Generous Leadership

The following is an article I read this week that really inspired me to share its message with all of you. I hope you find this article to be planting some vital seeds in you generous heart. God Bless.


Generous Leadership
By Paul Extrum-Fernandez: Paul is vice president for institutional advancement at Pacific School of Religion
- This article is from May/June 2009 issue of Interpreter

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It is difficult to speak of generous leadership in a time marked by greed, malfeasance and economic uncertainty. yet, it is precisely the time for those of us who serve God's people to consider the enabling power of generosity.

"Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back." (Luke 6:38, NRSV).

Luke places this verse within a larger context of Jesus' teaching to His disciples - reflecting on blessings and woes, love for our enemies and forbearance from passing judgment upon others. It also reminds us that God's "measure" of our lives is directly related to our "measure" of our relationships to others.

I cannot help but think of cookie recipes that call for one cup of packed brown sugar. I tend to be an overzealous abider of cooking law, pressing and packing every possible grain of sugar into that one cup. I don't want to feel like I have cheated the cookie or myself!

How can we ensure that we "pack" everything we have to give into our relationships with the people we serve? How might we practice generosity in a period of recessionary angst? How can we give it our all when we feel like we have little or nothing more to give?

In a recent conversation with some of my staff, we were discussing some of the concerns we f ace as an organization. As I was outlining some of the issues, one of my younger colleagues chimed in and reminded me of the opportunity we have to think and act creatively - especially in these financially challenging days.

It was during this encounter that I understood more fully the relationship between leadership and generosity. Whether we call it "thinking outside the box." creative engagement or even "wishful thinking," our opportunity as leaders in the church is to explore today where we would not have yesterday. Ideas are not in short supply, only our willingness to receive them as leaders. God's generous gift to us is the capacity to see hope in places where before we would not have dreamed it could be found.

Generous leadership is more than just a substantial financial contribution - although that certainly incarnates it! Generous leadership is more about leading with a spirit of grace and compassion. Living and leading generously means discerning between the frivolous and the meaningful. Too often in our local churches we leaders can become sidetracked by petty arguments so that we miss seeing God's activity within and beyond our doors.

Jesus' invitation is before us: Keep our eyes and hearts on God's eternal promises. "Give and it will be given to you." Press down your measure, shake it well and share it abundantly. Our witness as Christian leaders is an invitation for those who encounter us to follow our example.

Remembering Columbine

10 years ago today, April 20th 1999, the actions of two high school boys, shocked our nation. Two boys perpetrated horrific acts of violence that resulted in the death of 12 students, one teacher and the injuries of 23 other students before the tragedy ended with their suicides. Ranked the fourth deadliest school massacre in the United States, Columbine High School is remembered this day.

10 years ago today, I was a high school senior in Colorado, not too far from Columbine H.S. I was at home that Tuesday and remember receiving the phone call from a friend that something had happened and I had better turn on my TV. I did just that, and watched in horror as students my age ran from their high school, leaving others behind whose names would be remembered forever. I remember feeling for the first time, that my little safety bubble had been burst. I realized the reality that is our world in a completely different light than I had ever before. I recall to this day, participating in concert competitions at Columbine High School. I remember walking the same halls shown on TV and I remember sitting in that cafeteria and the library during a debate competition. In fact, I remember having met one of the killers briefly during that debate competition. I will never forget that face.

As today is a day of remembrance, it is also a day of great grief for those who buried their loved ones ten years ago. It is a day when we continue to reflect on humanity and wonder if we've really come that far at all? Our country has seen many more tragedies since that day like 9/11 and the Virgina Tech shootings, just to name a few. I know many are praying for the families of the students and the teacher who were lost. I can't help but wonder though, if anyone is praying for the families of the shooters? I know its hard to wrap our heads around such a thing sometimes, but did they not also loose their sons? Their babies? Are they not living every day with the guilt of what their son's did? I cannot imagine a greater burden.

As I remember that day and the days that followed, I pray for all who suffered. As I can recall the funerals that were televised, the agony on the faces of the parents, the flag at half staff, the endless array of columbines seen everywhere, even the dedication page at the end of my senior year book, I pray. I pray that no other parent ever has to suffer that way again. I pray that we can overcome the evils that lurk within all of us to avoid such tragedy in the future. I pray that we can learn to live out of love and not out of selfishness and hate. I pray that the families have found forgiveness in their hearts and that the families of the killers have been able to forgive themselves for the guilt they have adopted. I pray that as a parent, I never have to see my child's school on TV and wonder if they're alive. I just pray that we never forget our past so that we can avoid repeating it in our future. Our world needs healing. May we all pray for that, each and every day.

Day of Fasting and Prayer

Tomorrow I will observing a day of fasting and prayer and would like to invite anyone who would like to participate.

