Where are you Jesus?

So this day, March 19^th is the official feast day of Saint Joseph.  Linked in the family line of King David, Joseph was simply a carpenter from a small Galilean town.  Such a small unimportant town in Galilee that it was used as the butt of jokes.  Nothing good came from there.  What a tiny, insignificant place…Nazareth.

If that weren’t enough, he was simply a carpenter.  He was poor and not well respected.  But if you read the scriptures where he is brought up, he is referred to as a good and faithful man.  Always did the right thing.  It seemed that he always did what was best for his family and what was asked of him by God.  Not always making the easy decisions.  So if you look at him, many would say he was a good man, a good father…

So the Gospel reading for today comes to us from Luke 2:41-52.  It is the story of Jesus in the temple in Jerusalem.  For me it is a pretty entertaining story that shows the whole family.  And the father of that family, Joseph.  This story is great because it shows that this was a real family.  It was not perfect.  They were human.  Just like us.

So each year they would all head to festival of the Passover which took place in Jerusalem.  In this particular story, Jesus is twelve years old.  After the festival is over, all the people who came from Nazareth gather and begin to head home. 

Mary and Joseph stop and look around…”Uh oh, Where’s Jesus?”

They search and search but he is not there.  They go back to Jerusalem and search.  For THREE days he is missing!  Jesus’ parents lost him for 3 days!!! 

When they finally find him, just imagine how frantic Mary and Joseph were when they find him! 

Where have you been?! We were frantic!

Here we have Mary and Joseph, a little bit flustered after, oh losing their child for 3 days because he ran off…

And what does Jesus respond?  This small 12 year old boy.  You know how they are…so with this sweet innocent, know-it-all voice, imagine Jesus’ response, “Did you not know I must be in my Father’s house”

Whoa.  Check the attitude almost teenager Jesus.  Am I right?

So now we have flustered parents and a snappy teenager.  Now if you ask me, this sounds like a very perfectly portrayed real life, human family.

Imagine how Joseph felt at those words too!  Twelve years of raising him, taking care of him, treating as his son, then this…

This was a turning point for this family.  Mary and Joseph had to let Jesus be Jesus.  They had to let go of whatever it was they wanted from him.  Had to stop trying to get him to fit into whatever mold they wanted…and let him be who he is.

Something we also try to do.  We try to take Jesus and force him to be whoever we want or need him to be depending on our lives.  Sooner or later we find ourselves asking questions too.

We are asking ourselves, “Uh oh, Where is Jesus?”

We can search and search and search but all in the wrong places.  Where is he? 

“Didn’t you know I must be in my Father’s house?”

Like Mary and Joseph were confused by this response, sometimes so are we. 

This was the beginning of when Mary and Joseph fully started understanding who Jesus was and who he would become, and why he was here.

He says “…I must…”  he is revealing his purpose is to do the will of God, his father.  Our Father. 

How often do we try to want Jesus to fit into our agenda and our plans?  We want to put a leash on him and have him walk around with us.  But that is not who He is.

Jesus is here to do God’s will and he asks us to join him in this journey.

Now as Lent is coming close to an end is a great time to reflect on this.  Are we still asking “Where are you Jesus?”  Are we looking in the right places?  Are we looking at all?

“Did you not know I must be in my Father’s house?”

O God, who from the family of your servant David raised up Joseph to be the guardian of your incarnate Son and the spouse of his virgin mother: Give us grace to imitate his uprightness of life and his obedience to your commands; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Senior Reflection...from 2006...

Tuesday greetings.  So, I spent today looking at some old files and researching what we can do here at Holy Communion that has worked in the past.  And I came across this little gem! 

Back in the day, we would have a service on Wednesday night in Quelling Chapel that included a reflection. Each year, the new group of seniors were asked to give the reflections during those service. 

