Becoming

What a great weekend! I got the opportunity to go back home to our previous church and lead worship for students during their D-Now weekend. The rust was apparent, but I had a great time and hopefully somehow it was effective. I'm very thankful to our great friends Jeff and Wini for giving us opportunities to serve and work with students that we love very much.

We've been gone from there for over three years now so there were many new faces, but several familiar ones as well. It's always fun to see which students have stepped up to become the leaders of the group, and to see where God is leading them. The theme of the weekend was "Becoming," as in becoming the person that God is shaping you to be. The Bible study leaders talked about, and gave examples from their own lives, how events, relationships, passions, and struggles have ultimately helped make them who they are. The students were challenged to recognize how God is preparing them for what He has in store for them, and challenged to go and do hard things -- to not simply coast along even though teenagers are typically given plenty of opportunity to do so.

We saw several students respond. Some were ready to take hard things that had happened to them and let them strengthen them. Others were resolved to start fresh. I also heard more than one leader make the comment that the 'becoming' process wasn't finished for them either. I think they are right. It seems that we are continually squeezed and shaped by things both good and bad. We are constantly being prepared, and I'm thankful for that.

-Jeff

That's it, I'm going back...

So we've been going through Galatians in our class on Sunday mornings, and Smith is apparently convinced that they were in a city called Galos. Regardless of where they were, Paul was clearly frustrated with their behavior. When he was with them previously, it made sense. They understood the gospel and had been set free by its truth. However, once he left they began reverting back and trying to rely on the Law they had been set free from.

Over and over he tries to explain how foolish they have been. Then there's this comment where Paul calls them his "little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you!" (Gal 4:19) Now, after just witnessing Drew's entrance into the world, I can clearly see the frustration that Paul was trying to express. I'd hate to be the messenger that had to tell Kel: "You did a great job on that delivery. Let's try again, and maybe he'll stay out this time . . ."

It's a pretty foolish picture, but I can understand the desire. It's what they knew - it was comfortable. I'm pretty convinced that Drew, given how crazy and loud his brother and sister (and me) can make it around here, might think that the comfort and security of the womb doesn't sound too bad right now. But the truth is, he's so much better off where he is. It may not be as comfortable as before, but he's growing. Things may not always make sense, but we're here to take care of him and guide him, and hopefully one day they will.

Sometimes it's easy to fall back into things have already been overcome. For the Galatians, it was a dependence on a Law that only exposed their sin - instead of the gospel that defeats it. For me, sometimes it's sin, often it's insecurity.

What is it for you?

-Jeff

Amazed

Friday was the last day at work of a guy that I've worked with for a few years. He is a pretty interesting guy. He loves music, plays a little guitar, and is also deaf. I believe with a little help (and volume) there are a few frequencies he can pick up which allows him to hear somewhat. He is also an excellent lip reader and it usually seemed perfectly natural to have a normal conversation with him - even though all the while he probably actually heard very little if any of my voice.

As he was saying his goodbyes the subject of his deafness came up and he made a comment that was essentially this: Don't pity people who have a disability who don't fight and find a way to overcome it and live out a "normal" life. I was kind of torn. Obviously, he is a good example of someone who enjoys a lot of life that you wouldn't expect someone with his disability could. However, I thought that was an extremely broad statement and surely there are a ton of disabilities that would truly prohibit someone from agreeing with that.

I went back to my desk thinking about that and happened to see a link to this video. It's of a high school wrestler from Ohio named Dustin Carter - and it is truly amazing. Dustin has no arms or legs. Did I mention he is a wrestler? Did I also mention that I read he was 41-3 in his matches this past season? You can see him in action here.

Wow. My excuses seem pretty lame at this point.

-Jeff

Dreaming of a white Easter?

What a day... A few hours before I took this photo, the kids and I were playing in the back yard, enjoying the sunshine and the warm weather. I remember sitting on the swing with Ben, neither of us even needing a jacket, thinking "I'm glad the cold weather is finally gone . . ." That's what I get for thinking. I never saw it coming.

Great worship service this morning. The place was loud, the church responded, and the joy was contagious. And it should be. We remember "Friday" - all was lost. But it's Sunday now. The tomb is empty. Death couldn't hold on. The price was paid. There is hope.

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Romans 6:5-11

How amazing is that? However dark Friday was, it's Sunday now.

