Anne, Nathan, and Joy (Mr. Frank's children), "we are taking pictures of Anne, Nathan, and Joy" (Nathan speaking).
Sunday, December 11, 2005
Narnia Theme Night
A magical world awaited the Awana children on Friday (12/9) as they stepped into the wardrobe and saw the lamppost for the first time while snow flurries floated around them.
Anne, Nathan, and Joy (Mr. Frank's children), "we are taking pictures of Anne, Nathan, and Joy" (Nathan speaking).
Anne, Nathan, and Joy (Mr. Frank's children), "we are taking pictures of Anne, Nathan, and Joy" (Nathan speaking).
Thursday, December 08, 2005
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe: Movie Review
Summary
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe lives up to its promise as one of the most anticipated movies of the year, bringing to the big screen the first of the seven beloved children’s tales by C.S. Lewis.
The movie is opening with great expectations. Christians are looking forward to a “Christian” fantasy epic movie to rival The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and the Harry Potter series. They also hope this will be the first of seven movies to be made.
Disney is hoping that the movie will sell well, both among Christians and non-Christians. Disney has yet to have a hit movie franchise in the fantasy genre, and would very much desire this to be it. They’re investing $150 million to find out. Sales of The Chronicles of Narnia books, which now stands at 85 million copies and second only to the Harry Potter series, will receive a boost with the movie’s premiere.
Many non-Christians are rediscovering their love for the fantasy world of Narnia. One atheist shared that he read the books as a child, loved them. But when he grew up, he learned that the books were a thinly-veiled version of Christianity and spent a lot of effort “trying to get it out of his system.” However, seeing the live-action movie is rekindling the childlike fascination for this fantasy world. Not everyone is happy though to see the movie made, and controversies already abound about whether the movie is abused by Christians to teach more than what the author intended.
Synopsis
Based on the second book in the Narnia chronology (though Lewis wrote this one first), The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe tells the story of four children who pass through a special wardrobe and discover the kingdom of Narnia. Narnia is a land of talking animals and mythical creatures under the White Witch's spell of everlasting winter. Fearing that an ancient prophecy has come true, and that the children are Narnia's chosen rulers, the witch tricks the youngest brother into betraying his family. Only Aslan, the true King of Narnia, can help them defeat the wtich and restore Narnia and help them claim their places on the thrones.
Narnia fans will appreciate the overall fidelity to the book by director Andrew Adamson, though he does add additional scenes such as the Blitzkreig in the film’s opening, the chase by the wolves, the extended battle scenes (in the book it is a mere 1.5 pages), The movie touts excellent CGI special efects by some of the same crew who work on The Lord of the Rings. Incidentally, most of the movie was filmed on location in New Zealand, similar to LOTR.
Personal Take
I have been a Narnia fan ever since I read the books when I was 13 years old. I was so fascinated by Lewis’ books that I went on to read his other fiction (Science Trilogy, Till We Have Faces, The Dark Tower, etc.). I have seen the BBC made-for-television movies and the animated version. This movie by Walden Media and Disney is easily the best movie version.
The movie is rated PG and while there are plenty of battle scenes, the emphasis is on action and not gore, hardly any blood at all. I watched the movie during an early preview screening in Houston held by Disney and Disney Radio. There were plenty of young children but I remember only one boy crying. He was approximately two or three years old and was probably tired. The movie is over 130 minutes long. Children who are familiar with the Narnia story will have no problem getting absorbed in the story. I wuld say that young boys would probably like the movie better than younger girls. This is because the movie is presented as action, with the Battle of Beruna as the climax of the movie. In the book, the emphasis is more on Aslan’s sacrifice at the Stone Table, but the movie gives equal weight to both the Stone Table and the the battle scenes.
The CG animation is excellent and many of the creatures from Narnian lore as well as additional ones from the director and scriptwriter’s imagination are done realistically. The CG-created Aslan delivers as both awe-inspiring (raaaaaarrrrr!!!) as well as approachable. The dialogue is very good, with touches of humor added in several instances.
Spoilers and Possible Disappointments for Narnia Purists
The theatrical license taken is acceptable in general. The following are notable changes in the movie that are different from the book:
Peter feels burdened with his responsibility of being oldest and is anxious whether he could fulfill, first, his mother’s trust and then second, Aslan’s charge to him, grows in his confidence both as a warrior and a leader. Edmund is introduced in the story as a misfit among his siblings and makes the mistake of letting his greed take over his good sense. He later learns the tragic consequences of his mistake and becomes just as valiant as Peter and is pivotal in his selfless actions that turned the tide of the battle. Susan is pragmatic and cautious, who prefers the safety of the Professor’s house in the countryside than to assuming responsibility of fulfilling the prophecy. She learns from Lucy’s example to accept her role in Narnia.
Lucy is the girl whose face of wonder when she first steps into the magical world of Narnia is my favorite scene of the movie. (I read that they flew Georgie Henley to another location that was snowing. She was blindfolded and the cameras were rolling as the blindfold was taken off, capturing her surprise and wonder at the snowy wonderland.) She shows unprejudiced friendship with the faun and open trust of Aslan and the Narnians, and still later, the greatest empathy and love for Aslan.
Considerations to Take Into Account Before Viewing
C.S. Lewis was a professor of medieval literature and a lover of all sorts of mythology. The Chronicles of Narnia are replete with mythological creatures (i.e., dryads, naiads, fauns, centaurs, flying horse, unicorns, werewolves, giants, ogres, trolls, witches, dwarves, Father Christmas, etc). Some depiction of the White Witch’s army can be scary, but the camera doesn’t dwell on them.
While Christians may be eager to draw conclusions comparing Aslan to Jesus, we should remember that the the teaching aim is not to get children worshipping Aslan. Aslan is still a figment of the imagination, albeit a very Christlike imaginary redeemer-figure. Instead, the best explanation for your children is to acknowledge that Aslan and Narnia are fantasy and as such, imaginary. Focus the moral on Edmund’s sin and what was required to bring forgiveness.
Don’t try to draw analogies from every detail in the book to the Christian life. The Chronicles of Narnia are also not meant to be theological books. C.S. Lewis, while being an excellent Christian writer who is able to articulate well his beliefs in layman’s terms, did have some theological notions that not all evangelicals would agree with.
