Great and Glorious

How many of your friends have been shot?

(Before you wonder and worry if one of my friends got shot, I will tell you, no).  Living in Brentwood for almost two years, I've learned more and more of what residents experience when tragic things happen.  Regardless of my own thoughts or opinions, I can't help but try and sympathize with those around me.  On my way home on the MLK Parkway, I looked down at a one of the main streets and saw four cop cars with their lights on.  Something went down, is now my knee-jerk reaction.  One cop, probably just a small offense, speeding or something like that.  Four cops, either a drug bust or someone got seriously injured, wounded, or killed.  Now, obviously these rules are not set in stone and there are many other possibilities of circumstances, but in my experiences, these tend to be true.  It turns out that a friend of one of my friends died (not sure how), and my friend has been thinking about his own life, when he'll go, if he'll go soon.

I share these things for two reasons.  One: It's just a small reminder that these things are happening.  If I don't hear or see anything bad happening from my point of view, I tend to think the whole world is doing fine.  Two: I don't ever want to write someone's feelings off if they differ from mine.  Meaning, if someone uses buzz words like "racial violence", instead of rolling my eyes and ignoring them, I choose to listen and understand why they might feel that way.

When I say the name Trayvon Martin, what emotion do you feel?  Maybe you are angry at the verdict.  Perhaps you are glad the trial is over and now we can get on with our lives.  Besides, people just want to complain and use the "race card".  Finally, you may have absolutely no opinion.  Maybe, you don't know much about the case and it isn't talked about much in your circles.  Whatever your feelings may be, I can tell you that how you feel or what you say or do will not change the fact that God is sovereign, the most perfect judge, and is in control.  As a staff member of an urban ministry, it is impossible to ignore these topics.  Do I fear for my own safety, knowing that the verdict probably angered some black people in the neighborhood?  Actually, not too much.  When you have a black guy and a non-black guy (usually white) involved in a case, it's pretty certain that the issue of "race" will be discussed.

Right before getting to the church to write this blog, an old woman from the church approached me to talk about our summer camp.  "You guys do a wonderful job.  You should contact a local news station to broadcast some of the good y'all do.  Everyone always only hears about the bad stuff.  There are good things happening here too."

Yes, I have moved into this neighborhood knowing all the dangers and darkness that lurk in the night, and occasionally in direct sunlight.  I know that my next day is not guaranteed, but I also know that I will not die sooner than I'm supposed to.  God knows exactly when my time will be up and has a purpose for it.

I do want to calm any concerns.  I walk to work a lot.  I feel very safe and I recognize many people in the neighborhood on my walks.  More and more people see my face and know I live here.  Most everyone I walk past acknowledges or greets me.  It might just be southern culture (I could be wrong) but many people down here are very cordial towards one another.  There are many good things about this neighborhood that I never had growing up.  I never talked to my neighbors.  When I went to the park with my siblings, there was a good chance that nobody else would be there.

We have one more week of camp.  We've had a ton of fun.  It's been tiring.  I'm going to miss the kids a ton.  Please pray that everyone continues to stay hype to the end of Friday.  Please pray that the kids remember this experience for a long time and know that they had a fun summer and were loved.  We don't know how much they will remember, but we hope that they remember the gospel.  God has been working in the kids' hearts and we are excited to see how this summer will impact their lives in the years to come.

Here's a short video from the 10-12 year olds during music time.  Get it boys!




(Great and glorious, awesome victorious, how great, how great, how great you are to me)
(Strong and mighty, great in glory, how great, how great, how great you are to me)
(Holy, holy is the king of glory, how great, how great, how great you are to me)

Mirrors

If you looked at a picture of me and then looked at a picture of a kid from the Brentwood neighborhood, you may comment on many external differences.  I might be much taller, much older, much whiter, much hairier...on the surface.  How does God see us?  Not one trait better or worse.  Genesis 1:27 says, "So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them."  All the things that distinguish us from every other individual that has walked the earth is just a small representation of how creative God is.  It amazes me that He created us.  We don't have to wonder why we weren't made as strong or as smart or as rich or as beautiful as that other person.  We can live in confidence knowing God made us exactly how we are in order to bring Him glory.