Yes, I was lucky enough to be asked to give the reflection.  We only had like a handful of seniors so I actually think we were all asked.  So ironically….here it is.  A reflection from a me…written 6 years ago.   Hope you enjoy!

2-15-2006

Why do you come to church?  That is the question that I asked myself whenever I found out I was suppose to be giving this reflection.  It seems like an easy question, but you would not believe how hard it was for me to come up with something.  So I’m just going to start from the beginning.  It was around the time I was a wee little 6^th grader that I was forced to go to my first EYC at St. George’s.  Yes forced, I did not want to go, but I didn’t want to be grounded even more, so I went.  I didn’t really have so much fun the first few times.  But after some time I made some friends and I started to have fun, which brings me to one reason I come to church, the social aspect.  This became the driving force of why I would go, because that’s where my friends were and I had fun.  I really didn’t expect much else.

                As I got older, things change.  I began to realize another reason I would go to church.  I loved being in the environment.  I realized how it was the presence of Christ and I began to see how Christ was working through all the people around me.  As my spiritual life was beginning to make sense to me for the first time, the worst thing happened.  Problems with my family, difficulties with my dad, pressure at school, soccer, so much more was going on that I began doubting.  As things go worse and worse I stopped caring.  I blamed all my problems on God and then turned my back on him.  Ironically, I still went to church every Sunday, but only because my friends were there.  I no longer cared about the spiritual element. 

                I then went through Happening.  Once again, because I had heard that it was fun and a lot of friends were going.  That weekend brought me back somewhat.  I again began to feel and notice the presence of Christ around me, but I didn’t think about it too much.  But at least it was a start.  I changed from blaming God for my problems to looking for help with my problems.  The environment of being completely surrounded by Christ’s presence was back and I loved being in it. 

                This past year I went on the Pilgrimage to Greece.  This time because I was excited about growing spiritually and not just because it would be fun.  While there, during one our many Lectio Divina times, we read a verse from Mark.  In it, a man comes face to face with Jesus.  The man asks Jesus if he can follow him.  Jesus replies that he can as long as he gives up all of his possessions.  During the responses, people talked about what they would do in that situation.  Meanwhile I sat back because I was questioning if I would even have enough courage to walk up to Jesus.  I didn’t feel that my faith was strong enough to really talk to people about Christ not to mention go running up to Jesus to talk about it.  I was ashamed of myself.  I would compare myself to others and felt that I was no where near anybody else on that trip and felt like I didn’t belong.  I was ashamed of myself for doubting and questioning faith.

                Since our pilgrimage, I have realized many things.  I didn’t have to be ashamed of myself for doubting.  I learned that I was not, other people were doubting as well, and I was not along in the fact that I went to church for the social aspect.  Since the Pilgrimage, my main reason for going to church has been to keep growing in my relationship with Christ.  I’m not going to say that the social aspect doesn’t make it easier to go but it is not my only reason.  It may have been the social part that drew me in and I didn’t expect much more.  In the end, I got a whole lot more than I bargained for and I couldn’t be happier. 

Will I Be Strong Enough?

So today I ask you a question…How many of you have ever been so annoyed or hurt or angry about how someone else acting, you ask them to stop, repeatedly, and they keep doing it, that you finally, “That’s it!  I’ve had it!  Enough is enough!”

I think just about everyone has reached a point that point.  Maybe it is a parent dealing with a child that just never seems to listen.   A child dealing with a parent that seems to never listen.  A sibling.  A friend. 

In reality, anybody can bug you so much to the point that you feel that enough is enough and you begin to turn your back on them.  You shut them out.  They are a lost cause.  Not worth my time.

Ever thought that?

This upcoming Sunday, the Gospel reading comes to us from Luke.  It is a very popular parable that is very commonly referred to as an all time favorite by many.

Naturally, I am referring to the Prodigal Son.  Yes, this is a great parable with a great fantastic lesson.  Normally we look at the Father in the story as God, this kind man who welcomes us home after we are lost and wander and feel that we have wasted everything we have been given.  Yet, when we repent and return, we are accepted with open, loving arms.  It is truly a great heart-warming story.