Ministry Application
One way of drawing positive teaching from the movie is to have children identify themselves with the four Pevensie children and how they grow or change. Peter is noble and a protector, but he dislikes Edmund and easily “gets cross” with him. Susan is overly cautious and is not willing to respect Peter’s leadership. She eventually learns to trust Aslan’s arrangement and the words of the prophecy. Edmund is selfish and greedy in the beginning but acquits himself in the end with his selfless act to save Peter from the White Witch. Lucy’s trust and love of Aslan is an example to children of trust in God.
While comparisons have been made to Edmund as the betrayer (“Judas”), he is probably more like the disciple Peter. Peter betrayed Jesus but was restored. Edmund also finds restoration. Another spiritual comparison is that Edmund is the prodigal son in Luke 15. Note the differences between Peter Pevensie and the prodigal’s brother.
There are many other ways that this movie could be used in children's ministry. The character of Aslan and his Christlike qualities can be explored to teach about Christ. I worry though about drawing the line from Aslan to Christ for young preschoolers. When my children first heard the story (through Focus on the Family’s Radio Theatre audio CD version), my daughter Anne (then 8-years old) was the one who drew the comparison rather than my pointing it out to them.
For other ideas on using the movie in teaching children, see the Kidology Narnia discussion.
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe lives up to its promise as one of the most anticipated movies of the year, bringing to the big screen the first of the seven beloved children’s tales by C.S. Lewis.
The movie is opening with great expectations. Christians are looking forward to a “Christian” fantasy epic movie to rival The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and the Harry Potter series. They also hope this will be the first of seven movies to be made.
Disney is hoping that the movie will sell well, both among Christians and non-Christians. Disney has yet to have a hit movie franchise in the fantasy genre, and would very much desire this to be it. They’re investing $150 million to find out. Sales of The Chronicles of Narnia books, which now stands at 85 million copies and second only to the Harry Potter series, will receive a boost with the movie’s premiere.
Many non-Christians are rediscovering their love for the fantasy world of Narnia. One atheist shared that he read the books as a child, loved them. But when he grew up, he learned that the books were a thinly-veiled version of Christianity and spent a lot of effort “trying to get it out of his system.” However, seeing the live-action movie is rekindling the childlike fascination for this fantasy world. Not everyone is happy though to see the movie made, and controversies already abound about whether the movie is abused by Christians to teach more than what the author intended.
Synopsis
Based on the second book in the Narnia chronology (though Lewis wrote this one first), The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe tells the story of four children who pass through a special wardrobe and discover the kingdom of Narnia. Narnia is a land of talking animals and mythical creatures under the White Witch's spell of everlasting winter. Fearing that an ancient prophecy has come true, and that the children are Narnia's chosen rulers, the witch tricks the youngest brother into betraying his family. Only Aslan, the true King of Narnia, can help them defeat the wtich and restore Narnia and help them claim their places on the thrones.
Narnia fans will appreciate the overall fidelity to the book by director Andrew Adamson, though he does add additional scenes such as the Blitzkreig in the film’s opening, the chase by the wolves, the extended battle scenes (in the book it is a mere 1.5 pages), The movie touts excellent CGI special efects by some of the same crew who work on The Lord of the Rings. Incidentally, most of the movie was filmed on location in New Zealand, similar to LOTR.
Personal Take
I have been a Narnia fan ever since I read the books when I was 13 years old. I was so fascinated by Lewis’ books that I went on to read his other fiction (Science Trilogy, Till We Have Faces, The Dark Tower, etc.). I have seen the BBC made-for-television movies and the animated version. This movie by Walden Media and Disney is easily the best movie version.
The movie is rated PG and while there are plenty of battle scenes, the emphasis is on action and not gore, hardly any blood at all. I watched the movie during an early preview screening in Houston held by Disney and Disney Radio. There were plenty of young children but I remember only one boy crying. He was approximately two or three years old and was probably tired. The movie is over 130 minutes long. Children who are familiar with the Narnia story will have no problem getting absorbed in the story. I wuld say that young boys would probably like the movie better than younger girls. This is because the movie is presented as action, with the Battle of Beruna as the climax of the movie. In the book, the emphasis is more on Aslan’s sacrifice at the Stone Table, but the movie gives equal weight to both the Stone Table and the the battle scenes.
The CG animation is excellent and many of the creatures from Narnian lore as well as additional ones from the director and scriptwriter’s imagination are done realistically. The CG-created Aslan delivers as both awe-inspiring (raaaaaarrrrr!!!) as well as approachable. The dialogue is very good, with touches of humor added in several instances.
Spoilers and Possible Disappointments for Narnia Purists
The theatrical license taken is acceptable in general. The following are notable changes in the movie that are different from the book:
- Opening scene of the Blitzkrieg (bombing over London) which is implied but not described in the book.
- When Lucy finds the wardrobe, it is covered by a large cloth.
- The much-quoted description by C.S. Lewis of the children’s reactions at the first mention of Aslan’s name did not fare well in the movie. The camera panned over the children’s faces, but they could not emote through the film the same kind of thoughts that Lewis wrote about.
- The conversation between the children and Mr. Beaver is cut short, omitting the part where Aslan is revealed to be a lion and the children worry if he was safe, and Mr. Beaver answering, “ ’Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good.”
- The three siblings followed Edmund and watches from a distance as he enters the White Witch’s castle.
- An exciting chase through the woods and the river by Maugrim and the wolves.
- Edmund and Mr. Tumnus meeting in the White Witch’s dungeon before the faun is turned to stone.
- The army of Aslan is camped all throughout at the Fords of Beruna in the movie while in the book they were originally camped at the Stone Table but moved away later.
- The meeting of the White Witch and the forest creatures is omitted from the movie. Instead, the fox plays a role in misleading the wolves during the chase.
- In the movie, Aslan explains his resurrection as part of the Deep Magic which is written on the Stone Table but the White Witch failed to understand. In the book, Aslan explains that his resurrection is part of the Deeper Magic From Before the Dawn of Time that the White Witch did not know about.
- The petrified Mr. Tumnus is in the courtyard along with the other statues and he is the first to be revived by Aslan. The book has Mr. Tumnus located upstairs in the castle and being revived later.
- When Aslan leaves Narnia after the coronation, instead of Mr. Beaver explaining that Aslan’s “not a tame lion,” Mr. Tumnus relates this to Lucy.
- Douglas Gresham, step-son of C.S. Lewis, who serves as a producer in the film, relates one dialogue that was changed: “… battles are ugly when women fight” changed to “… battles are ugly.” (I did not notice this in the movie when I watched it.) In the movie, the two Pevensie sisters do not join the battle, but many other Narnian womenfolk do.
