Archive for April, 2007

I know a bunch of couples who are currently pregnant and the topic of baby name is always one that comes up. We’ve always known the names of our children, way in advance, but always tell people that we don’t name our children till their birthed. That way there’s no nay saying till it’s on the birth certificate – and near permanent.

So if you want to know our pending baby’s name… “We really don’t know it yet, you can’t name a baby properly till you actually see it. It’s a cosmic experience between you and the Lord – first laying eyes on the child – then you truly know it’s name.”  Ha ha, I’ll never tell!

Names are such an important thing. Here’s a really bad name.

I also have run into a guy with the name Richard Head. Yes, that was his given name.

So on the topic of baby names – what are some of the worst names you’ve heard?

It all happened last night. The kids had been in bed for a while… then we heard something. There was laughing and whining. Aida and James came running in our room. Aida was excited. James was devastated.

Evidently a cock fight had erupted in their room. Weeks before someone gave the kids some glass figurines. James got a rooster and Aida had a bunny. From what we can tell… Aida and James put the bunny and rooster head to head in a fight.  We’ve always raised our kids to know that cock fights are illegal, but sometimes they act out in rebellion.

The bunny and the rooster went at it and in the end we learned a valuable lesson: Bunnies can kill roosters.

Let our tragedy and moral failings be a learning lesson for your families.

Here is a picture of Aida cheering in victors; a true sign of her unrepentant state. Pray for her soul.

It’s always amazes me how so many people believe that church should be a stoic, reserved experience. Should we show reverence for God? Yes. But we must also remember that it was Him who invented humor and here’s one more reason why:

Reasons that God has a sense of Humor:

#437

God has made young children at the optimal height to constantly wreak havoc on their fathers cojones. Yes, I said it. Sack tap. Kick to the balls. Smack the nuts – whatever you want to call it.

Samuel, who is one and a half years old, is just tall enough to head butt me. James and Aida’s hands flail at the optimal height to tag me. This whole propensity is heightened on Sunday mornings. I’m talking with someone at church and ‘whack’ – I’m suddenly breathing slowly, trying to play off the fact that I got goosed in the taters. I come home from work, everyone’s excited, and I go to greet my wife. Whack! Some midget just did a drive by nad nailing and I’m on the ground.

I’m sure the whole time God is watching and laughing. I know if I was, I’d be laughing too. Yet another reason God has a sense of humor.

Any other reasons you’ve found that God has a sense of humor?

Brian posed this question on my answering machine:

What particularly do you do when new kids show up – how do you make them feel welcome and connected?

I misunderstood which Brian it asked the question. There’s a youth pastor Brian and a student Brian that reads this blog. So I ended up answering that question to both the youth pastor and students.

To a Youth Pastor:

To the Students:

Anyone else want to put in their two cents on this question?

Last night, the Lord completely surprised me. We were hosting a pool tournament for High Schoolers and had taken a break for dinner. During dinner we had an awesome Biker come and share their testimony and how the Lord has changed their life.

So as he’s giving his testimony, I’m putting out fires and keeping the kids straight. Then out of nowhere a middle school student I know, walks in the building and asks me for prayer.

This kid and I go back about two years. We have a rather love/hate relationship. He’s a whiner and mooch – and I don’t deal well with whiners and moochers. So he comes in, asking for prayer, and we go off in a corner to pray. His life is in shambles (which is nothing new) and he’s tired of the way it’s going. I asked him if he wants it to change. He said, “Yes.” Then the tears came.

Over the last two years of knowing him, he’s been completely resistant to the gospel and hangs out with us because we put on cool trips. He’s never been interested till that moment.  We prayed together and he accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior.

Isn’t God amazing? How could we have ever planned for this? Invest two years into a student in the hopes that, even though he’s a middle school student, he may attend a high school event and accept the Lord. I’m glad it’s in God’s hands and not mine. I’m just excited to be along for the ride. Praise God for the unexpected victories!

Any ways God has surprised you lately?