An enthusiastic “Morning!” is how I’m greeted from our 1 year old son Elijah when I wake up regardless if I’m up getting ready for work at a normal hour, or involuntarily waking up at 4:00am because he’s squealing and playing in his crib.  I mean, I’ve had great mornings, but this kid is excited for what the day may bring EVERY morning.  He can hardly stand it.  My initial thoughts range from anger to annoyed, but once I’ve had some coffee and time to reflect on it, I am humbled by and jealous of his excitement.  It’s almost convicting that I sometimes complain about having to wake up earlier than I want, or not looking forward to the day at hand; and I am reminded of a prayer that my Grandfather would pray at every meal I can remember where he said, “This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it.”

What does that mean to me?  Do I really see each day as a gift from God?  Obviously I do not, or I would be more grateful than I am.  I would treat each day differently.  My mindset would change.  So would some interactions with my wife, family, co-workers, neighbors, and traffic.  I think I’m beginning to understand why Jesus liked kids so much, because at a certain level, they “get it.”  They love life!

I’m at a point where I’m really starting to appreciate things like health and how very precious life is.  Just in 2010 so far, we’ve had family or friends in serious auto accidents, cancer, heart issues, and Elijah being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 14 months old.  I can’t take things for granted.  It’s out of my control and sometimes there aren’t good reasons or any reason for why things happen, but when I am thankful for each day, see it as a gift from God, and approach my relationships with the same regard, I cherish those moments and it changes my perspective from being a victim to gratitude for how I have been blessed.

After lunch there will be a friendly competition between house churches in the following events:

• 3 on 3 Basketball
• Sand Volleyball
• Tennis
• Paddle Boat Race
• Miniature Golf
• Bags
• Softball

If you’re not yet part of a house church, don’t worry, you can still come out and join a team.

Check out the Facebook event and let us know you’re coming.

Let the games begin!

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I have been fortunate enough to be a part of our activities at RiverWest for almost two years. I am continually amazed by the generosity of our small congregation and how much we’ve been able to bless the families in RiverWest. Over the years we’ve gone from Christmas gifts for 11 families in 2008 to 40 families last year and backpacks for 80 kids in 2009 and nearly 140 this year! Every year Imago people rise to the occasion and all the Christmas gifts and backpacks are taken care of.  In addition, everyone keeps filling the “black bags” each week for the food pantry at RiverWest.

Last summer we kicked-off our “Thursday Family Nights” at RiverWest and then in the school year started homework help and tutoring. We’ve had 30-80 kids every Thursday – even rain or snow can’t keep them away. Now, instead of helping random families in RiverWest I’ve actually gotten to know the kids and families we are serving. It becomes more than just a backpack “number” – it’s a name and a face. So each Sunday when I see the black bags piling up by the back table – I see the overwhelming generosity of my friends and family at Imago Dei helping my friends and their families at RiverWest.

I am excited about backpacks this year because I know 80% of the kids that signed up. So the 140 backpacks piled up in my garage right now are very, very personal. It’s exciting for me to have my friend at Imago picking out what school supplies my friend in RiverWest will like the best. I love the connections we have made. We’re not just helping strangers anymore.

Which is why I want to invite you to come down this Thursday night to our “Backpack Party” as we celebrate blessing these kids with backpacks, school supplies and uniform vouchers.  As Imago Dei attendees, we aren’t always able to see into each ministry. But this Thursday there’s room for all of you to come check out what we do at RiverWest and see the kid’s smiling faces as they pick up their backpacks (and I really would be thrilled if you all showed up!). I want my friends at Imago Dei to meet my friends at RiverWest and take a peek into the difference you’re making in their lives.

RiverWest Backpack Party
Thursday, Aug. 19 from 6-8pm
Food, Fun & Games for all – kid’s most definitely welcome
Come grab a hot dog and play four-square with some kids!
More details and directions on the Facebook Event.

K-I-S-S.  Keep It Simple, Stupid.  The disciples asked Jesus to tell them how to pray, and this was (basically) his response.  Keep it simple, stupid(s).  First, talk to God like he is your Father.  Tell him that you want his kingdom and his will to be present where you are, not just out there somewhere in heaven.  That means, if you know that God would want you to give that ridiculous amount of money to that stranger, and you don’t want to, pray that his will would be present on earth and make that happen.

Then, ask simply for food and forgiveness.  It’s interesting how Jesus references his big teaching points in his ministry in these two statements.  He says to stop worrying about food because God already knows that you need it.  So, make mention of it when you pray, but don’t make it the focus of your prayers.  God gets it.  You need to eat.  He wants you to eat.  Move along.  Jesus also taught about our need to forgive others in the way that God forgives us.   He gave us a warning that we would not be forgiven if we did not forgive each other and then tells us to pray in that way.  “Jesus, help me to forgive that stranger who said she would repay that ridiculous amount of money and then didn’t.  I know you wanted me to do that, so let me forgive her for taking advantage of the generosity that you made alive in me.  And give me what I need today to sustain myself, without the money I just gave away.”

Finally, be aware of the wiles of the Devil and his desire to tempt you in every way.  Ask for God’s help in resisting evil.  I know we are tempted in so many ways to do one bad thing or another every 2 minutes or so, but I think Jesus was talking about something more.  He was telling us to resist the temptation to see God as far off and uninvolved, to seek our will, to worry about food (or money or clothing), and to hold a grudge against our brothers and sisters here on earth.  If we give in to these temptations, then we have lost the battle.

Here’s to living today in a Lord’s Prayer sort of way.  May we seek his kingdom here on earth, have what we need, forgive one another, and not let the Devil get in the way of these things.  Cheers!