Happy Resurrection Day!

-Jeff

Late night, or was it an early morning?

One night/morning this week I was up with Andrew trying to help Kel get some rare - and well deserved - sleep. Seems like it was around 4 am. He was wide awake, of course, and I was somewhere in between. We made our laps around the living room and kitchen, just trying to hold off the inevitable when he decides that he's had enough and let's everyone know that it's time for him to eat.

As we were making our way around the house, I started thinking about how much has changed for our family in the past year. I would have been shocked to look a year into the future and see myself holding a little newborn! The older kids have changed so much, Drew has arrived, we've moved to a different house, pre-school, etc. It's all happened really fast, but much has changed. The interesting thing was, though, a year ago I was completely clueless to all of it.

This time last year, I really had no idea that we would shortly start talking about the possibility of looking for a new house. I was not seriously considering whether or not we should think about having another child. To be honest, I don't have a clue what my expectations for the year would have even been at that point. The only thing I'm sure of is that I saw none of this coming.

I'm not a planner by nature, but I'm married to one. We make a pretty good team in that department, and we're almost always on the same page about where our family is going. But really, we have no clue. One unexpected event can cause us to abandon our most firm plans. This year, the unexpected has been good for us. It won't always be that way, and I was feeling the weight of that reality the other night. As much joy as we've seen lately, eventually there will be hurt, sadness, and loss. That's the reality of the fallen world we live in. Try as we might to avoid it, we can't, no matter how much we plan. For now, I'll take comfort in this:

Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. Proverbs 19:21 ESV

Thank you God that your grace is constant - and enough - regardless of our circumstances. And thank you that you have bigger and better plans for us than we can come up with on our own.

-Jeff

Integrity matters?

If you follow college basketball at all, and perhaps even if you don't, you've no doubt seen the mess that is the current state of Indiana basketball. It seems odd to call it a mess. I mean, after all, they are 22-4 so far, easily their best season in several years, and just knocked off their bitter rival Purdue. However, there is a huge gray cloud hanging over the program after recruiting violations by coach Kelvin Sampson have surfaced.

I am never shocked when these types of violations occur anymore. They have become all too common. Although, Sampson had already gotten caught for the same exact type of violations at his previous school and had pledged that it was an honest mistake due to his ignorance of the rules. Indiana, knowing of the previous problems, took him at his word. Kind of hard to argue that excuse this time around, though.

What does surprise me, though, is the reaction of the program and especially that of the fans in this situation. There is outrage at all levels. People want him gone - even though they're winning! It's easy to have that reaction when things aren't going well. However, this is a program that is historically used to winning - a lot - and lately they haven't been. They've been restless, eager for the success they had grown accustomed to. Under Sampson the last two years, there have been signs that things could be turning around. Momentum has been building and this team should go into the tournament as one of the top seeded teams with a realistic shot to go pretty deep. Now, it looks as if it will go to the tournament without it's head coach.

Would this be the reaction everywhere? I have to think not. I mean, we are just talking about phone calls here, right? Seems these infractions could be minimized, you know, in comparison to the greater good that is being accomplished. Well, at Indiana at least, it appears not. I have to hand it to them, it appears that they might just send the message that integrity still means something, perhaps even more than winning.

And who would have thought that Indiana fans might just be wishing for the good ol "non-controversial" days of Bobby Knight . . . :)

-Jeff

Home!

Wow. The past few days have absolutely been a blur. I remember the snow and ice. I remember all of the waiting and frustration at home waiting on the hospital to call and say a bed had opened up. I remember being tired. Then Andrew Franklin was born and I remember forgetting all of that stuff.

It's hard to believe that Drew is finally here, and that today we all got to come home. I remember when we brought Ally home. I remember thinking "Uh, oh. We're on our own and we have this baby that is completely dependent on us. What do we do!?..." It was pretty overwhelming and kind of scary. I still felt like a kid myself and suddenly I'm responsible for a kid!? With Ben, we were anxious to finally get him home since he had to stay in the hospital longer. There was a sense of relief because he was getting healthier and stronger. There was still a little uncertainty in going from 1 child to 2, but mostly relief.

This time, I'm just ready for all of our family to be together. I love being a dad. I love all of these crazy kids running around the house. I love what our family has become and is becoming.

Welcome home, Andrew.

-Jeff