But, I want to take a look at it from another angle.  Now, as many of you know, there is another son in this story.  The older son.  Let’s just say he is not too pleased that there is a huge celebration for the son that took all his money and left.  I was the one that stayed and worked and have been there for you all these years…why does he get all of this praise for leaving!?

One thing I sometimes do when reflecting on a Passage is think of which character I fit in as.  Many times, I see myself as the Prodigal Son.  Crawling back begging for forgiveness.  Other times I look on and ask, “Uhhhh….why is that happening for them?”

I while back I attended an event here at Holy Communion where Bill Courtney came to speak about the documentary that had recently come out about the football team he coached at Manassas High School.  The title of the documentary is “Undefeated”.  If you have not seen it, I highly recommend it.  Be aware though, there is some foul language.  I do not want to spoil this for anyone who has not seen it, but I will try to briefly explain the plot.  Well, I won’t but IMDB says this… 

A documentary that follows the Manassas Tigers football team, a severely underfunded and underprivileged football team -- who were even hired out as a practice team for more successful schools -- as they reverse their fortunes, thanks to coach Bill Courtney.

So in the movie, there is a player on the team named Chavis.  To be nice, you could say he was not nice.  On many occasions, he is seen fighting with fellow teammates and being rude and disrespectful to others, peers and coaches.  The guy has a short temper and it is not fun to see him when he is angry.

After getting into another fight with a teammate, he walks out on the team.  Abandons them.

When I went to hear Courtney speak, someone asked him why he didn’t just kick him off the team.  It was obvious he was hurting them more than he was helping.

Coach Courtney’s response has stuck with me ever since hearing it.

He asked everyone, if they had to define what it meant to be a Christian in one word, what would it be.  He said that for him, it was forgiveness.  If you think about it, Jesus came down and died for our sins, to forgive us.  God’s grace, forgiveness.  To Coach Courtney, it was forgiveness, “Without that, we are all just Jewish or something.  I don’t know I am not really a theologian” he went on to joke. 

But he talked about how he thought about how on Sunday, when he was sitting in the pews, he would pray and always ask for forgiveness.  Each week he would go in and apologize for doing something and ask for forgiveness.  Then the next week, he would be right back there, apologizing for still doing it and again asking for forgiveness.

Does any of this sound familiar?  I know I feel that way many Sundays.  That I am constantly asking for forgiveness for something that I continue to do. 

Well, even during those times that I feel that I have really messed up, God is there.  So if He won’t give up on me, who am I to give up on them?

That was the question Coach Courtney asked himself.  Who am I not forgive them?  To not give them another chance?  Who am I to give up on someone?

So, there is the guy that used to lead all the music for our youth retreats when I was younger, Sam Hensley, perhaps you have heard of him.  He has a song that he wrote called Prodigal Son.  Surprisingly, it is about the Parable of the Prodigal Son. 

Throughout the song, he asks , ‘Will I be strong enough to welcome him home?”  Over and over, he asks “Will I be strong enough?”  There is so much anger that can be felt and we feel that forgiveness is out of the question, or we are can’t handle it anymore, “Enough is enough!”

At the end, again he asks, “Will I be strong enough to welcome him home?”

“Oh yes, I will be strong enough to welcome him home and I will say, ‘Welcome home my Prodigal Son, welcome home!”

The Holy Spirit

So today I wanted to talk about something personal and something that I care very very deeply about.  Youth Ministry.  This is not a new passion of mine that simply started because I got a job doing it.  It is something that started off small.  May have been forced at the beginning.  But it grew.

Kind of like the Parable of the Mustard Seed.

So I will tell my story, of youth ministry and my involvement.  It started back at St. George's Episcopal Church in Germantown.  My mother forced me to go to EYC, against my will. 