It doesn't take long for us to realize how badly our world is hurting. People across the globe are in need of our prayers and the healing of the Holy Spirit. Some qualify prayer as "the least they can do" but prayer is the first thing we should always do. Before we give advice, donate money, cook a meal, go on a mission trip, protest injustice or make any decision, we should be in prayer. It seems like an overwhelming task to be in prayer constantly, but the more you practice it, the more it becomes like breathing to you and you realize that you actually never stop praying, you're just in a constant dialogue with God. Prayer is a powerful agent of transformation in our world and not only touches the prayed for, but also the pray-er.

A list of things I will be praying for tomorrow are listed below. Please let me know if there is anything I can pray over you about. Also, let myself and those reading know if you will be praying and fasting with us and what things you might be praying over. God bless all of you this day, and may the presence of Christ be felt in your lives.

Prayer List

• Robin - who suffers from MS and is considering a new and risky treatment. Also for Robin's family and direct caregivers that they made me strengthened and confident in the will of God.
• For marriages across the world - for those about to be married, newly married, happily and unhappily married and for those marriages ending in divorce.
• For those suffering in Uganda, Rwanda, Darfur and other parts of our aching world who are in such great need of hope and love and healing.
• For the women of Afghanistan who have been sentenced to marriages condoning rape and who are being stoned for protesting.
• For the women, men and children who are being trafficked around the world in the labor and sex slave trades.
• For the families around the world and here in the United States who are suffering because of lost jobs, lost retirements, a sluggish economy and who are in need of hope.
• For inmates in our prison systems that they might seek and find the face of God. That redemption and salvation may surround them and those who are in danger of being a part of the prison system. We also pray for the families of victims as well as the families of perpetrators. We pray for those who serve our prison systems with honor and those who disgrace it with their hatred and prejudice.
• For those who desperately long for a family but are faced with infertility. Those who cannot afford expensive treatments or adoption.
  
• For those in the armed forces and government who take seriously their oath to serve and protect as well as for those who have lost sight of their call to service and integrity and have fallen into corruption.
• For the teachers who wake up every morning in the face of adversity to teach our children and who grow to love and nurture our children into the people God created them to be. We pray also for those teachers who lack the commitment to make a difference and who become stumbling blocks to students.
• For doctors and nurses, pharmacists and techs who work around the clock in their mission to seek out healing and wellness and to serve the sick. We also pray for our pharmaceutical companies, crooked doctors and insurance companies who often stop believing and having faith in the power to make a difference in lives of those around them.
• For public figures who could do so much good with their fame, yet choose only to spread ungodly behavior. We also pray for those public figures who strive to live a righteous life, one of honor and dignity and class.
• For the leaders of our states and nations, that they may be led by the Holy Spirit and not by their own will. That they take their leadership seriously so to make a real difference in this world. We pray that they understand the importance of caring for humanity, of seeking peace and resolution, not war and torture and chaos. We also pray that they lean not on their own understanding but on God's.
• For those who have been lost and are not yet found. We pray that these, our brothers and sisters, take a step out in faith and get to know Jesus as we have gotten to know him. We pray for their salvation, for their transformation and for their enlightened walk. We also pray for the friends and families of these brothers and sisters, and ask God's blessing on them all.

This is just a short list of all that I will be praying for. In encourage you to add your prayer requests to this list and to consider joining me tomorrow in prayer and fasting.

Maundy Thursday - A Look at this Day in Holy Week

The Last Supper by Da Vinci

Maundy Thursday, also know as Holy Thursday or Great Thursday, is the day directly preceding Good Friday. Today, is Maundy Thursday. But what happened on this day so long ago that we remember every Easter season?

Four main events occurred on Thursday. The first, is Christ washing the feet of his disciples. The second is, as pictured so famously above, the last supper or Eucharist - Christ's celebration of the passover with the disciples. Third is the time Jesus spent in the Garden of Gethsemane in prayer with God. And finally, this day is a rememberance of the betrayal of Judas.

Many churches in various denominations celebrate and recognize Maundy Thursday. You may find your own church or churches near you holding services Thursday and Friday night this week as well as Easter morning.

It is so easy for us to only remember the resurrection story and although that is a pivotal chapter, we can not fully appreciate the weight it carries if we do not acknowledge and understand the events that unfolded before that glorious day. We must remember the fully human Jesus, who suffered, who prayed, who was humble and who was forgiving. We must remember why it is we partake in Eucharist or Holy Communion. You know, I find a great comfort in picturing my savior in the garden with God this night. Knowing that Christ had human feelings, that he prayed and asked for God's help, is the beauty of the essence of Christ. And to know, that even knowing all that he did, Christ surrendered himself to God's will. Something very few of us can claim we do...surrendering to God's will over our own.

Tomorrow is a heavy day filled with emotion and grief and despair. But for many it is also filled with hope, but, that's because we know the rest of the story. Tonight and tomorrow, as you reflect on the Crucifixion of our Lord, think about how it might have felt to have been at his feet and to see your faith and your hope crucified along with your Lord. How great that despair must have felt. Also reflect on the sacrifice to be made tomorrow. God wasn't the only one who sacrificed Jesus for us. Christ willing sacrificed himself. Jesus is divine, but he was also human. He knew what it was like to have our fears and emotions and he said yes to this great suffering for us, for the Kingdom of God. There is much more to all of this than just Easter bunnies and Lily's. Feed your soul and seek the truth.