Peter feels burdened with his responsibility of being oldest and is anxious whether he could fulfill, first, his mother’s trust and then second, Aslan’s charge to him, grows in his confidence both as a warrior and a leader. Edmund is introduced in the story as a misfit among his siblings and makes the mistake of letting his greed take over his good sense. He later learns the tragic consequences of his mistake and becomes just as valiant as Peter and is pivotal in his selfless actions that turned the tide of the battle. Susan is pragmatic and cautious, who prefers the safety of the Professor’s house in the countryside than to assuming responsibility of fulfilling the prophecy. She learns from Lucy’s example to accept her role in Narnia.
Lucy is the girl whose face of wonder when she first steps into the magical world of Narnia is my favorite scene of the movie. (I read that they flew Georgie Henley to another location that was snowing. She was blindfolded and the cameras were rolling as the blindfold was taken off, capturing her surprise and wonder at the snowy wonderland.) She shows unprejudiced friendship with the faun and open trust of Aslan and the Narnians, and still later, the greatest empathy and love for Aslan.
Considerations to Take Into Account Before Viewing
C.S. Lewis was a professor of medieval literature and a lover of all sorts of mythology. The Chronicles of Narnia are replete with mythological creatures (i.e., dryads, naiads, fauns, centaurs, flying horse, unicorns, werewolves, giants, ogres, trolls, witches, dwarves, Father Christmas, etc). Some depiction of the White Witch’s army can be scary, but the camera doesn’t dwell on them.
While Christians may be eager to draw conclusions comparing Aslan to Jesus, we should remember that the the teaching aim is not to get children worshipping Aslan. Aslan is still a figment of the imagination, albeit a very Christlike imaginary redeemer-figure. Instead, the best explanation for your children is to acknowledge that Aslan and Narnia are fantasy and as such, imaginary. Focus the moral on Edmund’s sin and what was required to bring forgiveness.
Don’t try to draw analogies from every detail in the book to the Christian life. The Chronicles of Narnia are also not meant to be theological books. C.S. Lewis, while being an excellent Christian writer who is able to articulate well his beliefs in layman’s terms, did have some theological notions that not all evangelicals would agree with.
Ministry Application
One way of drawing positive teaching from the movie is to have children identify themselves with the four Pevensie children and how they grow or change. Peter is noble and a protector, but he dislikes Edmund and easily “gets cross” with him. Susan is overly cautious and is not willing to respect Peter’s leadership. She eventually learns to trust Aslan’s arrangement and the words of the prophecy. Edmund is selfish and greedy in the beginning but acquits himself in the end with his selfless act to save Peter from the White Witch. Lucy’s trust and love of Aslan is an example to children of trust in God.
While comparisons have been made to Edmund as the betrayer (“Judas”), he is probably more like the disciple Peter. Peter betrayed Jesus but was restored. Edmund also finds restoration. Another spiritual comparison is that Edmund is the prodigal son in Luke 15. Note the differences between Peter Pevensie and the prodigal’s brother.
There are many other ways that this movie could be used in children's ministry. The character of Aslan and his Christlike qualities can be explored to teach about Christ. I worry though about drawing the line from Aslan to Christ for young preschoolers. When my children first heard the story (through Focus on the Family’s Radio Theatre audio CD version), my daughter Anne (then 8-years old) was the one who drew the comparison rather than my pointing it out to them.
For other ideas on using the movie in teaching children, see the Kidology Narnia discussion.
Thursday, October 20, 2005
Dreamer, A Family Movie. Hurrah!
(Spoiler) Be warned. This post is a partial rant.
BTW, folks, there's a new movie coming out tomorrow that stars Kurt Russell and Dakota Fanning, titled Dreamer from Dreamworks. It appears to be a pretty good family movie. I will have to check out the story and let you know.
I think Anne will like this film, especially because of the injured horse who gets a comeback. She likes horses and used to sketch them, although she's moved on to other interests by now. My friend Brent though has a daughter who has a long-term relationship with horses. She should enjoy this movie. Hey Brent, maybe you can stay after church to watch the movie on Sunday. (Pastor Brent's church meets at a movie theater).
For now, I'm just grateful for good movie alternatives on the big screen that you can take your family to. I'm normally a cheapskate with movies. I tend to wait for the DVD to come out if I can and just save my money. But really, if we don't go to the theaters to watch good family movies, and the movies don't make money, who's going to want to make wholesome movies. And admit it, a lot of people (Christians) paid good money to watch the Star Wars franchise, buy Star Wars toys and memorabilia, and give support to George Lucas and the Force.
Why can't we support the good family movies and in this way, encourage more good movies to be made? I hate to say it but the argument is usually true that while Christians bemoan the fact that most movies are antagonistic to their faith and that Hollywood doesn't cater to the Christian public, they don't back up their whining with their pocketbook (also checkbook, credit cards, and cash).
Enough of the rant and back to the movie. Check out the Dreamer website that includes activities for the family. You can choose the family faith activities or a small group discussion guide written by Fuller Theological Seminary's Reel Spirituality.
Also click here for an ecard and the music video based on the movie title sung by Bethany Dillon. You can send the ecard to your friends. Lyrics are copied here.
Love woke me up this morning
With a memory
Love came and whispered a story
That awakened a dream
Imagine a beautiful castle
And a beautiful king
He left the comfort of his throne
To fight for victory
(Chorus)
I am a dreamer
Take me higher
Open the sky up
Start a fire
I believe
Even if it's just a dream
Love woke me up this morning
And I ran to see
The king in the winners' circle
On the horse he won for me
(Chorus)
Only a king would do anything
To protect the kingdom
Only a king would do anything
To protect the kingdom
Only a king would do anything
To protect the kingdom
(Chorus)
BTW, folks, there's a new movie coming out tomorrow that stars Kurt Russell and Dakota Fanning, titled Dreamer from Dreamworks. It appears to be a pretty good family movie. I will have to check out the story and let you know.
I think Anne will like this film, especially because of the injured horse who gets a comeback. She likes horses and used to sketch them, although she's moved on to other interests by now. My friend Brent though has a daughter who has a long-term relationship with horses. She should enjoy this movie. Hey Brent, maybe you can stay after church to watch the movie on Sunday. (Pastor Brent's church meets at a movie theater).
For now, I'm just grateful for good movie alternatives on the big screen that you can take your family to. I'm normally a cheapskate with movies. I tend to wait for the DVD to come out if I can and just save my money. But really, if we don't go to the theaters to watch good family movies, and the movies don't make money, who's going to want to make wholesome movies. And admit it, a lot of people (Christians) paid good money to watch the Star Wars franchise, buy Star Wars toys and memorabilia, and give support to George Lucas and the Force.