Eh.  Not that great

I would try to take one of my friends with me so I had a friend there.  But he couldn't come all the time and during those times...still no good.

I didn't want to go.  Ever see The Princess Bride?  It is kind of like Fred Savage when grandpa is trying to read him the story.  He really wants nothing to do with it.

After sometime, I made some friends in youth group.  Mainly, there was this group of brothers who always fought each other and were picking on each other.  Now, growing up in a house of only girls, fighting was cool.   One time I saw the middle brother, throw the youngest brother into the wall and fall to the bed underneath.  The oldest brother saw and threw the younger brother into the same wall, where he crashed down on to the bed, on top of the other brother. 

WOW.  That was frighteningly cool.

Anyway, so we all became really close friends at St. George's.  We always went to youth group.  Loved youth group so much, that I started going to 2 youth groups!  I had friends at both and I wanted to see them all!

Well, after some tough times, we no longer had a youth program at St. George's and our youth group had dwindled down to 3 people that couldn't make it all the time. 

I didn't want to give up on this community that had helped me through so much.  So I began coming to Holy Communion, that second youth group that I would go to anyway.

I quickly made a bunch more friends and those brothers, they started coming too. 

The feeling I got from being with those people, all of my friends, I felt that I can handle anything.  Any question I had, no matter what, I felt safe and comfortable there. 

Now to give some perspective to what I was like in high school here we go...

I did take honors classes and AP classes.  I did work hard in school.  I can also admit I wish I had worked harder.  I also played soccer.  Not only for a rec team but competitively.  I also played for a basketball team for Holy Communion.  I was also a proud member of the bowling team.  Yes, I said bowling.  Didn't see that one coming did you?  I was also a member of the National Art Honors Society all through high school.  I was very involved in my AP art class and various art competitions around Memphis.  I think I have a trash can I painted still set up at the fairgrounds.  I worked at Huey's.  Many nights you could find me either, expediting, food running, or as your Take-Out Attendant. 

I was also very involved with youth group.  I tried to never miss EYC or our Wednesday night programming.  I was very involved with Happening.  Member of DYC.  Yea, I can admit, I had a lot on my plate.  What can I say, I wanted to do it all. 

In talking with other youth workers about our programs today, they asked me about my experiences with youth groups.  To which a conversation including all of the above was talked about.

You are an exception.  That was what I was told.  Putting such a priority on being active in the church was and is not a normal thought process for a high school.  Pretty much he was telling me that I was weird.  Which may be true.  We have actually done a survey to see who was weirder between me and a few other people.  I lost.

But I thought about it.  Am I really the exception?  Cause that group of brothers that I befriended back in like 1999.  They are still involved today too.  In 2012, all three of them volunteered with EYC here at Holy Communion.

Three other members of that same youth group.  Still involved.  Help out with youth group. 

A great majority of everyone from that group, still keeps in touch.  Knows about what each one is up to.  We are still connected.

Where else can you make friends like that?  Am I really the exception then if there seems to be a common trend? 

I think the exception was that we all had committed to being involved.  We all wanted to be in the atmosphere.  This place where we felt connected.  This place where long after we were supposed to leave we were still sitting in the parking lot not wanting to leave each other's company.

I was not alone.  So I know I am no exception.  That was the norm.  My request this week is simple but can change your life.  Make that commitment.  Please.  Give it a shot.  It may take a sometime.  But sooner or later, you will stop thinking about it so much and you will be wondering, what is it that makes you want to come back.  Why can't you get enough!?

  

Segway, I have also been told I have this pretty big flaw.  After struggling for years, trying to figure things out, finally someone just told me, "Just ask for help." 

 Especially with this job, when you pour so much energy and time and emotion into what you are doing.  You can begin to take things personally.  And just want to make things work.  Sometimes you just need to ask for help.  We are made to be co-dependent people.  Yes, I said it.  I know that goes against everything society tells you.  But we need each other.  And I was told that I was independent to a fault.  Which can be true.  However, I am working on it. 