Good Friday Poem

In preparation for Good Friday, here is a poem for reflection.

The choices, even though You knew the lines

You’d have to cross for me
You made them anyway
Voices, as You knelt there in the garden
‘Neath the olive tree
You heard me call Your name
I cannot pretend to understand it all
But heaven knew the reason You were there

It was all about a man

It was all about a cross

It was all about the blood that was shed

So I would not be lost

It was all about the love

That was bigger than a life

It was all about a freedom that was given

Through Your sacrifice

‘Cause You would rather die

Than to ever live without me

Helpless, that’s humanity

Without Your saving grace

So misled

Selfless, You could have called ten thousand angels

Down to take Your place

But You took mine instead

I cannot pretend to understand it all

But heaven knew the reason You were there

A greater love has no one than this:

That he will lay his life down for his friends

- Jody McBrayer

Wednesday Prayer for Holy Week

The associate pastor of my church shared this prayer with me today and I want to share it with you. Be blessed.

Lord, You have always given
bread for the coming day;
and though I am poor,
today I believe.

Lord, You have always given
strength for the coming day;
and though I am weak,
today I believe.

Lord, You have always given
peace for the coming day;
and though of anxious heart,
today I believe.

Lord, You have always kept
me safe in trials;
and now, tried as I am,
today I believe.

Lord, You have always marked
the road for the coming day;
and though it may be hidden,
today I believe.

Lord, You have always lightened
this darkness of mine;
and though the night is here,
today I believe.

Lord, You have always spoken
when time was ripe;
and though you be silent now,
today I believe.

(Hat tip to Gavin for this prayer from the Northumbria Community)

Non-Negotiable Factors of Christ

I'm currently sitting in my Systematic Theology class. The professor has asked the class to consider two very compelling questions. I'm curious what your answers might be.

1. What are the non-negotiable factors about Jesus of Nazareth?

2. What significance does Jesus as the Christ have for you?

"He is With You"

I came across this video/song for the first time this morning. It has ministered to me in a priceless way. I hope that by sharing it with you that you will also have a renewing hope in your hearts today.

"He is With You" - by Mandisa

Thankfully Thoughtful Thursday

It's a bit of a dreary day here in the neighborhood. The wind has been blowing my new flowers (and my attempt at a good hair day) around and the sky looks like it could unleash a downpour at any moment. Never-the-less, it seems calm and uneventful. Very few cars have driven by. My phone has been eerily silent today and my son is napping like the little angel he is.

My heart has been heavy and my mind stirred. Seems like my allergies aren't the only things this wind is rousing up. But I must say, it has been a great day for thoughtful reflection. With gray skies, the house is darker. I collected some of my favorite candles for meditation and lit them, allowing the fragrance to fill the room. I then proceeded to enjoy a very calm yet intense Pilate's workout. Now that I had centered my body, it was time to center my mind.

One thing I've started doing more lately is meditation. I find a great sense of peace and stress relief when I do it. The music, especially when I listen to Tibetan singing bowls and traditional Indian flute, whisk me away into beautiful zen. Though both the Japanese and the Sanskrit languages have words and definitions for zen, I enjoy that the Chinese refer to zen as "quietude". This sort of plays off of where I was going on my last post. This fundamental concept of simply being still.

Stillness is nearly impossible in a world of ringing phones, screaming children and endless stress. But when I am able to truly center myself physically and mentally, I find that my ability to center myself spiritually is heightened. When I'm truly "quite", I can sense the Holy Spirit deeper and I can meditate on the Word of God.

These days, in this time of lent, when we are approaching the heart wrenching realization of Good Friday, I believe we are called to be quite. Jesus, on the night in the Garden of Gethsemane, sought the quiet, the stillness in order to truly communicate with God. I think about how Christ must have felt those last days. How he knew of betrayal, but loved anyway. How Jesus knelt before God and prayed like we pray, even to the point of asking for pardon. But in the midst of this garden, in the knowing of what was to come, Christ had confidence in God's will. In a similar position, or even in the trials we are facing today, do we have the same confidence? Are we quiet enough, often enough and good enough to hear God? To pray for God's will to be done?

Good Friday is also a day when we remember the sins we've committed that we know we shouldn't have. We recall the pain we've caused Jesus with our transgressions.

Whatever you need to do to be quiet, do it for yourself, as an Easter gift. Give yourself the time to be thoughtful and reflective on what this season really means. Also, take this time to be naked (in the spiritual sense) before God asking for forgiveness for that which you need to repent of. Lastly, be thankful. Thankful for the sacrifice of God, the suffering of Christ and the forgiveness of your sins. I'm a firm believer that unless you take the time to truly reflect on that which happened on Good Friday, you will never fully appreciate the gift that is Easter. Do yourself this favor. I promise, it will have a renewing and transforming affect.