Why can't we support the good family movies and in this way, encourage more good movies to be made? I hate to say it but the argument is usually true that while Christians bemoan the fact that most movies are antagonistic to their faith and that Hollywood doesn't cater to the Christian public, they don't back up their whining with their pocketbook (also checkbook, credit cards, and cash).
Enough of the rant and back to the movie. Check out the Dreamer website that includes activities for the family. You can choose the family faith activities or a small group discussion guide written by Fuller Theological Seminary's Reel Spirituality.
Also click here for an ecard and the music video based on the movie title sung by Bethany Dillon. You can send the ecard to your friends. Lyrics are copied here.
Love woke me up this morning
With a memory
Love came and whispered a story
That awakened a dream
Imagine a beautiful castle
And a beautiful king
He left the comfort of his throne
To fight for victory
(Chorus)
I am a dreamer
Take me higher
Open the sky up
Start a fire
I believe
Even if it's just a dream
Love woke me up this morning
And I ran to see
The king in the winners' circle
On the horse he won for me
(Chorus)
Only a king would do anything
To protect the kingdom
Only a king would do anything
To protect the kingdom
Only a king would do anything
To protect the kingdom
(Chorus)
CT article on the rise and fall of Big Idea
Found this link at Phil Vischer's site to the Christianity Today article onBig Idea's bankrupty and sale. I like the fact that the article focused on the person rather than the company.
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2004/005/4.44.html
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2004/005/4.44.html
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
When Bob (the Tomato) Met Larry (the Cucumber)
The meteoric rise and fall of Vischer and company.
I wonder how many people were aware of the true story behind Big Idea, the company that gave us Veggie Tales. This seems to be a good time to talk about this now that the latest addition, Lord of the Beans, is coming out next week.
The story relates how Phil Vischer and Mike Nawrocki started the first Veggie Tale video with their seemingly last pennies, plus the charity of Christians they knew. Then success knocked on the door, and for a while it seemed like nothing could stop the veggies from taking over the world (of children's entertainment). But success became its own trap as ambitions overcame common sense and good business practices. Soon Big Idea was faced with having to initiate corporate lay-offs, a devastating lawsuit, imminent bankruptcy and finally, the sale of Big Idea following the lawsuit defeat in Dallas. Since then, Big Idea has been bought by another media company and its leadership reorganized. With most employees laid off, a core group of its writers and artists led by Mike have moved to Tennessee from Chicago. Phil Vischer today remains a contributor to the videos though no longer officially employed, more like a sub-contractor.
Through it all, the production and sale of the videos has seemingly gone uninterrupted. I did wonder why 3-2-1 Penguins and and Larry-Boy ended their video series.
I have used Veggie Tales in our children's ministry without missing a beat since 1994 and was quite unaware of the big picture (or idea). I had actually read of the lawsuit and the business problems and possible lay-offs. But the success of the Jonah movie and continued subsequent release of other videos led me to make assumptions that everything was working out. After all, Big Idea wasn't just a company, it was a ministry too.
The reason I wanted to bring this up is that I had actually paid much attention to the rise and fall of another company during the same time, a company that exhibited a similar meteoric rise and fall. However, in retrospect I now realize that I don't have any real interest in Enron as I do with Big Idea. I don't own Enron stocks or understand much of its business trading power and how it cheated its books, etc. But I do understand Bob and Larry, 3-2-1 Penguins, and Larry-Boy. And so, I ask myself: How could I have missed it? Did I not see the signs? Is there anyone writing a book on this?
Needless to say, I am now in breathless anticipation of the book or movie, whichever comes first.
(While you're waiting for the book like me, you can read the 22-part "What Killed Big Idea?" behind-the-scenes story from Phil's POV on www.philvischer.com)
I wonder how many people were aware of the true story behind Big Idea, the company that gave us Veggie Tales. This seems to be a good time to talk about this now that the latest addition, Lord of the Beans, is coming out next week.
The story relates how Phil Vischer and Mike Nawrocki started the first Veggie Tale video with their seemingly last pennies, plus the charity of Christians they knew. Then success knocked on the door, and for a while it seemed like nothing could stop the veggies from taking over the world (of children's entertainment). But success became its own trap as ambitions overcame common sense and good business practices. Soon Big Idea was faced with having to initiate corporate lay-offs, a devastating lawsuit, imminent bankruptcy and finally, the sale of Big Idea following the lawsuit defeat in Dallas. Since then, Big Idea has been bought by another media company and its leadership reorganized. With most employees laid off, a core group of its writers and artists led by Mike have moved to Tennessee from Chicago. Phil Vischer today remains a contributor to the videos though no longer officially employed, more like a sub-contractor.
Through it all, the production and sale of the videos has seemingly gone uninterrupted. I did wonder why 3-2-1 Penguins and and Larry-Boy ended their video series.
I have used Veggie Tales in our children's ministry without missing a beat since 1994 and was quite unaware of the big picture (or idea). I had actually read of the lawsuit and the business problems and possible lay-offs. But the success of the Jonah movie and continued subsequent release of other videos led me to make assumptions that everything was working out. After all, Big Idea wasn't just a company, it was a ministry too.
The reason I wanted to bring this up is that I had actually paid much attention to the rise and fall of another company during the same time, a company that exhibited a similar meteoric rise and fall. However, in retrospect I now realize that I don't have any real interest in Enron as I do with Big Idea. I don't own Enron stocks or understand much of its business trading power and how it cheated its books, etc. But I do understand Bob and Larry, 3-2-1 Penguins, and Larry-Boy. And so, I ask myself: How could I have missed it? Did I not see the signs? Is there anyone writing a book on this?
Needless to say, I am now in breathless anticipation of the book or movie, whichever comes first.
(While you're waiting for the book like me, you can read the 22-part "What Killed Big Idea?" behind-the-scenes story from Phil's POV on www.philvischer.com)
Thursday, October 06, 2005
Web-surfing: Children Matters and other articles
Browsing through the web this week I came across the Chinese Coordination Centre on World Evangelization (CCCOWE) website and took the time to browse through their online publication, Chinese Around the World.
I vaguely remember reading CATW regularly about twenty years ago while working as a part-time youth ministry staff/church librarian at United Evangelical Church of the Philippines. UECP was actively involved with CCCOWE as one of the associate pastors, Rev. Wesley Chang, served with CCCOWE in an official capacity.
