THANK YOU SIR! MAY I HAVE ANOTHER?

At this time of graduations and school finishing I was reminded of a grad ceremony that I was at a number of years ago. It was a normal grad banquet where each individual graduate took turns giving speeches and telling the proud parents and friends of their reflections on the past and their plans for the future.

Into this scene of tuxes and gowns stood a young man named Gideon. And like his biblical counterpart this young man was about to stand out from his peers and say something that rocked his friends and all who were listening.

Well… he said… his voice hesitating on every word, I would first like to thank the Lord for his kindness to me.” We all smiled as we listened once again to the same words that we knew every graduate would say. Then Gideon said something that surprised us all. This 18 year old high school graduate said, “I would like to thank my parents for spanking the daylights out of me when I needed it.”

Laughter broke out throughout the room as we could not believe what this young man was saying. Thanking them for spanking him? It is impossible to look cool and thank your parents for a spanking you! But he was very serious. He was thankful for the discipline his parents has given him. Wow! I was amazed!

So are we? Are we thankful for those times when God disciplines us with the straight hardness of the rod rather than the soft curve of the staff? Are we thankful when we are taken out behind the woodshed and taught the lessons of life? So many of us no longer really understand the principles that are laid out so well in scripture. We would rather choose to avoid the pain and the deep lessons that God intends to teach us. Maybe as we walk toward this father’s day we will once again be reminded about the love that our father has for us even when he appears to be interested in nothing but disciple…

Hebrews 12:7-11
Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Are you my Daddy?



Try this thought stream on for size.



Where as Children are always looking for affirmation...

and where as historically Children have received said affirmation from their Dad...

and where as psychologists almost completely agree that the majority of a child's self-esteem comes from their interaction and encouragement from their fathers...

and where as our society has a complete and utter vacuum of healthy male role models, and even fewer father figures...

and where as the internet, blogs, chat rooms, my space, youtube, lavalife and the like have now replaced the personal affirmation benefactor in the lives of children (old and young) world wide.


Be it resolved that from this moment on we officially change the name from the internet and begin to call it by the name indicative of the purpose it is serving worldwide...DAD.

Has Daddie been replaced by Google?

oh come on...be bold...think about it...it's dark, you've caps locked your home you are tucking your children in bed...they have logged off for the night and are ready to let their screensaver take the daily images away...you gently backspace their sheets under their mainframe, set their real player playlist with some calming and soothing music that will help them defrag their day...

Until they can esc in the morning...and press start to a new day...

tickle tickle...google loves you...

A Discussion about the "H" Word.

I have a question to all those associated with the emerging generation in the church. I was challenged today that the entire reformation that is occurring within the Christian church today is actually the great falling away described in revelations...

Any thoughts?

The reason I ask is because there seems to be a complete absence of the word Holiness in the lingo and the lifestyle of those who are leading the reformation... Have you noticed a low level of personal integrity when it comes to issues like drinking, swearing...and drug abuse... and other things that in other generations would be considered taboo?

Are these now social norms and as such are covered by the bibles understanding of Matthew 15:11... (I have a hard time believing that.) or is this generation simply, under the ruse of "the creation of new worship" and "experience", rejecting the standards of behaviour that they don't choose to follow? Under the guise of being contemporary and relational have the reformers lost the holiness that Jesus describes when he asks us to also be holy?

I'm not convinced that this is the case but it sure begs a discussion. So are we the generation that is falling away or is the existing church in fact the ones who have rejected holiness as described in prophesy?

Now that I have offended all my friends...thoughts anyone?

Thought for the moment...

"Great spirits have often encountered violent opposition from weak minds." Albert Einstein

How can you not trust a face like that--->