Be Blessed!

Stranded on a Saturday Morning

So, here I am. Stranded. Unable to get home due to weather conditions and overwhelmed by my lack of control on any of the recent circumstances. I feel powerless and much to my family's displeasure, my untamed ADD induced control freak is starting to loose her cool. So what did I do? I did what any woman in my situation would want to do...I kicked the family out. ;-) Hubs agreed to take the hyper and pent up toddler and give me time to focus on reading and studying. Did I mention that this last week was my reading week for school and I have had the opportunity to read nothing? Well...yup, it was.

So, here I am. Stuck. Alone in a cold hotel room with Fox News muted on the TV and a high stack of books to my side screaming to be read. I have emails stacked up, laundry that must be done, cleaning back home that has to be attended to, bills needing to be payed...life needing to get moving onward. I'm mourning the loss of my grandmother deeply and every moment spent in this town filled with memories of her is increasing my sorrow. I want to get out, to go home. But then when I get home, there will be memories of her everywhere there too. So you see, my mind is scrambled and going at 100 miles a minute and I've only mentioned a small fraction of the things running through my head.

So, here I am. Exacerbated. Unable to accomplish much of anything at all and totally annoyed by my inability to control this situation one iota. I'm upset, I'm sad, depressed, angry, irritated, irrational, over emotional, stressed out and a bit panicked. I feel as if I'm caught in an undertow, my lungs screaming for a breath of air, my eyes burning for the sun, my limbs flailing about trying to find something to hold on to and then...

There I am. Safe. Readjusting to a new world while being comforted by the arms of my Savior. All morning the same words have been running through my mind like the gentle whisper of the wind. "Be Still". God told us in Psalms to "Be still and know that I am God." But in order to know, in order to focus enough on God to know God, that which we can know of God, we must first be still. How hard it really is to be still in our world. It has certainly been a chaotic few weeks for me and I could probably say that of the past few years. Life going at warp speed; often at a speed that feels that it can loose control at any moment. Then I thought some more about this being still.

So, here I am. Overwhelmed. Trying to figure out how to get all the water out of my lungs, how to breathe again. Some might say, "but you're in seminary, you're a preacher, why are you having fears and stress, why are you filled with sorrow when you know the deeper theologically presets to life and death. Why are you questioning?" You see, it's like being one of the disciples in Mark 4 who venture into the sea. They are with Jesus; they have Jesus right there in their boat. And yet, when the storm arises, their most innocent and human emotions take over and they fear. They awake Jesus and ask Him to help. Can't He see that they are all about to drown, all about to die, and why isn't He doing anything? I heard recently that just because Jesus is in our boat, doesn't mean we've stopped being human. God knows that, Christ knew and knows that. Its the faith in knowing that whatever storm we find ourselves in, we are not alone, that indeed Christ is in our boat. We're in the same boat. He understands. He's weathering the same storm with us. He knows we're scared and uncertain. God knew us...God knew we would need help down here to understand ourselves, our emotions, our nature and that which we can know of the nature of God.

So, as I sit here on the shore with Jesus, I can recall just moments ago when the waves seemed to be swallowing me whole. I can hear His voice calling to those waves as he did in Mark 4:39, "Peace, be still." As Christ calmed the waves consuming me, He is also calming me who often attempts to consume myself. What good are the calmed waves, if I myself am not calm or still?

For today, I will be still. I will attempt to quite my mind. To focus my heart, my hurts, my sorrows, my stresses and solidarity to God. It's as if this snow storm that barreled through the Midwest preventing me from getting home, is a catalyst in itself, for me to be still. To think that God could still and calm the storm in my soul through a storm of nature. There is a blessing here. An opportunity for me to embrace. A chance, a gift, of peace and of the moment to be still. God has blocked all other distractions. God is lifting me up today by making me be still.

My prayer then for you, is too embrace the moments in your life where God makes it possible for you to be still. I pray you can realize, as I have for today at least, that we don't have to fill every moment in our lives with activities and plans. That sometimes, all the time, we need to leave time for God to fill our schedules. As hard as it may seem, welcome that red stoplight today. It will only alter a few moments of your day, but in those moments, pray. Take that time to breathe, to be at peace and to be still. Bless you this day and always.

Trying to Get Home

It has been a challenging week in many respects as we've prepared for and laid my sweet precious grandmother to rest. We spent the day today sorting through her home, cleaning, packing, hauling...you know...the fun stuff. Grandma had so many pretty things and it took an entire enclosed trailer and the back of a truck to get the things we're taking back with us loaded up. Now the tricky part is that we're in South Dakota and we're trying to make it back home to Oklahoma. The snow is falling, hammered Colorado and is darting right for Oklahoma/Kansas/Nebraska...right where we're needing to go. We were hoping to head back tomorrow, but I'm not sure how well that will work with a truck hauling a trailer and bad weather. So it looks like my plans to get home and get rested are going right out the window. Of course, the safety of our family is paramount to any desire to get home.

