.  Even exposing your children to God’s truth in small amounts will set them down the right path for the future.

Kids need reminders.  Moses’ description of Scriptures tied to wrists and written on doorposts is simply describing reminders…reminders why we do this, reminders why we don’t do that.  Hopefully, we don’t just give rules but also some of the reasons behind the actions we desire so they can one day make their own wise choices.

Jesus said: “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock (Matthew 7:24-25, NIV).”

This summer, take the time to help build that strong foundation your kids will need for the storms in life.

Anna Marie Jarvis, following the death of her mother on May 9, 1905 established what we know today as Mothers’ Day.  On May 8, 1914 the U.S. Congress passed a law designating the second Sunday of May as Mother’s Day.  Since that time every May we honor our mothers.  I know at my house it is THE most important day of the year!  Mothers are more than special.  When was the last time you saw a pro athlete on television say “Hi Dad!”  It’s always “Hi Mom!”  We tend to hang on people’s last words.  I’m told that soldiers on the battlefield who have been wounded and are about to die, the most frequent last word is “Mother.”  The bond we have with our mothers lasts for a lifetime and therefore we are quick to honor and show love for our mothers.

God Himself pays tribute to mothers.  As Jesus hung on the cross he asked his best friend John to take care of his mother Mary.  The Bible says John did so from that day forward.  The Bible also pays tribute to Mothers in Proverbs 31.  It is there we find the attributes of the “Ideal Mother.”

She Works Hard for Her Family – “She gets us while it is still dark and provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls.” Proverbs 31:15.  How many times do we hear of the sacrifice and hard work of mothers?  Doing whatever it takes to provide for the needs of their family.  I remember my own mother always putting me and my sibling’s needs before her own.

She is Concerned with the Needs of Others – “She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.” Proverbs 31:20.  The ideal mother not only cares for her own family but also looks out for the neighborhood kids as well.  If there is a child in need she is there with open arms to bandage a wound or feed a hungry mouth.

She Pours Wisdom Into Her Children – “She speaks with wisdom and faithful instruction is on her tongue.”  Proverbs 31:26.  We all remember words of wisdom our mother’s pounded into our brains over and over again.  It’s a mother’s wise words that can keep us out of trouble and on the right path in life.

She is Blessed by Her Family – “Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:  Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” Proverbs 31: 28-29.  The ideal mother is honored by her family.  One of God’s top ten commands tells us to “honor father and mother.”  When we are young that means we obey when we are adults that means we respect.  The ideal mother is always honored and blessed by her family.

Some might argue there is no such thing as the “ideal mother.”  My response would be, “you haven’t met my mother!”  Be sure to honor your mother on May 9, 2010!

Broken roads can create a great deal of confusion, doubt, and outright fear.  They can also lead to incredible blessings.  The Bible tells us about two travelers on a road following the death of Jesus Christ (Luke 24). A third man joined them and carried on a conversation during the journey.  They discussed the events of the past few days and how they were puzzled and confused about the man they thought would be “the one”, the hoped-for Messiah.  He had died, and although there were reports of his tomb being empty, everything seemed so unclear.   Their broken hearts led to a temporary “blindness” and they were unable to perceive that the third traveler was none other than the resurrected Christ.

“Bless the Broken Road” is the title of a Grammy Award-winning song that has been recorded by several American Country and Christian music artists – most notably, Rascal Flatts.  The lyrics tell a story of pain and confusion culminating in a blessing unseen during the turmoil of the moment.

Every long lost dream
led me to where you are
Others who broke my heart
they were like Northern stars
Pointing me on my way
into your loving arms
This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you
(It’s all part of a grander plan that is coming true)

We may be blinded, numb, and confused on our own broken road.  Perhaps the loss of a relationship, job, health, finances, or some other trial has brought us to a crossroads.  Our limited insight makes it difficult for us to understand why God would allow us to go through such an experience.  This is all part of a grander plan.  Some of God’s greatest blessings are unanswered prayers. Eventually, Jesus revealed His identity to the confused travelers over a meal.   He had been with them all along.  When He broke bread and blessed it, their eyes were opened and they realized that even in the darkest moments of life, God was in control. As a matter of fact, He was providing the salvation they longed for. When King David of Israel was on a broken road, he wrote:

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted;  He rescues those whose spirits are crushed (Psalm 34:18 NLT).

Broken and blessed is not what we would choose, but it is often what God uses to make Himself known to us in a greater way. Even when we cannot see His hand, we can trust His heart that a greater plan is underway.  We don’t have to be afraid to continue down our broken road because God will meet us there.