This recent issue of CATW (Sept. 2005) had the theme "Children Matters" and that definitely caught my eye. It was refreshing to read how Chinese churches outside of North America were approaching children's ministry. There are a few articles of interest that represent significant progress in the thinking within the Chinese Christian community concerning the necessity and role of children's ministry in the church.
Children's Ministry and the Kingdom of Heaven by Anna Hui
Children's Ministry in Australia by Nancy Fung
Age Limit for the School of Mission by Lisa Chan
Children in Taiwan by Jennifer Su
Another article that caught my eye came from National Religious Broadcaster's NRB Magazine. Thom S. Rainer wrote an article titled "10 Predictions for the Church by 2010." Two trends are noteworthy to someone involved in children's ministry as myself. Trend #8: An increase in intentional evangelistic ministries focused on children and youth and Trend #10: The emergence of a children’s minister as the third full-time staff minister. Download a copy of the article at this link:
As Rainer said, undoubtedly these two trends are linked together as churches recognize the need and success of intentional ministries to the younger generation, they will want to find ministerial staff to lead those ministries.
Coming up soon, a list of blogs that I would recommend.
I vaguely remember reading CATW regularly about twenty years ago while working as a part-time youth ministry staff/church librarian at United Evangelical Church of the Philippines. UECP was actively involved with CCCOWE as one of the associate pastors, Rev. Wesley Chang, served with CCCOWE in an official capacity. This recent issue of CATW (Sept. 2005) had the theme "Children Matters" and that definitely caught my eye. It was refreshing to read how Chinese churches outside of North America were approaching children's ministry. There are a few articles of interest that represent significant progress in the thinking within the Chinese Christian community concerning the necessity and role of children's ministry in the church.
Children's Ministry and the Kingdom of Heaven by Anna Hui
Children's Ministry in Australia by Nancy Fung
Age Limit for the School of Mission by Lisa Chan
Children in Taiwan by Jennifer Su
Another article that caught my eye came from National Religious Broadcaster's NRB Magazine. Thom S. Rainer wrote an article titled "10 Predictions for the Church by 2010." Two trends are noteworthy to someone involved in children's ministry as myself. Trend #8: An increase in intentional evangelistic ministries focused on children and youth and Trend #10: The emergence of a children’s minister as the third full-time staff minister. Download a copy of the article at this link:
As Rainer said, undoubtedly these two trends are linked together as churches recognize the need and success of intentional ministries to the younger generation, they will want to find ministerial staff to lead those ministries.
Coming up soon, a list of blogs that I would recommend.
Monday, September 12, 2005
He Already There
Nathan's Serious Searching. Nathan egg-hunting during Easter earlier this year. He's finally found the most precious thing after all.Betty and I continue to praise God for His remarkable work in answering our prayers 3 out of 3 that our children, Anne, Elise Joy, and Nathan would accept Christ as Savior. Anne accepted Christ in 1998 when she was over three years old, then Elise Joy confessed belief in 2002 when she was 4 years old. Nathan is five years old and starting kindergarten and now, his time of salvation has come.
Last week, on September 7, Wednesday night, Nathanael made his decision to accept Christ as Savior. Mom was there to pray with him and answer his questions (Unfortunately for me, I had gone back to the office to work on preparing for Awana). But Betty relates what happened:
Nathan asked her about going to heaven and seeing Jesus. Mom answered that he would not be able to go to heaven. This was because he was a sinner. Nathan said: "I know the classroom rules, but I can't do it." Nathan started kindergarten last month and had been bringing home a rather colorful behavior report folder. It seems all the colors that could be there were present, whereas his two older sisters had brought home "boring" folders. To motivate Nathan, we had promised a reward if he could get five "greens" in a row.
He turned to Mom and said, "I know I'm a sinner. I want to believe in Jesus." Nathan had heard the gospel before. In fact, his older sister Anne had told him how to pray a year ago, and he followed her prayer. But when we inquired whether he had prayed, he said he didn't. Apparently it was only to comply with his big sister. However, this time, he was ready to pray for himself.
Resisting the Dark Side. Nathan, Anne and friend Priscilla fights back against Darth Vader at Legoland (San Diego, CA). Nathan and I refers to getting a "red" in his kindergarten folder as getting a Darth Vader. The goal is to come home with a "Luke Skywalker."
After he prayed to confess his sin and believe in what Jesus had done, Mom explained to him what the Bible said about assurance. She asked him if someone were to invite him to believe in Jesus again, would he do it? He answered matter-of-factly, "No." Then he added, "He already there."
Amen.
Family Ministry
Returning to Our Roots. Helping out at the NTCC camp was a deja-vu kind of experience, bringing back memories of serving the kids of the same church seven years ago. But most of the kids I taught back then are now in college and have moved on.Labor Day weekend was historic for our family. We went up to Princeton, TX to help with the children's program of North Texas Chinese Church retreat. This was not the first time my wife and I had helped with this church. We did it before in 1997 and 1998. Only this time we were setting out to do this as a family—with Anne, Elise Joy and Nathan as our co-workers in the ministry.
Anne was assigned to help Mom with the preschoolers (2-5 year olds) while Joy would assist me with the elementary kids. Mom was using Lil' K curriculum, while I used Kidmo (www.kidmo.com) in our main teaching sessions. We had 10 sessions to work with the kids, from Saturday morning till Monday morning. Five would be teaching sessions, and the other five would be activity sessions with sport stacking (formerly called cup stacking).
Anne and Elise were extremely excited that we considered them mature enough to be helpers, and they made sure that they were helpful. Although, later on, Joy abandoned me to help with the preschool class. Their class had a lot more fun, it seems.
Great Helper. Elise Joy helps two-year old Christina learn the basics of stacking.
I had asked Nathan to help with the lightswitch but wasn't quite sure what else he could do. He found his niche though, in helping the younger preschoolers go to the bathroom, making sure they had a chair to climb to wash their hands, and in taking care of those who were younger. He showed real compassion by looking out for the younger kids.
NTCC Kids Building a Tower. The biggest hit of the weekend was the sport stacking, as the youth and children spent their free time stacking and building and stacking and building ...
Betty and I were quite impressed with the NTCC youth and children. The preschoolers were very much interested in the lessons and did not present any discipline problems. Isaac seemed reluctant to sit still at first, but when Betty told him clearly that he had to listen to instructions, he fit right in. The older children and youth were respectful and followed instructions as well.
