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Monday's Mishap - This has got to hurt!

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Am I Really???

I heard Francis Chan recently pose this question. It's one thing to want God's desire for my life to take flight. It's a whole different thing to be open to it in EVERY area... not just for the big things...

Like for...

How I interact with...

my children, my wife, my co-workers, the guy who just cut me off

How I deal with...

stress, things not going my way, things breaking down

In how God wants me to...

use my giftings, spend my time...

It's a question I am wrestling with... because I want to be open to his desire...

But am I really?

And, are you?

 

Public Toilet People

 

So, I grew up flushing public toilets a special way. My mom taught me this. I in turn, taught my son and daughter this way: we flush public toilets by stepping on the handle.

Public toilets are gross. Even if they look clean, I don't want to touch them. So I flush with my foot.

As my mind tends to do, it began to wander. And I thought, "Whoa." I treat certain people the same way.

The truth is, we all have "those" types of people we treat this way - The Public Toilet People. The Pharisees had them (Matthew 9:9-11). And we've got'em.

If I'm honest, for me, it's the ultra conservative, make-a-rule-for-everything-Baptist-type-of-person, that I want to have the least amount of contact with. And if I do have to have contact, it's as little and as surfacy as possible to "protect me" from getting hurt.

It's the people we can't stand. The people "we don't agree with."The people who hurt us, who annoy us, who we think deserve-to-be-treated-like-we-treat-them-because-we've-found-a-masterful-way-to-justify-our-actions.

But in reality, they deserve to be loved by us simply because they are created in the image of God...

Just

Like

We

Are.

We all have them. The Public Toilet Person.

The question is...

what do we need to do to change?

People, Clocks and Worn Down Batteries

Below is the clock that hangs on a wall in my office. When I looked at it yesterday morning it looked fine. But when I took more time to look at it more closely, it was off by five minutes.

Then, when I checked it again this morning, I noticed it was now off by two hours!

People can be like this clock too. At first glance, things seem great. Normal. But, for a lot of people, if we would take a moment to really look beyond the surface, we would find that a lot of us are a little off. Struggling with something. And if left alone, that little may grow into more. And before we know it, it grows into a crisis.

My office clock is way off now. The problem lies inside, beneath the surface. Its batteries are worn down.

And for many, if we take the time to look beneath the surface, we'll find that they are worn down too.

The question is...

Will

You

Take

The

Time

To

Look?

I need to get better at taking the time to look at people - to really see what's going on beneath the surface. And I have my office clock to thank.

By the way, I still haven't changed the batteries. And I don't think I will - to keep this a constant reminder.

How Dirty Is Your School's Air

 

A ranking of the nation's schools by air quality is out. If you'd like to see where your child's school ranks, click HERE.

Self-embedding Disorder

This story caught my attention found in the Chicago Tribune. 

If you click on the image above and look at it at full size, you'll notice a straightened paper clip that has been embeded into a teen's arm. Personnel at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, report extracting 52 foreign objects that 10 teenage girls deliberately embedded in their arms, hands, feet, ankles and necks over the last three years, including needles, staples, wood, stone, glass, pencil lead and a crayon. One patient had inserted 11 objects, including an unfolded metal paper clip more than 6 inches long. Self-injury is not a new trend among kids, but this appears to be a new form called "self-embedding disorder." To read further, click here.

Everyone Loves A Hug

 

Well, at least Mandy does - but not necessarily the typical kind that first comes to mind. Mandy has chosen to love Hug St. in Elkhart, Indiana. Wha what? Yup. Mandy has chosen to pray for Hug St. and the families and students that live there. Hug St. is one of the 78 or 79 streets that I am praying and asking others to join in praying for God to move - for Jesus to be made famous on - and for students and families to have their lives changed. One street. One person. One faith. And one movement of God that starts with his people. Mandy, thank you for signing up to fight and pray for Jesus to sweep through Hug St. I'm looking forward to seeing and hearing stories in the days, weeks and months ahead. If you haven't seen Mandy's blog, check it out. Go to Hug St. on the right hand side of my page and click the link.

Thanks Mandy!

Takin It to the Streets Update

Last month, I threw out 79 street names to pray over - 79 specific street names where students live.

Dana Ruth, a.k.a. mommy, took Harrison.