I can't help but feel a little frustrated. In general, I'm a person who likes to take charge, to embrace leadership and to get things accomplished. I like to have a bit of control on my life and not let the world get it all hairied up and out of control. Needless to say, this week, loosing a part of my heart, was quite out of my control and now the weather. I'm exacerbated. I'm really needing to get back home, to get back to some semblance of normalcy, to try and get my life moving forward again. I could just curse this weather system. One more day. All I needed was one more day. GRRRRRR!

Now that I have that out, please think about my family. Hopefully we'll make it home soon. Fingers crossed. :-)

A Walk in the Garden

Tomorrow we will be laying my grandmother to rest. It's been a difficult week but the healing has begun and it has been therapeutic to be around family. Tonight was her visitation/viewing and I never like those. There were so many beautiful flowers and plants from her friends and family. She would have been so pleased.

While cleaning out her home earlier this week, we stumbled across this photo of her being silly and I have fallen in love with it. This is the spirit my grandmother always had and the one that has been passed down to me.

God bless her always as she walks in the garden with her Savior.

Until We Meet Again

Grandma
I will miss you every day since you left.
I will miss you with every breath that I take.
I will miss you every holiday, birthday and celebration.
I will miss your kisses. My God how I'll miss your kisses.
I will miss your hugs, how you squeezed my hand and how you winked at me.
I will miss playing cards with you.
I will miss watching you love on my son, read to him and play balloons.
I will miss how you loved my husband, teased him and took care of him.
I will miss our morning coffee talks at your breakfast table in our pjs.
I will miss tending to your rose garden and watching you stop to smell the roses.
I will miss our phone calls, the way you always made me feel invincible.
I will miss your warmth, your giggles, your smiles and I will really miss your hands.
I will miss how your hands would feel on my face.
I will miss the smell of your perfume, the way you cooked your eggs, how you would tap your feet to music and how you could only ever sip your drinks.
I will miss your well groomed hair and the fact you couldn't go anywhere without your red lipstick.
I will miss sitting next to you in church and hearing you sing to God.
I will miss traveling with you to far off lands, adventuring into the world and sharing liquor filled chocolates.
I will miss your house, your cooking, the way your laundry smelled and how you'd wake up at 4 in the morning when we'd come to visit.
I will miss our walks together, how you always had cranberry juice and cheese puffs when we visited and how we'd enjoy our German wine.
I will miss our weekend trips, watching the Hitchcock version of the Birds and not being able to sleep.
I will miss taking ceramics class with you, your old 'special' colored mugs, Shasta Black Cherry soda and floats on summer nights,
I will miss going to plays with you and singing at Neil Diamond concerts.
I will miss cooking with you and trying to figure out what your 'dash' and 'pinch' really meant (wait...I'll still do that),
I will miss scrapbooking with you for hours at mom's house and sharing our finished products with each other.

Grandma - I will miss you in all that I do. But all that the world has lost, Heaven has gained. I can only imagine the celebration being held for you. I can only cry tears of joy when I think of how it must have felt to reunited with grandpa and the rest of your family and friends you've had to say goodbye to.

Thank you for telling me about the angels and that you saw Heaven. Thank you for all that you were, all that you've made me and all that you always will be. I will never say goodbye to you, grandma. I can't. But I will say until we meet again and I will see you again. Give grandpa and Jesus my love and enjoy grandma. You deserve it.

Prayers Needed

I am asking for prayers today as I just received a call from my mother regarding the status of my grandmother. The home hospice nurse says we are within hours now of Grandma leaving to be with Jesus. We know that Grandma is going to a wonderful place. We are just needing comfort and strength. We are blessed to be surrounded by the presence of God and to know we are not alone. We know that while our tears may be flowing, there will be a glorious reception for her in heaven.

I read a piece of hospice literature the other day and it shared a short story about a sailboat. It talked about us being on one shore and watching this majestic boat with her beautiful sails floating off into the horizon, getting further and further away, smaller and smaller. And though we morn not being able to see her beauty we must remember that on the other side of the horizon is a different shore and on that shore they are witnessing her coming closer and closer and celebrating her arrival.

Grandma will soon be with those she had to watch sail away. And they will be celebrating her arrival. So not all of our tears will be tears of sadness. It won't be long now until grandma is in the arms of God.