Our son Caleb had just turned one when Elizabeth Smart was abducted.  If you remember, she was a 14-year-old girl at the time, and she was taken right out of her bedroom by a man and his wife who made young Elizabeth his “wife”.  I remember thinking, “If someone can break in and kidnap a 14-year-old girl out of her house in an affluent Salt Lake City neighborhood, what’s to stop someone from kidnapping my beautiful 1-year-old boy out of our little house in Pekin, IL?”

I couldn’t sleep.  My fear woke me up repeatedly.  Upon waking throughout the night, I would dutifully get out of bed and go check his crib to make sure he was still there.  As I entered his bedroom, my eyes would always go first to his window, half expecting it would be broken in and he would be gone.  After making sure that he was safely sleeping (and still breathing), I would go back to bed, only to awaken sometime later in the night and repeat the process all over again.  Sometimes, driven by my fear, I would check on him 3-4 times a night.

Fear is a powerful force.  It can be a powerful motivator to act.

These days I notice almost daily that fear is a powerful tool that people use to try to manipulate me to give to their cause, buy their product, vote a certain way, or act in a way that they want me to act.  What is particularly frustrating to me is that Christian organizations tell me I’m supposed to be afraid of Muslims, homosexuals and Democrats. Supposedly, they are all seeking to destroy our country, and if I don’t ACT NOW, they’ll take over.  (I had someone tell me recently, in all seriousness, that she heard Congress was considering a law making it illegal for pastors to preach!)

The message of the gospel, however, seems to run counter to the fear machine.  Look at this passage from 1 John 4.  Let me highlight one thought:  “There is no fear in love.  Perfect love drives out fear.”  Did you catch that?  What this means to me is that as I pursue Jesus, and as I grow and love more like him, it drives the fear out of me, and I find myself consumed with love for others, not fear.

Yes, I’m still fearful.  I still hear noises in the night and get freaked out.  Oncoming traffic – especially late at night on country roads – makes me grab the steering wheel a little tighter and say a little prayer.  Yes, I still look at the world around me and get afraid for myself, for my children and what the future holds.  But as I follow Jesus, I hope that love drives out fear and that I find myself instinctively loving people who I am tempted to see as enemies.

Over the past three or four years I’ve become somewhat of an NPR addict. Whenever I get in the car I flip to 89.9 to see if there’s a show on. Often times, I’ll get to my destination and not want to get out of my car because I want to hear the rest of the story. I’ve even driven out of my way on purpose so I could hear more of the show. My favorite show is called This American Life. Every week they “choose a theme and tell stories on that theme.” Sometimes it’s related to current events but often they just pick a topic like home movies, summer camp, being held hostage, and then their contributors tell stories. Sometimes they’re hilarious and other times they’re deeply sad or profound. If you’ve never heard the show, it’s kind of hard to explain. You really need to hear an episode. The podcast is free in iTunes or you can stream episodes on their website. What I love about This American Life, is that they often tell stories from average people. But they’re really good storytellers and the format is unique, so it’s always fascinating.

I think that getting to know a person’s story is central to loving them like Jesus would. Especially when it comes to serving “the least of these,” putting a name and a story to people is crucial. When I hear where a person has come from, they’re no longer just “that homeless guy” or “that poor person.” Stories break down the labels we put on people.

My NPR addiction and these thoughts about story collided a while back and gave me an idea. On a semi-regular basis, people stop in the church office off the street. Sometimes they just want to talk, but often they come in to ask for something. They ask for money, bus passes, food, etc., and we help out when we can. Over the course of the two years I’ve been working downtown I’ve often wondered who these people are that come in. How did they get in this situation? What were they like as kids? So I thought it might be interesting to ask a person who comes in to sit down and share their story. I would record the interview and then turn it into a story in the style of This American Life.

This week I finally got the chance to try it. I recorded an interview with a man that came in and asked for a bus ticket. It turned out to be a very interesting story and you can listen to it below. I hope you enjoy it and I hope it encourages you to take a risk and get to know where a person comes from.

DOWNLOAD THE YEAR TWO REPORT

Last Christmas Imago hosted an elaborate banquet for the homeless; the food was catered and the room was decked out. A friend created a video of the church’s outreach to the homeless, and it showed clips of us serving weekly breakfasts and the banquet. There was a scene where the homeless were standing outside the church office (where we serve them breakfast each Sunday). It’s cold and early in the morning. Men and women huddled in their sweatshirts and winter coats, whatever they could wrap around themselves. The Apollo Theater is next door, and their large marquee hangs above the sidewalk. This video shot showed a bunch of homeless people standing under the theater marquee, which was showing the movie, It’s A Wonderful Life. Go figure.

What a sad irony. There is nothing wonderful about life for them. For many of us, our middle to middle/upper class life is, for the most part, wonderful. Yes, we have our mortgage payments, worries and health concerns, but typically, life is good–really good.

I met a man this morning, maybe in his fifties. He told me this was his second day of being homeless. He was staying at a rescue mission. I asked him how he ended up here. He was a cabbie, and for reasons undisclosed, he lost his driver’s license. This caused him to lose his job, which in turn, resulted in him losing his apartment and everything he had. And there he sat, eating some eggs and hash browns we’d served him.

How will he ever rebound? Will someone ever take a chance on the guy? Will he have the determination to look at his current predicament as a brutal means, rather than a terrible end? Will this cause him to do some introspection and make some possibly needed adjustments in his life, or will this massive disappointment hurl him into self-sabotaging ways of numbing himself against the pain?

It remains to be seen. Hopefully through our meager efforts, we can assure him once a week that he hasn’t been discarded or forgotten. If you see a homeless person this week, please don’t dismiss him or her without knowing their story.

I hope that someday my new friend can again echo Jimmy Stewart’s sentiments.

(This article was originally posted on Steve’s blog, The Titanic Swim Team.)