Jim Ruth took Monroe.

And AuntieB (not my aunt), said, "I'm just gonna print out the list and give it to our leaders and students as a way to be missionaries."

You guys are awesome. Thanks for jumping on board. Thanks for loving on students in a very special way.

40 Day Fast: Back 2 Back Ministries - ¿Dónde está su casa?

¿Dónde está su casa? Where is your home? This is the question that each kid asked me as we interacted at the first children’s home (orphanage), Casa Hogar Douglas, in Monterrey, Mexico. And as I answered each one, I didn’t really put too much though into it – until we got a tour of some of the kids’ dorms and a brief biography of the kids we were interacting with.

This is one of the rooms where some of the kids were staying. This was what some of these kids called home – a filthy, broken down room with no air conditioning and very poor lighting. And then our guide told us about the kids we were hanging out with. A lot of them had stories like this kid.

This is Elvin. He actually came from another children’s home to hang out with the “Americans”. But he’s got a story that’s similar to the other kids there. You see, our group went to Monterrey, Mexico the last week in July which meant two things. One, it was HOT. And more importantly, it also meant that all of the kids we interacted with had no parents. These were the roughest of the rough. These were the kids that were dropped off by perfectly healthy parents because they weren’t wanted. Some of their mothers remarried only to have step-dad say he didn’t want them until they could come back at an age they could be put to work. As I stood there, in the middle of a broken down room, I couldn’t help but think about my then six-month pregnant wife back home in Indiana. I couldn’t imagine giving away my son until he got old enough to help put food on the table. How selfish. How loveless. How evil. Nobody deserves to be treated that way.

And these people “get it.” Matt and Julie Cooper, Associate Director for the Back 2 Back program in Monterrey, Mexico and two people of a staff of about 18 individuals committed to serving Jesus through cross-cultural missions. Both Matt and Julie have hearts for the discipleship of teens. They “get” the love of Jesus and give it away fully and completely. Both lead bible studies. And both have a desire to share God’s heart with the children of Mexico who have not fully experienced His love, nor the love of a mother or father. These guys moved their family from northern Indiana to bring hope to the hopeless. These guys are integral in ministering to children in seven different “children’s homes” and provide leadership for the work you’ll see below.

Remember the first photo you saw above? The photo of the beaten down room. This is just one example of the work these guys help facilitate when groups come down for their missions trip so that the children don’t have to live in dilapidated rooms.

This is the outside of the “children’s home” where those beds above are located. I’m proud to say that our team helped pour the roof on this building in over 100 degree heat! It’s really neat to see how God uses teams of people to do his work.

Another dorm (home) being built. And what’s cool about this photo, the dude in the cowboy hat, and the dude with the yellow shovel, they live on site and are working with us. It was awesome to be able to work alongside these guys.

But the work doesn’t stop at only the seven “children’s homes”. These guys also serve communities like “El Rio” and “Dos Rio”, the River and the Second River, communities where people build their homes out of trash.

This is Meme (pronounced May May). She works as the house keeper on the grounds of the Back 2 Back compound. As a result of Back 2 Back’s ministry, she now follows Jesus. The photo you see, is of me and her in her new home. Her home use to look like a home you see just above. Dirt floor. Walls made out of scrap wood and trash. Her front yard is a dumping ground for trash. She makes enough money to be able to move out of that community. But instead of moving, she chose to have her new home built right next door to her old house. Why? So she could minister to those she spent her life living with. She gets it. She gets the love of Jesus and gives it away because of the obedience of folks like Matt and Julie and Back 2 Back Ministries.

“Dos Rio” My wife gets it (pictured third “white lady” from the left), handing out diapers, powdered milk and clothes to mothers and children on her first mission trip, my second to Monterrey.

This is a 16 year old mother who sells her baby’s milk for Coca Cola. As a result, baby’s teeth are now rotting.

This is a “town meeting place” we used to hand out water.