Don't Leave it On the Desk

There was a certain Professor of Religion named Dr. Christianson,
a studious man who taught at a small college in the western
United States .
Dr. Christianson taught the required survey course in
Christianity at this particular institution. Every student
was required to take this course his freshman year,
regardless of his or her major.
Although Dr. Christianson tried hard to communicate the essence of
the gospel in his class, he found that most of his students
looked upon the course as nothing but required drudgery.
Despite his best efforts, most students refused to take Christianity
seriously.
This year, Dr. Christianson had a special student named Steve.
Steve was only a freshman, but was studying with the intent
of going on to seminary for the ministry. Steve was popular,
he was well liked, and he was an imposing physical specimen.
He was now the starting center on the school football team,
and was the best student in the professor's class.
One day, Dr. Christianson asked Steve to stay after class so he
could talk with him. “How many push-ups can you do?”
Steve said, "I do a bout 200 every night"
"200?"
That's pretty good, Steve, ' Dr. Christianson said.
"Do you think you could do 300?"
Steve replied, "I don't know.... I've never done 300
at a time."
"Do you think you could?" again asked Dr. Christianson.
"Well, I can try," said Steve.
"Can you do 300 in sets of 10? I have a class project in mind and
I need you to do about 300 push-ups in sets of ten for this
to work. Can you do it? I need you to tell me you can
do it," said the professor.
Steve said, "Well... I think I can...yeah, I can do it."
Dr. Christianson said, "Good ! I need you to do this on
Friday. Let me explain what I have in mind."

Friday came and Steve got to class early and sat in the front of
the room. When class started, the professor pulled out a big
box of donuts. No, these weren't the normal kinds of
donuts, they were the extra fancy BIG kind, with cream
centers and frosting swirls. Everyone was pretty excited it
was Friday, the last class of the day, and they were going
to get an early start on the weekend with a party in Dr.
Christianson's class.
Dr. Christianson went to the first girl in the first row and
asked, "Cynthia, do you want to have one of these donuts?"
Cynthia said, "Yes."
Dr. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked,

"Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Cynthia can have a donut?"
"Sure!"
Steve jumped down from his desk to do a quick ten. Then
Steve again sat in his desk. Dr. Christianson put a donut on
Cynthia's desk..

Dr. Christianson then went to Joe, the next person, and asked,
"Joe, do you want a donut?"
Joe said, "Yes."
Dr. Christianson asked, "Steve would you do ten push-ups
so Joe can have a donut?"
Steve did ten push-ups, Joe got a donut. And so it went, down the
first aisle, Steve did ten push-ups for every person before
they got their donut.

Walking down the second aisle, Dr. Christianson came to Scott.
Scott was on the basketball team, and in as good condition
as Steve. He was very popular and never lacking for
female companionship.
When the professor asked, "Scott do you want a
donut?"
Scott's reply was, "Well, can I do my own push-ups?"
Dr. Christianson said, "No, Steve has to do them."

Then Scott said, "Well, I don't want one then."
Dr. Christianson shrugged and then turned to Steve and asked,
"Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Scott can have a
donut he doesn't want?"
With perfect obedience Steve started to do ten push-ups.
Scott said, "HEY! I said I didn't want one!"
Dr. Christianson said, "Look! This is my classroom, my
class, my desks, and these are my donuts. Just leave it on
the desk if you don't want it." And he put a donut
on Scott's desk.
Now by this time, Steve had begun to slow down a little. He just
stayed on the floor between sets because it took too much
effort to be getting up and down. You could start to see a
little perspiration coming out around his
brow.
Dr. Christianson started down the third row. Now the students
were beginning to get a little angry.
Dr. Christianson asked Jenny, "Jenny, do you want a donut?"
Sternly, Jenny said, "No!"
Then Dr. Christianson asked Steve, "Steve, would you do ten
more push-ups so Jenny can have a donut that she doesn't
want?"
Steve did ten....Jenny got a donut.
By now, a growing sense of uneasiness filled the room. The students
were beginning to say, "No!" and there were all
these uneaten donuts on the desks.
Steve also had to really put forth a lot of extra effort to get these push-ups done for each donut. There began to be a small pool of sweat on the floor beneath his face, his arms and brow were beginning to get red because of the physical effort involved.

Dr. Christianson asked Robert, who was the most vocal unbeliever
in the class, to watch Steve do each push up to make sure he
did the full ten push-ups in a set because he couldn't bear to watch all of Steve's work for all of those uneaten donuts. He sent Robert over to where Steve was so Robert could count the set and watch Steve
closely.
Dr. Christianson started down the fourth row. During his class,
however, some students from other classes had wandered in and sat down on the steps along the radiators that ran down the sides of the room. When the professor realized this, he
did a quick count and saw that now there were 34 students in the room. He started to worry if Steve would be able to make it.
Dr. Christianson went on to the next person and the next and the next. Near the end of that row, Steve was really having a rough time. He was taking a lot more time to complete each set.
Steve asked Dr. Christianson, "Do I have to make my nose
touch on each one?"
Dr. Christianson thought for a moment, "Well, they're
your push ups. You are in charge now. You can do them any way
that you want." And Dr. Christianson went on.
A few moments later, Jason, a recent transfer student, came to the
room and was about to come in when all the students yelled
in one voice, "NO! Don't come in! Stay out!" Jason didn't know what was going on.
Steve picked up his head and said, "No, let him come."
Professor Christianson said, “You realize that if Jason comes in you will have to do ten
push-ups for him?”
Steve said, “Yes, let him come in. Give him a donut.”
Dr. Christianson said, "Okay, Steve, I'll let you get Jason's out of the way right now. Jason, do you want a donut?"