The elementary kids really enjoyed Kwizmo and Memory Max: The Competition (some more than others) and look forward each time to the sport stacking sessions. They divided into two teams and competed to see who could build the fastest pyramid or cocoon. The team who cooperated together came out first both times. But then came the big competition—Stalagmites. Each team was required to build a minimum of 19 towers with the cups they were given. Then they were to stand in a line to protect their towers. The teams took turns throwing a large ball trying to eliminate the other team members and knocking down the towers. You had to catch the ball cleanly or you're out if the ball hits you.
We also used Toybox Tales (www.toyboxtales.com) as an intro to the lessons, which the kids enjoyed a lot. It was fun seeing Kermit, Ms. Piggy, the Kingpin, and the Terminator taking a departure from their normal roles to act out lessons from God's Word.
The weekend seemed to end pretty quickly for something so busy. Not long after it all began, we were driving back the six-hour trip to Houston.
NTCC Kids Building a Tower. The biggest hit of the weekend was the sport stacking, as the youth and children spent their free time stacking and building and stacking and building ...Betty and I were quite impressed with the NTCC youth and children. The preschoolers were very much interested in the lessons and did not present any discipline problems. Isaac seemed reluctant to sit still at first, but when Betty told him clearly that he had to listen to instructions, he fit right in. The older children and youth were respectful and followed instructions as well.
The elementary kids really enjoyed Kwizmo and Memory Max: The Competition (some more than others) and look forward each time to the sport stacking sessions. They divided into two teams and competed to see who could build the fastest pyramid or cocoon. The team who cooperated together came out first both times. But then came the big competition—Stalagmites. Each team was required to build a minimum of 19 towers with the cups they were given. Then they were to stand in a line to protect their towers. The teams took turns throwing a large ball trying to eliminate the other team members and knocking down the towers. You had to catch the ball cleanly or you're out if the ball hits you.
We also used Toybox Tales (www.toyboxtales.com) as an intro to the lessons, which the kids enjoyed a lot. It was fun seeing Kermit, Ms. Piggy, the Kingpin, and the Terminator taking a departure from their normal roles to act out lessons from God's Word.
The weekend seemed to end pretty quickly for something so busy. Not long after it all began, we were driving back the six-hour trip to Houston.
Saturday, September 10, 2005
Awana Is Back
Sunday, July 24, 2005
How to Raise a Superman
I preached today in the Encounter (English) service on the topic "How to Raise a Superman: Lessons from Jonathan & Martha Kent" This is a summary of that message. The mp3 file can be heard on the www.fbcchome.org website.
He was an alien living among ordinary men and wome. Born on a faraway planet that revolved around a red dwarf star, he was the only survivor of a great though doomed advanced civilization. Sent to earth as a baby infant, his kryptonian physiology allowed his cells to absorb the yellow rays of our sun, transforming him into a living solar battery. The power that was stored within him would eventually manifest itself in superhuman abilities of speed, strength, flight, x-ray vision, heat vision, and a host of other abilities. But in all the mythology surrounding Superman, the accounts that I find most interesting are the ones concerning his earthly parents. The reason I find Jonathan and Martha Kent, also known as Pa and Ma Kent, fascinating are because they are the single most important influences in the story.
There have been a plethora of differing versions of Superman's story through the years—different incarnations or origins as presented in novels, comics, television, and movies. It seems that each new writer who takes over the mantle of writing Superman stories feels the urge to rewrite the story according to a fresh perspective. In one of the recent revisits to Superman's origins, the writers of Superman revealed that Jor-El, Superman's genetic father, when he sent him to earth, intended other designs for the baby's fate. Jor-El already knew that baby Kal-El because of the yellow sun and earth's lesser gravity would gain superhuman powers that would make him all-powerful and nearly invincible. His hope, or rather his plan, was for Kal-El to take over the earth by force and become its ruler. But we all know what happened: Instead of ruling the earth, Superman decided to be known as Clark Kent instead; he adopted the values and teachings of his earthly parents as his own, and chose to use his powers to fight the battle for truth, justice, and liberty. HE HAD TWO BENTS IN HIM—A GOOD ONE AND AN EVIL ONE. AND HE CHOSE TO FOLLOW THE GOOD.
What does this have to do with the Bible or with us as Christians? Like the fictional superman, Scripture teaches us that all children are born with natural bents—both good and bad—and God has entrusted a special role to us parents in guiding our children. Everyone wants the best for their children, and in order to see how you can raise your children to be the Super individual God wants them to be, we must go to the Scriptures. In this message, we shall visit two of the Wisdom books—Psalms and Proverbs.
Psalm 127:3-4
Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. As arrows are in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth. (The Amplified Bible)
The Kents found the baby and acknowledge that Clark was a gift. As parents, the first step in parenting is to acknowledge our children as gifs from God. No child is an accidental birth in God's eyes. They are gifts from the Giver, intended for a purpose (the arrow analogy, but more on that later). Acknowledge and thank God for the gift of your child. Your child is given to you for a purpose, to aim true and release later.
Psalm 139:13-14
For You did form my inward parts; You did knit me together in my mother's womb. I will confess and praise You for You are fearful and wonderful and for the awful wonder of my birth! Wonderful are Your works, and that my inner self knows right well. (The Amplified Bible)
Pa and Ma Kent understood the baby had a destiny, a noble purpose, and they took the time to instill ideals and values reflecting that purpose.
Each baby from conception is formed by God. Emmanuel (the Lord is with us), every step in the growth and development of the embryonic process. He formed our cells, muscles, tissues, facial features, and yes, even the occasional deformities and imperfections. Not only is He involved in the process of conception and birth, but verse 16 of Psalm 139 declares that He is involved in each and every day of our life after birth. Just as God so diligently and wonderfully fashions us, He also diligently and wonderfully plans a purpose for us. (Romans 8:29 adds to this by saying that He purposed His intention for us even before conception, before the creation of the world.)
While most parents would be willing to dedicate their child for God's blessing, few seem to grasp that this involves surrendering the child to God's plan and purpose. Parents sometimes wish they could live vicariously through their offspring, see their children accomplish dreams of mom and dad. This would be a mistake though for we would be playing God.
Durng the previous two weeks, I made a dog puppet, Fluffy. The puppet was birthed from my own design and pattern. I sewed it together, and when I presented the puppet to the children at church, I had in mind a list of do's and don'ts, and rules regarding the use of the puppet. I had a plan and purpose for the puppet I had created. And for Fluffy to fulfill his true purpose, Fluffy has to submit to my plan. If Fluffy rebels against me, I withdraw my hand, and he loses his life and meaning.