I am so very proud to have been able to serve alongside and to take my day on the 40 Day Fast to talk about Matt, Julie and Back 2 Back Ministries. The work they do is incredible. They have a very large task at hand. They now support nearly 400 children in seven separate children’s homes, and 19 teens in the Joshua and Esther House programs. And they have made it their mission to provide care for today and hope for tomorrow to orphans, unwed mothers, and poverty-stricken people of Latin America. This is just a glimpse of the work these guys do. There is so much more that I could blog about. If you’re looking for a mission trip experience for your group, I would highly recommend Back 2 Back. If you’re looking for a cause to give to, whether it’s with your time and/or finances, this is a worthy cause. These guys are not only providing better physical homes for children, they are giving the opportunity for people to have a new spiritual home as well.  

Así que, ¿dónde está tu casa? So, where is your home? This question has a completely different meaning for me now. 

40 Day Fast - Day Two

It's day two. My friend Amy tackles illiteracy. And my other friend April brings it with a post about the Mocha Club and how they are helping Africa. Go check them out... seriously - do it... now.

It Begins...

  

The 40 Day Fast Begins today. First up to bat, Brant Hansen, where he talks about where God lives and Compassion International. I'll post a link to each blog every day since I can't seem to get the special widget to work. I'm looking forward to each day, and can't wait to share my heart on July 18. I hope you follow along.

Inspired to Action

In just a few short days, the 40 Day Fast begins. Brody Harper, who took part in it last year writes: "Here’s how it works. For 40 days, a different blogger fasts and writes about a specific organization or part of the world that is dear to them and they feel needs to be recognized. Each day a new organization that is making a difference in the world is featured and supported. As readers we are encouraged to link to each blogger fasting and help get the word out. It’s a pretty amazing thing to watch happen over the span of the 40 days."

This year, I get to be one of the bloggers. I'm excited to be able to take July 18 to write about what's going on down in Monterrey, Mexico with Back 2 Back Ministries. As you can see by the banner, it kicks off this Monday. I hope you'll join me as we take a world journey the next 40 days. I can't wait!

How Much Is Too Much

These are recent results of an online poll conducted by ParentingTeensOnline.com. When it comes to the online community, it's extremely necessary to monitor the content of what your teen is putting out there - from photos to written content. So check it out. Take time to have the conversation. And remember, they don't deserve privacy when it comes to their well being.

The Truth About Myspace: Article from November 2007 Issue of ParentingTeensOnline.com.

"I'll Huff and Puff..."

We all know the story of the Three Little Pigs. Say it with me... "I'll huff and puff and blooooow your house down." It's a great story. But there's a different huffing going on that does the same type of damage to homes all over the United States. Huffing, a.k.a. bagging or poppers, is the act of sniffing fumes, vapors or gases from common household and commercial products for the purpose of getting high. Unfortunately, inhalant abuse is commonly overlooked and missed by parents all across the globe even though kids have direct access to this addiction by simply going to a room in their home to find the product of their choice. Here are a few stats from inhalant.org

• 2.6 million students ages 12-17 use an inhalant each year to get high
• 1 in 4 students in America has intentially abused a common household product to get high by the time they reach the eighth grade
• Sniffing and huffing can begin at age 10 or younger
• Inhalants are the fourth most abused substance after alcohol, tobacco and marijuana
• More than 1,400 common household and commercial products are used for the purpose of getting high like, air freshners, whipped cream, hair spray, butane, rubber cement, markers, spray paint, etc.

Despite kids being able to use household products to get high, this type of substance abuse is just as dangerous as cocaine or heroin.

Possible Short-Term Effects from Huffing

• Headaches, muscle weakness, severe mood swings and violent behavior, slurred speech, hearing loss, apathy, loss of consciousness, etc.

Possible Long-Term Effects from Huffing

• Weight loss, disorientation, inattentiveness, lack of coordination, irritability and depression, liver and kidney damage, bone marrow and central nervous system damage, etc.

There is also a potential for kids to die the first time, or any time, they try an inhalant.

Some Warning Signs of Inhanlant Abuse Include

• Red spots/sores around mouth and/or nose
• Coordination difficulties
• Glassy, glazed or watery eyes
• Painting fingernails with magic markers or correction fluid
• Constantly smelling sleeves or other parts of clothing
• Hiding rags, plastic sandwich bags, clothes or empyt containers of the potentially abused products in rooms or the garage, etc.

The lists above are obviously not exhaustive. So, for more information regarding inhalant abuse, please check out Inhalant.org.

Stats and info above, have been relayed from Inhalant.org.