Jason, new to the room, hardly knew what was going on.
"Yes," he said, "give me a donut."
"Steve, will you do ten push-ups so that Jason can have a donut?"
Steve did ten push-ups very slowly and with great effort. Jason, bewildered, was handed a donut and sat down.

Dr. Christianson finished the fourth row, and then started on
those visitors seated by the heaters. Steve's arms were
now shaking with each push-up in a struggle to lift him
against the force of gravity. By this time sweat was
profusely dropping off of his face, there was no sound
except his heavy breathing; there was not a dry eye in the room.
The very last two students in the room were two young women, both

cheerleaders, and very popular.
Dr. Christianson went to Linda, the second to last, and asked,
"Linda, do you want a donut?"

Linda said, very sadly, "No, thank you."
Professor Christianson quietly asked, "Steve, would you do ten
push-ups so that Linda can have a donut she doesn't want?"
Grunting from the effort, Steve did ten very slow push-ups for
Linda.
Then Dr. Christianson turned to the last girl, Susan.
"Susan, do you want a donut?"
Susan, with tears flowing down her face, began to cry. "Dr.
Christianson, why can't I help him?"
Dr. Christianson, with tears of his own, said, "No, Steve
has to do it alone; I have given him this task and he is in
charge of seeing that everyone has an opportunity for a
donut whether they want it or not. When I decided to have a
party this last day of class, I looked at my grade book.
Steve here is the only student with a perfect grade.
Everyone else has failed a test, skipped class, or offered
me inferior work. Steve told me that in football
practice, when a player messes up he must do push-ups. I
told Steve that none of you could come to my party unless he
paid the price by doing your push ups. He and I made a deal
for your sakes."
"Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Susan can have a
donut?"
As Steve very slowly finished his last push-up, with the
understanding that he had accomplished all that was required
of him, having done 350 push-ups, his arms buckled beneath
him and he fell to the floor.
Dr. Christianson turned to the room and said, "And so it
was, that our Savior, Jesus Christ, on the cross, plead to
the Father, 'Into thy hands I commend my spirit.' With the understanding that He had done everything that was required of Him, He yielded up His life. And like some of those in this room, many of us leave the gift on the
desk, uneaten."

Two students helped Steve up off the floor and to a seat,
physically exhausted, but wearing a thin smile.
"Well done, good and faithful servant," said the professor,
adding, "Not all sermons are preached in words."
Turning to his class, the professor said, "My wish is that you
might understand and fully comprehend all the riches of
grace and mercy that have been given to you through the
sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He spared not
His only Begotten Son, but gave Him up for us all, for the
whole Church, now and forever. Whether or not we choose to
accept His gift to us, the price has been paid."
"Wouldn't you be foolish and ungrateful to leave it lying on the
desk?"


** This story was received via email. I hope you enjoyed its sentiments.**

Walking Her Home

A friend of mine heard a song on the radio a couple months back and suggested a give it a listen. She said to be sure I'm not driving when I listen to it because it will cause tears. I pulled it up on iTunes and listened and indeed, was drawn instantly to tears. The song is Walking Her Home by Christian artist Mark Schultz.

It's a beautifully written montage to a couple deeply in love and as life does, it had run its course. It starts with a love story and the image of a young man walking his date home. It ends with an old man holding a dying woman; walking her home. See...emotional.

This is especially emotional to me. I feel in some ways as if I'm filling those walking shoes. Probably one of the most influential and adored persons in my life has been my grandmother. I could honestly write a book on all that makes her who she is and it would not even sniff and doing her justice. Simply - she's something else. But now, she's tired. She's a champion fighter whose on her last round and I know it. I hate it, I ache it, but I know it.

I'm still lucky enough to have her right now and unlike my grandfather's final days, she's in good memory and knows what's going on. She holds me son, my miracle, and it fills me with warmth. To see two of the most precious people in my life love each other as much as they do. Great grandson and Great grandma. My miracle and my hero. I'm blessed to know this, to recognize this and to embrace the moments for what they are. She's near, living with my parents, and we can spend these final days, weeks, months of her life with her. I know it's closer to the end of her time with us than I'd like and these days things seem, well, like the end.

As my heart is breaking from the inside out and my world seems to be fogged by impending grief, I take comfort in knowing that this is not the end for us. There are more days ahead; days with our Lord. I believe in a God so great and who transcends all understanding. I believe in the hope and love Jesus gave us, the grace that confirms to us that there is much more around the bend. I've read and heard the stories like everyone else about the encounters with heaven. I know there's more. I'm just sad...really sad. I'm selfish and I don't want her to go. I don't want to give her up. Not yet. Not ever.

But at the end of the day, I get on my knees and thank God that I have the opportunity and the chance, in my grandfather's absence, to be one of those lucky enough to be walking her home.