We who live in the United States, a relatively young country, and especially we who live in Texas, a relatively young state, have somewhat of a unique perspective on the New Year that may not be shared with parts of the world with longer histories.

Besides being a fairly young area, we also do not have much continuity with the past where building structures are concerned. For example, most older buildings are torn down when they become inconvenient or dated, rather than preserved.

In addition, reality TV with the multiple extreme make-over themes also perpetuate the suggestion of discontinuity with the past.  We can watch a messy family home turned into a place of neatness and order in just a few hours, or a body loss weight and become toned in just a few weeks, or a structure razed to the ground and re-built in seven days.

While those shows are fun to watch, I often wonder about the aftermath.  What happens later to the world’s messiest family when their mess has been sorted out or to someone who has quickly and with powerful and externally enforced discipline loses a lot of weight?  I’m betting past habits quickly re-appear.

Why?  Because changing the outward circumstances, while often helpful, hardly ever produces lasting internal change.  That kind of change takes a great deal of soul work and the practice of certain disciplines.

The way we were before informs the way we are now.  They cannot be disconnected, no matter how much we try to do so.

Yet often people live from the idea that they can disconnect from their pasts when they make New Years Resolutions.  We pretend our prior lives can disappear or that we can ignore the poor decisions we may have made or that we did not eat or drink all the things we should not have eaten or drunk.  Indeed we can pretend, but it won’t work.  We are those things, those successes and mistakes, those experiences, that food and drink.  All of this has been integrated into our souls and bodies.

So if we can’t escape our pasts, what other options do we have?  How about transforming our pasts?  One way of transformation is the act of thoughtful, honest, intentional forgiveness.  The Bible says that God’s mercies are new every morning. New mercies, sent our way each time we need them.

Mercy, often known as forgiveness, forms the centerpiece of much spiritual thinking.  It is through the receiving of mercies, and then offering them to others, that we take our pasts, however rocky they may have been, and transform them into more merciful and more gracious presents.

In my own experience, the most difficult person to offer mercy to is myself.  But that very act of taking our histories and bathing them in the light of fresh mercies brings joyful hope and freedom.  Let us let 2010 be the year of the merciful, both for you and for others.  Here, and only here, is true freedom.

Before Jesus’ crucifixion he gave his disciples a warning.  “You will all fall away,” Jesus told them…Peter declared, “Even if all fall away, I will not.”  “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times.”  Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him… And he broke down and wept (Mark 14: 27-31, 72).”

Have you ever heard the Sermon of the Rooster?  No?  It’s the most powerful sermon ever…er…spoken.

The Sermon of the Rooster is God’s wake-up call in a person’s life.  In Peter’s case, it was a literal rooster, but for us, the Sermon of the Rooster is metaphorical.

Peter heard that sermon and it changed his life.  You may have heard the sermon, too.  I know I have heard it after striving and vowing in my own strength, then failing…after piously telling others how to act, then failing…after judging others, then failing.  It’s not a fun sermon to hear.

A friend told me a story over lunch the other day.  There is a guy in a pit, treading water.  Sometimes this guy feels strong and decides he can keep his head above water forever.  At other moments, he is worn out and begins to sink.  Sometimes folks look over the edge of the pit and throw him some food.  He’s fed, but he’s still in a pit.  At other times people throw him money.  He’s got money in his pocket…but still in a pit.

Eventually someone jumps into the pit with him and shows him that there’s a solid rock bottom to the pit, just under his feet.  If he could muster the bravery to stop treading water long enough, he could stand and climb out.

That’s what happened to Peter here: he hit rock bottom.  At the final refrain of the Sermon of the Rooster, I think he was finally broken.  It was at this point he finally realized what was really in him and that he needed the power of God to transform him.  He stopped treading water, hit the bottom, and let God begin to lead him out of his performance pit.

None of us want to hear the Sermon of the Rooster, but it’s one that God, by his grace, lets us hear.  Why?  Because we desperately need to hear the message of that sermon.  Hopefully, in your case, you won’t wait until you’re at rock bottom before you take the message to heart.  After we respond to the altar call, we’re a little less confident in ourselves, we boast a little less, we’re a little more humble, and a little more broken.  Then we start to understand and appreciate God’s grace.  And that’s right where we need to be for God to take our lives and change them for the better.  See you in church.

Jim Mann, Ph.D. pastors New Life Church at 1350 Milam Road East in Sanger, Texas.

Service begins at 10:00 a.m. Visit newlifedenton.org for more information.