There was a time in my life when I was one of the shortest kids in my class.  Always wondered why I couldn't be "normal" height.  There are times where I'd reject the things that distinguished me from other kids.  I tended to be smarter, shorter, skinnier, quieter, athleticker.  Anything that would draw attention to myself, I'd start wishing I was more "normal", the opposite of those things.  Only until college did I start to accept and even embrace the way that God made me.  But it is not, I repeat, is not physical traits, gifts, hobbies, or talents that define me.  I can only say that my identity comes from Jesus Christ and what he has done for me on the cross.  Galatians 2:20 says, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."  When Jesus lives inside me, although my sinful nature loves to try to convince me otherwise, Jesus is what God sees, not because of anything I've done, but because Jesus took the punishment that my sins deserved.

So why tell you any of this.  Well, to be honest, if I'm living to make myself seem great, it would be like a shepherd leading his sheep into a sandstorm.  I am only a sheep, hoping to point out to any lost or confused sheep to see how great the perfect Shepherd is.

Before the Summer Day Camp started, honestly, I expected that all the kids at camp would take away any remaining energy I had left from the school year.  I'd return next year completely exhausted.  But, something great happened.  As 75 kids funneled into our summer camp, I noticed that some of the activities that we've done over and over again during the school year at two:fiftytwo like hula hooping, jump roping, and drawing with chalk, became so exciting to the kids that were experiencing them for the first time.  Not gonna lie, some of these kids are adorable, smiling when they are told to run from here to there, laughing when volunteers make silly faces or try to dance, joyfully screaming chants of "Who da kang?!?! He da kang!?!?"  (Jesus Christ is the king!)

Two of the five weeks are in the books for Summer Day Camp 2013 and we are just getting started.  The kids have learned worship songs every day, they've done crafts that go with our "King and Me" theme, they've been rained on, fed lunches and healthy snacks ("What are blueberries?" said one kid), and they're in the process of learning who their creator is.

One of my favorite moments so far of camp has to be when the soccer ball team (5 and 6 year olds) came outside for the sports and rec station when it began to rain.  Thinking the rain would let up, I had everybody stand under our huge tent to keep dry, hoping to continue a football lesson on throwing and catching.  When the sprinkles turned to heavy and windy storms and when the ground under the tent began to get wet and flood, I had no choice but to run the kids inside the church five at a time.  Without a game plan for an indoor activity, my creative brain was turned on full power.  How are these wet and hyper kids going to pay any attention, especially if I don't have a plan?  As they lined up on the blue tape on the ground, without a word, I quickly stood straight up with my hands down at my side.  Two or three kids copied, all others still kind of jumping and talking, dripping with distraction.  I raised my arms slowly out at my sides, more and more kids began to get the gist.  As I played this silent version of simon says, I couldn't help but wonder how long this would keep their attention.  "As long as it possibly can?" I thought.  I would squat down.  They would squat down.  I would fall over.  They would fall over then laugh.

I wish I had video of all 20 of them in silly synchronized movements.  It was really cool.

What would it be like to reflect Christ?  Do I obey because I have to?  So that I don't get in trouble for not following directions?  What obedience is pleasing to God?  I would hate to feel like I'm forcing the kids to copy my movements in a game of "mirrors", it's just so cool to me to see them join in without being asked and genuinely enjoy trying to move every way that I am.  It should be out of pure joy that we follow Jesus.  I don't obey just so that I feel joy or laughter.  It's not about what I get out of listening to Him, it's about who He is and what He wants to give us.  Our obedience comes from love.

1 Peter 1:15-16 says, "But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.'"  As he is holy, we are commanded to be holy.  We are to reflect him, as in a mirror.  Next time you look into a mirror, instead of making weird faces at yourself (or is that just me?), think about your creator and how God made you very uniquely and for a purpose.  Although we are all made differently, let us worship the Lord together as one body in Christ.

Please pray that our energy increases, our love for the kids grows, and that we begin to see them in light of their eternity.

Enjoy some freeze dance action during dismissal time of camp.  (Yes, that is the Carlton dance being attempted by summer intern Blake in the red shorts.)

(The pictures above are from water day yesterday.  I love the smiles and action shots. It was so much fun!)