Walking Her Home - The funniest movie is here. Find it

Teen Pregnancy - Fad or Fate

While taking a break for lunch today, I was catching up on the headlines and read an article on Bristol Palin. You know, the center of controversy for Gov. Sarah Palin's VP run?

As a recap, Bristol is the eldest daughter of the Palin's and during the candidacy, she was a hot topic issue - teen pregnancy. News outlets across the globe worked tirelessly to tarnish the image and reputation of a politician at the expense of a child. I know, another great showing for the media. Way to go!!!

Anyway, Ms. Bristol has recently given birth to a healthy baby boy named Tripp and she's engaged to the father. She claimed in an interview on Fox recently that it wasn't her mother's decision for her to keep the baby, it was her decision and she made it. Further, the father was in full support of both the baby and the upcoming marriage. Given sociological statistics, I think it would be best not to judge and just wait and see what happens in light of the coming attraction.

As a woman and a mother, I was impressed by both Gov. Palin as well as Bristol for their absorption of the ugly punches as well as the class they exuded during the campaign.

But in this recent article / interview, Bristol said something that (of course) would become the headline...she said she didn't believe that abstinence was realistic. Hmmm...interesting statement. I must admit that I have not been able to read the entire transcript from the interview, but of course the article does not say anything in line to why she said that, in what context and what else was said.

However, let's take this idea for a minute and play with it. Is abstinence, in this global community, really realistic? The side question for me on that, is whether or not the so-called educational systems excuse for "sex ed" is even working or simply a waste of time and resources? And if it is a waste, what are we missing as a society and Christians? What are we neglecting to visualize for the future?

As teenagers, which we've all been, we can all acknowledge the inarguable influence of not just peer pressure, but unabashed adolescent hormones. We've all tried and we know that hormones CANNOT be turned off no matter what anyone says or how much you love Jesus. But, can the mind really overcome the matter? Can the spirit/Spirit triumph over the temptation?

For many parents facing this issues today, they had experienced sexual activity during their teen years. Once you become a parent, your visualization changes, for arguably a number of reasons and you simply don't want your children falling in the same traps you did. But can we stop them? Can we control everything? Who sells chastity belts? Catch my drift.

I've meet wonderful Christian parents who established a loving and moral home for their children and did everything one can imagine right in raising their children. But, their children still made their own decisions, good and bad. I have also witnessed what some may say are horrible parents, the worst of influences imaginable. And yet, their children grew up making the right choices, some even ending up abstinent until marriage.

What then are the sociological, psychological and theological factors thus involved? Is teen pregnancy not just something for our crazed popular culture or did it indeed exist since the beginning of time? After all, every generation has their fare share of teen pregnancy's in and out of marriage...so where is the standard, the moral, the idea? Are girls in the spotlight like Bristol Palin, Jamie Lynn Spears or the Massachusettes pregnancy pact creating a recent fade of teen pregnancies? Or is it that new car syndrome, where once you buy a new car, you suddenly see that car everywhere? So, we become brutalized by the media through one teen pregnancy story and now we notice all teen pregnancy stories? So I ask you, Fad or Fate?

We were created inherently good, yet born with sin. So is it even avoidable to face sexual activity and teen pregnancy?

I think humans intend well with everything. I think there are astringent socio and psychological issues involved in each situation and that we must be incredibly cautious when daring to judge on something that is not concrete but fluid in social context and realities. I believe that we all sin and do things we know aren't the best choices and some people end up with harder consequences as a result. I'd rather my teenage daughter (which I don't have by the way - just hypothetical) come to me with a pregnancy issue and wanting to keep the baby, than coming to me with HIV, wanting an abortion, other STD's, rape. At least I could have the peace that it was consensual and that babies are blessings irregardless the box they come in. I would be better equipped to deal with that than the other. Though I would find a way to work with the other, I would have more natural resources for the first.

I don't wish young sexual drama on anyone and I wish we could make our young people understand that...but did we listen at their age? So how do you confront this?

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USS Cole - Obama Say What??

Outraged. The bird is the word and the bird is Cuckoo!

While watching the news I heard something that outraged me. President Obama had issued an order to halt court proceedings on all prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, the Navy Detention Center which has been the center of many human rights issues over the last 8 years.

Unfortunately, one of those cases, was against the leader and head strategist behind the bombing of the USS Cole in 2000. This man, suspected Al Qaeda bomber Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, has thus had all charges against him, wait for it....DROPPED!

I believe in justice and I believe in innocent until proven guilty. However, the evidence against Mr. al-Nashiri, is indisputable. As I understand it, there is a possible opportunity to re-draw up charges against him, but...this will no doubt lead to a dangerous time of reprieve.

So my questions to you are: have you heard about this, what do you think, what have you heard and if you were advisor to the President, what would you tell him to do?

Praying for Health

My grandmother has been struggling with her health over the last couple of years. Today she is back in the hospital. I will tell you more of this wicked web of a story, but please say some prayers for her and for our family as we figure out how to proceed from here.