Jeff Foxworthy: “How do you know you are a teacher?”

• You want to slap the next person who says “Must be nice to work 8-3 and have summers off.”
• You believe in aerial spraying of Ritalin.
• You understand instantaneously why a child behaves a certain way after meeting his or her parents.

Crista McAuliffe, the teacher astronaut who perished in the Challenger Space Shuttle explosion in 1986 summed up her profession in these words: “I touch the future – I teach.”

What an awesome privilege we have in shaping the future through the impact we have on students.

King Solomon said that a farmer does not withhold seed because of what he cannot control, but does what he can and trusts God for the rest (Ecclesiastes 11:1-6). We do not want to focus on the obstacles before us and miss the opportunity to sow seeds. Keep casting your bread upon the water, you are making a difference.

Martina McBride would say: “Teach them anyway.”

Moses made it clear that providing a spiritual foundation for our children is the responsibility of parents (Deuteronomy 6). As parents we are to model and teach in every-day life the spiritual values we desire to see in our children.

A brief excerpt from the poem To Be Educated, by Carolyn Caines demonstrates the importance of a how education and faith are related:

If I can explain the law of gravity and Einstein’s theory of relativity, but have never been instructed in the unchangeable laws of the One Who orders the universe, I have not been educated.

However, if one day I see the world as God sees it and come to know Him, Whom to know is life eternal, and glorify Him by fulfilling His purpose for me, then I have been educated.

Jesus Christ taught that the “one who is fully taught will be like his teacher.” (Luke 6:40) In addition to the formal, academic instruction students need, we do not want to forget what author John Ortberg calls the hidden curriculum. Whether you are in public, private, or home education, you are doing more than filling minds – you are forming lives to be like you. As a local church shepherd, I would not want to do what I do without divine assistance. For all of you involved in education, we petition God for the grace, strength, and wisdom you need. God bless you.

We headed to a nearby recreation center and “queued” for tickets for the next Kid’s House of Fun hour. We entered a child’s paradise, a giant bounce/play house: three stories tall, with at least a 900 sq. ft footprint. For about 20 minutes, all, even the baby, enjoyed the paradise of exploring and falling and jumping and climbing and hiding.

And then . . . two larger groups entered, most of the children between 6 and 11. These exuberant children, also restive from a school holiday spent inside, did what comes naturally. They ran through the tunnels and down the slides, bumping one another, knocking each other over, running faster, faster, faster. I felt like I was watching a movie in fast forward as they raced by my watchful eyes in hyper-speed, screaming louder with each pass, heedless who they trampled in the rush to get . . . nowhere. It was just a large maze, and all eventually ended at the same place, exactly where they started.

The rush to get nowhere–how typical of so much of human activity. Rush, rush, rush, hurry here, make that deadline there, don’t be late because something bad will happen, quicker, faster, speedier–GET THERE NOW BECAUSE IT HAS TO BE DONE THIS MINUTE OR . . .!!!!

Or what? What if it doesn’t get done? Well, frankly, sometimes it is pretty darn serious if it doesn’t get done. Some parts of life must be met head on with speed and expertise. But our frantic pace insists if something can be done faster, then it should be done faster. Our lives mirror the House of Fun maze. Racing through it faster only means getting back to where we began, and when we get there, we are tired, sweaty, and unsatisfied.

Stop. Just stop. Breathe deeply. Feel your heartbeat. Find silence and listen to it. Hear the wind in the trees; see if you can catch bird notes and crickets. Skip an activity, turn off the computer, the TV or DVD player, the iPod, your mobile phone. Do nothing. Even without your help, the earth will still rotate and the tides will come in and out. Life will go on. Stop. Listen not only for your heartbeat but for the heartbeat of God. Look for the redeeming love that holds the entire universe together, including the space where you sit this very moment. You are held, pondered, crooned over by the love of the Divine One.

Just stop for a while each day. Leave the frantic circular maze. The world will not end. And yours might begin again in freshness and renewed awareness of God.

The Rev. Dr. Christy Thomas, Pastor, First UMC, Krum
www.thekrumchurch.com, 214-418-9541, www.krumchurch.blogspot.com

Have you ever found yourself in the midst of a perfect storm? Have you ever seen issues from all directions collide at once…with you in the middle?!

I read an article by another pastor recently who believed our nation is in a perfect storm. Just like in the movie, where all the varying weather conditions led to a convergence of one great maelstrom, so it is spiritually in our nation.

