What’s this white stuff on the ground?

posted by Bond, Daniel on Dec 30, 2009 @ 10:21:46

Well, Jenny and I arrived in Ohio today.  We are visiting her parents and family that live here outside of Cleveland.  It’s about 20 degrees with 10" of snow on the ground!  Quite the change for the Texas born-and-raised boy.  I can’t decide if I love the snow and the cold or hate it.  We’ll find out soon enough.  But, one thing’s for sure--I love seeing God’s grace manifested in various places and people.  Flying over Lake Erie and seeing all the snow covered lands around it really is a stunning site and, yet again, another tribute to God’s creativity and faithfulness.  

We are approaching the New Year.  It’s so hard to believe that another decade has come and gone.  It really feels like yesterday that we were stocking up on barrels of water and huge sacks of dried beans, bracing ourselves for the unexpected Y2K.  I think we still have some of those beans.  I’ve never been too good on the whole "new years resolution" thing.  But, one thing I have already resolved to do, even now, before 1-1-10...Look for the evidences of God’s grace in my life and in the lives of others.  It is so easy to just float through life, taking advantage of the goodness and riches of our Savior, without stopping to recognize the sweet gift that it truly is.  Recognizing the evidences of God’s grace will do a number of things for us, His children, but 2 things specifically.  First, we have to be actively looking for the evidences of God’s grace.  This develops in us an attitude of intentionality.  It is not something that should just "happen" upon us.  We should do this, and live life on purpose.  Secondly, this "resolution" creates and fosters humble and satisfied children.  Worshiping and recognizing the activity and evidences of God’s grace here on earth should free us from worrying and coveting for we actively recognize that God is in control and all good things come from Him. Being able to see God’s activity in our personal life inhibits us from being too arrogant, for we must attribute blessings and goodness to God.  Recognizing the grace of God in others’ lives will not allow us to be covetous people; for we are not jealous of others, but thankful for seeing God work not only in our life, but in others, too. For this truly, is a natural response of God’s character--that he faithfully works in all his children.  Recognizing the evidences of God’s grace daily paints a picture of His unfailing love and everlasting presence in our lives.  Consequently, our view of life and circumstances should be shaped as a result of recognizing who God is and how He works.  We should not base our view of God on our circumstances, but rather the lens through which we process life should be defined by our understanding of God’s character and nature--and this happens by daily recognizing the evidences of God’s grace in our lives and in the lives of others.  As you determine to do this, it becomes habit.  Habits over time become disciplines; disciplines define a lifestyle.

Summer school...the learning never stops

posted by Bond, Daniel on Aug 13, 2009 @ 04:25:25

I’m sitting here at Mugshot sipping a low-fat mocha frap and asking myself where this summer has gone.  It really seems like it was just yesterday i was sitting at my desk, scratching my head and wondering what in the world this summer would look like.  We had several new things planned: Sr. High would be joining the 789s for Reach Camp, I would hire our first intern (Jarrod, who did a killer job!!), I was planning to lead my first trip to China with the recent grads, lake party, first annual Mystery Bus Tour, and lots of other fun activities.  I’ll be honest, I was pretty nervous and a little scared about how this summer would go.  Looking back now, 3 months later and school starting in a couple weeks it was the best summer.  

There were, indeed some disappointments and many hard lessons learned.  Our awesome trip to China was cancelled 2 days before our departure date.  It was pretty complicated, but it came down to a simple answer: God had reasons for closing that door.  I’ll admit, I was probably more heartbroken than any of the students, but i had to face the facts and come to reality.  The biggest question in my mind (even bigger than asking why the trip didn’t happen) was asking myself if I truly owned this faith that I claimed.  I kept being reminded of Job, who in the midst of his peril and turmoil and the trials in his life was able to say, "the Lord gives and he takes away; blessed be His name."  This was tough for me.  It is not always my first response to start praising God when things don’t go the way I was expecting or thought they should go.  I think this was also the pivotal question for many of the students.  But, as Jenny (my wife) and I prayed we had to chose to accept this as God’s love for us.  I was reminded that nothing happens without it passing through two filters:  1. It must pass through the filter of God’s perfect and never-ending love for me, 2.  It must pass through the filter of His unrelenting desire to make me more like Jesus.    I quickly had to trust that I cannot see the whole picture and I cannot wholly understand the depths of God’s love for me or His ability and desire to make me more like Christ.  I have received great hope and rest by trusting this.

But, we did go to Chicago and that’s a whole other story that you will hear about very soon...

Summer fun

posted by Bond, Daniel on Jun 08, 2009 @ 10:44:05

I just want to plug some of our fun events happening this summer. 

This Wed, June 10 we will be playing wet, wacky, crazy fun games. Be sure to bring a towel and change of clothes.  Same time: 7-8:30 pm

Wed, June 17 will be our first annual Mystery Bus Tour.  Meet at FBC at 1pm.  We will return around 11pm.  Cost: $10.  If you have to work or something and can’t meet us at 1pm, there will be another bus leaving FBC at 5:45 to meet up with the rest of the group.  Sign ups are in the Youth Shack.

Sat, June 27 will be our lake party.  Meet at FBC at 1pm.  We will go tubing, skiing, and other fun water sports.  We will grill burgers/hotdogs for dinner.  Just show up and bring a towel and change of clothes.

Camp is July 6-10.

We will have more fun events coming up later in the summer.