Proverbs 22:6
Train up a child in the way he should go [and in keeping with his individual gift or bent], and when he is old he will not depart from it. (The Amplified Bible)
Adapt the training of your child so that it is in keeping with your child's individual gift or bent, the God-given characteristics given to your child at birth, and when maturity comes, he will not leave the training he or she receives.
According to Charles Swindoll, parents often commit two common mistakes in parenting. One is to raise a child in the same way they were raised. This kind of parenting is what I call "default parenting." You do what comes naturally (what you yourself went through) when you don't plan and purpose before God your parenting scheme. The second mistake is to raise different children in exactly the same way. Children are different, even siblings. The parent's task is to discover the child's unique design—gifts, strengths, weaknesses, temperament, intelligence, etc.—and from there infer the best way to mold the child's unique design in line with God's purpose.
Psalm 51:5
Behold, I was brought forth in [a state of] iniquity ; my mother was sinful who conceived me [and I too am sinful.] (The Amplified Bible)
For I was born a sinner—yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. (New Living Translation)
Then, of course, the EVIL BENT also exists. The sinful nature, passed on from Adam to every human child, also known as the "want-to" to sin, the "want-to" to choose our own way. The only cure for a defective heart is a new one—only available in Christ. There is no other way to solve the EVIL BENT but God's solution through the death of Christ on the cross for our sins.
In summary, the Scriptures teaches us the following basics on parenting and our children:
My heart's desire is that parents will take time to think and plan their parenting, submitting to God's plan and purpose, get to know how God has wired their kids, and in this way, bring up a child, who can glorify God in the way God planned it out in His book.
He was an alien living among ordinary men and wome. Born on a faraway planet that revolved around a red dwarf star, he was the only survivor of a great though doomed advanced civilization. Sent to earth as a baby infant, his kryptonian physiology allowed his cells to absorb the yellow rays of our sun, transforming him into a living solar battery. The power that was stored within him would eventually manifest itself in superhuman abilities of speed, strength, flight, x-ray vision, heat vision, and a host of other abilities. But in all the mythology surrounding Superman, the accounts that I find most interesting are the ones concerning his earthly parents. The reason I find Jonathan and Martha Kent, also known as Pa and Ma Kent, fascinating are because they are the single most important influences in the story.
There have been a plethora of differing versions of Superman's story through the years—different incarnations or origins as presented in novels, comics, television, and movies. It seems that each new writer who takes over the mantle of writing Superman stories feels the urge to rewrite the story according to a fresh perspective. In one of the recent revisits to Superman's origins, the writers of Superman revealed that Jor-El, Superman's genetic father, when he sent him to earth, intended other designs for the baby's fate. Jor-El already knew that baby Kal-El because of the yellow sun and earth's lesser gravity would gain superhuman powers that would make him all-powerful and nearly invincible. His hope, or rather his plan, was for Kal-El to take over the earth by force and become its ruler. But we all know what happened: Instead of ruling the earth, Superman decided to be known as Clark Kent instead; he adopted the values and teachings of his earthly parents as his own, and chose to use his powers to fight the battle for truth, justice, and liberty. HE HAD TWO BENTS IN HIM—A GOOD ONE AND AN EVIL ONE. AND HE CHOSE TO FOLLOW THE GOOD.
What does this have to do with the Bible or with us as Christians? Like the fictional superman, Scripture teaches us that all children are born with natural bents—both good and bad—and God has entrusted a special role to us parents in guiding our children. Everyone wants the best for their children, and in order to see how you can raise your children to be the Super individual God wants them to be, we must go to the Scriptures. In this message, we shall visit two of the Wisdom books—Psalms and Proverbs.
Psalm 127:3-4
Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. As arrows are in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth. (The Amplified Bible)
The Kents found the baby and acknowledge that Clark was a gift. As parents, the first step in parenting is to acknowledge our children as gifs from God. No child is an accidental birth in God's eyes. They are gifts from the Giver, intended for a purpose (the arrow analogy, but more on that later). Acknowledge and thank God for the gift of your child. Your child is given to you for a purpose, to aim true and release later.
Psalm 139:13-14
For You did form my inward parts; You did knit me together in my mother's womb. I will confess and praise You for You are fearful and wonderful and for the awful wonder of my birth! Wonderful are Your works, and that my inner self knows right well. (The Amplified Bible)
Pa and Ma Kent understood the baby had a destiny, a noble purpose, and they took the time to instill ideals and values reflecting that purpose.
Each baby from conception is formed by God. Emmanuel (the Lord is with us), every step in the growth and development of the embryonic process. He formed our cells, muscles, tissues, facial features, and yes, even the occasional deformities and imperfections. Not only is He involved in the process of conception and birth, but verse 16 of Psalm 139 declares that He is involved in each and every day of our life after birth. Just as God so diligently and wonderfully fashions us, He also diligently and wonderfully plans a purpose for us. (Romans 8:29 adds to this by saying that He purposed His intention for us even before conception, before the creation of the world.)
While most parents would be willing to dedicate their child for God's blessing, few seem to grasp that this involves surrendering the child to God's plan and purpose. Parents sometimes wish they could live vicariously through their offspring, see their children accomplish dreams of mom and dad. This would be a mistake though for we would be playing God.
Durng the previous two weeks, I made a dog puppet, Fluffy. The puppet was birthed from my own design and pattern. I sewed it together, and when I presented the puppet to the children at church, I had in mind a list of do's and don'ts, and rules regarding the use of the puppet. I had a plan and purpose for the puppet I had created. And for Fluffy to fulfill his true purpose, Fluffy has to submit to my plan. If Fluffy rebels against me, I withdraw my hand, and he loses his life and meaning.Proverbs 22:6
Train up a child in the way he should go [and in keeping with his individual gift or bent], and when he is old he will not depart from it. (The Amplified Bible)
Adapt the training of your child so that it is in keeping with your child's individual gift or bent, the God-given characteristics given to your child at birth, and when maturity comes, he will not leave the training he or she receives.
According to Charles Swindoll, parents often commit two common mistakes in parenting. One is to raise a child in the same way they were raised. This kind of parenting is what I call "default parenting." You do what comes naturally (what you yourself went through) when you don't plan and purpose before God your parenting scheme. The second mistake is to raise different children in exactly the same way. Children are different, even siblings. The parent's task is to discover the child's unique design—gifts, strengths, weaknesses, temperament, intelligence, etc.—and from there infer the best way to mold the child's unique design in line with God's purpose.