What issues are converging to create the perfect storm in America?
• Religion – our nation is becoming increasingly secularized, but not without a struggle (often referred to as the “cultural war”).
• Politics – are more polarized than ever.
• War – this is a dangerous world.
• Economics – no need for explanation here…
• Geophysical issues – our planet is revolting against our stewardship of it.

We could debate for hours whether it is God who caused this storm or if it has been caused by our greed and allowed by God. But ultimately we get to the point that the storm is here (or at least is quickly approaching).

So what do we need to know to survive this perfect storm that is advancing on our nation? Let me suggest three important things:

1. God always shows Himself powerful in the midst of adversity and difficulty. Whether we’re talking about his saving the nation of Israel through the Red Sea or raising his own Son from the grave, God always comes through in a pinch.

2. Since storms neither affect nor scare God, storms are HIS opportunity to show Himself powerful.

3. Since both of these are true, storms are OUR opportunity to trust Him and let Him move in our lives.

If our nation is in the perfect storm, there are things we can do to batten down the hatches. There are political, economic, and ecological responses. But ultimately, we must turn to the Lord for help. This is what God says:
“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14, NIV)

If, like me, you see the storm coming, get in a local, life-giving church near you. I’ll see you there…hopefully before the rain starts!

New Life Church services are Sundays at 8:30 am (Robson Ranch campus) and 10:00 am (Denton campus), www.newlifedenton.org

After hearing the nightly newscast, we may ask the same question. Besides the general news, our personal concerns about marriage, finances, children, job security, and various relationships can leave us feeling hopeless as well. It is estimated that we can live about 40 days without eating food; 4 days without water or other liquids; and about 8 minutes without breathing air – but we cannot really live at all without HOPE!

We need to know that there is hope for our future – something real and genuine to build our lives upon. It is this kind of hope that Peter was reminding his readers of when he wrote about the “reason of the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15). Because the powerful truth of the resurrection of Jesus Christ had radically transformed his life, Peter’s hope was not in anything subject to change. If we place our trust, our hope, in political leaders, the economy, finances, relationships, or positions we hold or aspire to hold, we are on shaky ground. Because the Son of God promised a unique peace (not the absence of conflict or problems) that is an inside job, His followers are hopeful in the most desperate of times.

The 42nd Psalm details four encouraging reasons for those looking to God as our source of life and peace to be filled with hope at all times.

GOD IS WITH US (v. 2) We forget about God being a person and think of Him as just some being “out there” instead of a personal, living being in us!! His very presence in our lives reminds us that we are not alone as we face the future.

GOD’S FACE IS TOWARD US (v. 5) Like children longing for the attention of a parent, as long as we know He is watching we are filled with joy.

GOD’S STRENTH IS WITHIN US (v. 6) God has both the power to change circumstances or change us no matter what is happening.

GOD’S LOVINGKINDNESS WATCHES OVER US (v.8) God’s love and care for us never changes whether we are up or down.

We are a needy people, but we need not be hopeless in this life or the life to come. When we are anchored to the Creator of heaven and earth, the Creator of our very lives, there is always reason to have hope!

Those are depressing statistics, aren’t they? I mean, there’s a possibility that at the end of my life, only 10 people would cry at my service. And then there’s a fifty-fifty chance they might sneak out the back afterwards if the weather is bad.

None of us want that. We all want our lives to count for something. We want to make an impact in this world, to make a powerful statement with our lives, to leave our marks, to leave a legacy for future generations. It is a deep-seated need we all have as humans. But it won’t just happen. You don’t accidentally make a difference in the world. Rather, to leave your mark takes directed effort. When Alice asked the Cheshire Cat, “Would you tell me please, which way I ought to go from here?” his reply was simply, “That depends a good deal on where you want to go.”

So where do you want to go in life? What kind of response would you like at your funeral? To get where you want to get in life, you need a vision for your life. The Bible says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” (Proverbs 29:18, KJV).

Of course, none of us have goggles that allow us to see into the future. If we did, we wouldn’t worry so much about the economy and the challenging times ahead. So what kind of vision is the Bible talking about?I think there are two aspects of vision we need. We need a  “rearview mirror” vision as we grasp the ancient wisdom of God and his plans. The Bible says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. (Jeremiah 6:16, NIV).”

We also need a “big picture” vision – the idea that God is in control and finding where we fit into his plans. King Solomon said: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV).”

Give yourself to God and let Him give you a vision for your year!

Jim Mann, Ph.D. is Lead Pastor of New Life Church of Denton and a
professor at Colorado Christian University. His New Year resolution is to
stop making New Year’s resolutions!
Find out about New Life at www.newlifedenton.org.