Next year

posted by Bond, Daniel on May 14, 2009 @ 03:31:07

Next year, Mavs, next year...still believe

Bad Call...

posted by Bond, Daniel on May 11, 2009 @ 10:14:22

So, if any of you are into the NBA finals as much as I am, then you know that this series has been riddled with some very questionable calls by the officials.  I’m thinking specifically of one on Saturday night with the Dallas Mavericks vs. Denver Nuggets.  Now, I will confess from the start that I am an avid Mavs fan, so naturally I will be a bit biased.  The Mavs were up by 2 with only about 6 seconds left.  They had a foul to give.  Mavs’ player Antoine Wright Carmelo Anthony before he ever pulled up for the shot, but no whistle.  He fired up the off-balance three pointer and nailed it, leaving only 1 second on the clock and giving the Nuggets a 1 point victory.  Now, here’s the ironic part.  There were 61 fouls called in that game, and the refs knew that we had a foul to give and would be using it, but still no whistle blew.  

I won’t go into too many details, but I might have been jumping up and down in my living room, yelling at my t.v. and with a mouth full of dinner asking the referee why he didn’t make the call.  

Here’s the kicker:  About two hours after the game, the league office announced that Wright was right. In a brief statement, NBA president Joel Litvin said, "At the end of the Dallas-Denver game this evening, the officials missed an intentional foul committed by Antoine Wright on Carmelo Anthony, just prior to Anthony’s 3-point basket.’’ (nba.com)

The NBA staff openly admitted it was bad call and the game should have come out differently. A pseudo-apol ogy may have been offered by the league for the missed call that did completely alter the game but, you know what?  That didn’t really make that much of a difference.  Dallas sti ll lost and the Nuggets go up 3-0 in the series.  

Fortunately, life is a little bit different than a basketball game.  I make mistakes all the time.  I do things I shouldn’t do, and I don’t do things that I should be doing.  Anytime I ask for God’s forgiveness and confess to him th at I made a bad call, it may not always change my circumstances, but I know that it always counts and does make a difference in my life.  1 John 1:9 says, "if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  

God does not always take away the pain from our sins.  He does allow us to experience the consequences for our choices, but I live in the freedom of knowing that I’m always forgiven.  But it can’t just stop there.  "bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you."(Col. 3:13).  Take a chance and see how forgiveness in your own life will play out in the game of life.

GO MAVS!

Song...

posted by Bond, Daniel on Apr 20, 2009 @ 05:01:29

Here’s a song from Jars of Clay that I was recently listening to, and it reminded of our talk last night at Powerplant.  Tell me what you think.

"Rose Colored Stained Glass Windows" by Jars of Clay

Another sleepy Sunday, safe within the walls
Outside a dying world in desperation calls
But no-one hears the cries, or knows what they’re about
The doors are locked within, or is it from, without...

Looking through rose colored stained glass windows
Never allowing the world to come in
Seeing no evil and feeling no pain
Making the light as it comes from within, so dim...

Out on the doorstep lay the masses in decay
Ignore them long enough, maybe they’ll go away
When you think you have so much, you have so much to lose
You think you have no lack, but you’re really destitute

Rabbits Don’t Lay Eggs!

posted by Bond, Daniel on Apr 09, 2009 @ 03:29:27

My wife absolutely loves Cadbury Eggs.  I can’t stand them! There’s something that’s just not quite right with them.  Plus, I never really understood what on earth they had to do with Easter.  And honestly, what’s up with the whole Easter Bunny thing?  When I was a kid I always loved when my Grandma and Grandpa would come down from Dallas on Easter weekend and always bring one of those pre-packaged little rolling mini-shopping carts full of candy and all that fake grass and the whole thing was wrapped in bright colored cellophane.  You know what I’m talking about.  Just go to Wally world or K-mart about this time of year and you’ll see them.  I thought they were great, but never quite understood how Easter started looking like a 5 year-old’s birthday party.  

So we’re coming up on Easter this weekend and the Sr. High watched the Passion of the Christ film last night.  I hadn’t seen that movie in about 3 years, and I remembered why.  Definitely an incredible film of realistic proportions, but definitely not a casual movie to hang out with friends and watch on the weekends while stuffing your face with popcorn and m&m’s.  As i sat there last night surrounded by sniffling teenagers i was just further reminded of one thing over and over: How great was the cost of my salvation!

But why is it so that i can realize the weight of my salvation and yet be so hesitant to share this incredible news with others?  Is it really that uncool to talk about a life changing experience?  I mean, come on!  Do you ever find yourself frustrated like this?

From what does Jesus want to save us?

posted by Bond, Daniel on Mar 31, 2009 @ 03:33:18

Jesus Wants to Save Christians by Rob Bell

So, i’ve been slowly making my way through this book.  it’s really a pretty interesting book, but for some reason has just taken me a while to finish it.  Rob Bell and Don Golden are presenting a manifesto of sorts, tracing back to the beginning of humanity to find a track-record of how God saves people/nations and from what He saves them.  Don’t worry, this isn’t going to be a 6th grade book report...

Towards the end of the book, he says, " Jesus wants to save us from making the good news about another world and not this one."  

I’ll admit, I had to read over that phrase a few times.  If you grew up in the church, like I did, then you’ll know that  everything pertaining to the gospel you hear is all about making it to heaven when you die.  I remember as a 6 year old kid obsessed with t-ball and the ninja turtles who became a Christian, that was my primary concern--fire insurance.  While I don’t think entering into a saving relationship with Christ simply for the sake of an eternity in heaven lessens the effect or minimizes the transformation, I wonder how our Christian lives and our methods of sharing Christ’s love would change if we were more intentional about representing the peace and love that Christ has for this world, right here, right now.

This may not seem like much of a change in your thinking, but as I’ve been contemplating this idea and been more intentional about being an immediate picture of Jesus to people, rather than just promising them something to come, i find myself more burdened to love someone in this hurting world now more than I might have then. We don’t need anymore street preachers screaming messages this generation can’t understand; we need little-Christs infecting the coffee shops and ball fields eager to love on someone--a language everyone speaks and receives.