Psalm 51:5
Behold, I was brought forth in [a state of] iniquity ; my mother was sinful who conceived me [and I too am sinful.] (The Amplified Bible)
For I was born a sinner—yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. (New Living Translation)
Then, of course, the EVIL BENT also exists. The sinful nature, passed on from Adam to every human child, also known as the "want-to" to sin, the "want-to" to choose our own way. The only cure for a defective heart is a new one—only available in Christ. There is no other way to solve the EVIL BENT but God's solution through the death of Christ on the cross for our sins.
In summary, the Scriptures teaches us the following basics on parenting and our children:
Children are God's gift—Thank Him for them
Children have God's divine purpose—Submit to Him
Children have God-given bents—Discover and cooperate with their individual bents- Children have sinful bent—Lead them to Christ
My heart's desire is that parents will take time to think and plan their parenting, submitting to God's plan and purpose, get to know how God has wired their kids, and in this way, bring up a child, who can glorify God in the way God planned it out in His book.
Tuesday, July 05, 2005
Rocky Mountain Travel
Last week our family took our annual road trip/ vacation. This time we covered approximately 2658 miles through four states, two nights camping in one national park, stops in three cities (Denver & Colorado Springs in CO, and Arlington, TX), one Children's Museum (Denver), three waterfalls, 6 audio CD's of Star Trek Nemesis (this one is for me), and 42 episodes of Adventures in Odyssey.
Anne and Joy says the most memorable part of the trip was our return home. We drove from Colorado Springs toward Kansas, and on the way thru Dorothy's home state, "a tornado was chasing us." Frank had been driving for a while and was planning for Betty to take over, but every time we stopped for gas and a pit stop to change drivers, the storm caught up with us, and so Frank continued driving. He didn't want Betty to drive in a storm. Only when we were finally headed south on I-35 did Betty take over.
The truth is, we had strong winds and lots of rain chasing us but the twister was reportedly at least a hundred miles south of us, near Stafford, Kansas. I remember Stafford because Joy, at a pit stop in a McDonald's in Kansas, pointed out that we must be close to Sugar Land, TX, because she saw Stafford on the map.
Another highlight of the Colorado Springs visit was going to Whits End at Focus on the Family. Joy and Anne got to record an episode of Adventures in Odyssey. We have the CD, now if only we can figure out how to put an mp3 file on a blog. Betty commented that "the girls had great radio voices." Frank literally bumped into Mr. Whitaker in the hallway, and our family had a picture taken with Eugene. Though this is our second trip to Focus on the Family in three years, we do want to go back again. They're building a Chronicles of Narnia exhibit room.
Frank learned on this trip that sometimes the best deals are found in the simplest places. While searching for a hotel to stay, he discovered that the travel coupon books you pick up in the fastfood restaurants along the highway actually had the best discount for our stay at the Fairfield Inn in Colorado Springs.
Friday, June 17, 2005
Thursday, June 09, 2005
Kidmunity Blog Goes Online
Kidmunity.blogspot.com
Is this an idea whose time has come, or am I just running too fast in front again?
I'm not sure whether the church is ready for this, but I am. I just hope bringing the team of CM volunteers online will be revolutionary in that it will facilitate our planning, discussion and evaluation.
We'll have to see.
Is this an idea whose time has come, or am I just running too fast in front again?
I'm not sure whether the church is ready for this, but I am. I just hope bringing the team of CM volunteers online will be revolutionary in that it will facilitate our planning, discussion and evaluation.
We'll have to see.
Milestones ... Transitions
Today I watched my son (Nathanael, 5 years old) get on the school bus to attend summer school. This was a new milestone for him--the first time to ride the bus to school. As I watched him stepped up, he was very decisive and intentional in his actions. He turned back toward me as he passed the driver (I had called to him, reminding him to find a seat and sit down properly before the bus started). Nathan shouted back, "I already know that." I felt like I had lost a little boy and gained a young man.
Wow! He's growing up fast, and accomplishing milestones left and right. I seemed to have missed the clues about his impending jump out of early childhood. I reminded myself to pay more attention and be there with Nathan as he moves into new frontiers in his young life.
I started wondering then about transitions in CM. In CM, we see each year a new generation of kids move out of CM and into the youth. I often wondered about what my role was now in their lives, if any. Being here at the church for four years, the first group of kids that transitioned out are now going to be sophomores in high school. To them and those that followed each succeeding year, who I am? Am I the guy who just works with the little kids? Just a part of a childhood memory. THE PAST.
If that were true, I would be very much disappointed. But the truth is, the majority of the youth do not connect relationally with me after the elementary-youth transition. The umbilical cord's cut and Adios to the old life. I see kids I once worked with and take the initiative to say hello--usually I say "Hello, NAME" and have to wait for a response. Otherwise we just pass each other in the hallway.
Should we in CM seek to be be more present in the children's transitions of life? Go beyond a role that transcends just saying "goodbye and hope you make it." Do the children that move on know what the transition is all about?
Wow! He's growing up fast, and accomplishing milestones left and right. I seemed to have missed the clues about his impending jump out of early childhood. I reminded myself to pay more attention and be there with Nathan as he moves into new frontiers in his young life.
I started wondering then about transitions in CM. In CM, we see each year a new generation of kids move out of CM and into the youth. I often wondered about what my role was now in their lives, if any. Being here at the church for four years, the first group of kids that transitioned out are now going to be sophomores in high school. To them and those that followed each succeeding year, who I am? Am I the guy who just works with the little kids? Just a part of a childhood memory. THE PAST.
If that were true, I would be very much disappointed. But the truth is, the majority of the youth do not connect relationally with me after the elementary-youth transition. The umbilical cord's cut and Adios to the old life. I see kids I once worked with and take the initiative to say hello--usually I say "Hello, NAME" and have to wait for a response. Otherwise we just pass each other in the hallway.
Should we in CM seek to be be more present in the children's transitions of life? Go beyond a role that transcends just saying "goodbye and hope you make it." Do the children that move on know what the transition is all about?
Saturday, June 04, 2005
First-time blogger
I'm not really sure what to say at this point. (This feels really strange--kinda like talking to myself). But as we were teaching the kids in the preschool this weekend, I CAN BE BRAVE (from the Lil' K series produced by www.kidmo.com). My son, Nathanael, was saying the verse to me with the actions: "Be strong and brave, for the Lord your God is with you" Joshua 1:9. I need to start listening to what God is teaching me through my children :)
TTFN. Or as the T-Man would say, I'll Be Back.
TTFN. Or as the T-Man would say, I'll Be Back.
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