So I ask you, what can I do for you?  How can we better build a program that makes you want to come?  Will you help me make this program as great as I know it can be?

"Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

Come join us.  Be a part of this community.  Understand that atmosphere of what youth group can be like.  Where you don't want to leave.  It becomes so important to you.  Don't make that the exception.  Make it the norm.

Cause that feeling of not wanting to leave...maybe; just maybe...that is the Holy Spirit at work.

Unworthy, Broken, and LOVED!

So today I want to ask you a question…you do not have to answer out loud or to me…just think about it.

First, I want you to take your hands and cup them together.  Like you are holding something inside.

 

Just like this.

Now…

Have you ever felt so lost?  So unworthy that you can’t see how anybody can look at you with respect, in a good light, with love…

Ever felt just so low and think that there is no hope or no one out there that cares?

Think about that…or think of times you feel ashamed about things you do…think…say…the way you look….anything that may be on your mind or weigh heavy on your heart. 

Imagine all of that crap and pretend that it is inside your hands.  Hold it there.  Feel all that weight growing inside your hands.  All the stuff that keeps you from feeling that you are loved…place all that hate inside your hands.  Now hold it there while you read…

Judges 16

Being the good Episcopalians that we are, we probably have no idea what that is…

It’s Samson and Delilah.  In this story you have the great and mighty Samson.  Who was prophesied to begin the deliverance of Israel from Philistine oppression.  He was destined to be a great hero of the people of Israel.  Instead, he became infatuated with Delilah.  I prostitute who was sent to help capture Samson.  She succeeded and Samson had his eyes gouged out and make him work hard labor in the prison in Gaza.  The great and powerful, unbeatable Samson, was now a slave. 

Failure.

Jonah.  Did not do what God asked him to do.  Swallowed by a big fish.

David.  Gives in to his desire for another man’s wife. His decision leads not only to deception and adultery, but even to murder.

Jacob.  Prophet of God.  Deceived his own father and brother to gain the birthright.

Adam and Eve…I think we all know that one.

The point is, we all mess up.

If you think about it, when Jesus was crucified…According to Luke, before crying out to God, what was the last thing he said?

“Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

Who did he say it to? 

A thief who was being crucified.  Look up St. Dismas for more information on that one.

Look back down at your hands?  How are ya feeling?  Do you still have all that anger inside of there?

Jonah.  Freed from the fish and carried out his duty given to him by God.

David.  Was forgiven and learned self-discipline.

Jacob.  Wrestled with God himself.  Later forgiven by his brother Esau and carried out his mission given to him by God.

Samson.  Humbled and returned to the Lord.  And fulfilled his prophecy and went down in the “Hall of Faith” in Hebrews.

I once heard this metaphor.  Imagine you are a slab of marble.  And God is the sculpture.  Throughout your whole life he is chipping away. You were made in his image.  As we grow we may wonder, lose faith, or run away completely.  But the whole time, the sculpture continues chipping away.  Making you exactly how you are supposed to be.  Perfect.

So now I ask you, what is it that is keeping you from feeling the love of Christ everyday of your life?  What is holding you back?  What is keeping you from fully living you for God?  Being a true servant of the Lord…

Is it the stuff in your hand?

This past Sunday, Bishop Don Johnson answered this question.  He quoted…

 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.    Romans 8:38

NOTHING! Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord!

The Bishop nearly yelled out as he closed out his sermon.

NOTHING!

Open your hands… what is in there…

Nothing?

Shrove Tuesday

Happy Shrove Tuesday Everybody!

Today is Shrove Tuesday also known as Pancake Tuesday or Pancake Day better known as Fat Tuesday which means Mardi Gras!  That is a lot of names!  What on earth does all that mean?

Oh hypothetical Matthew, I am so glad you asked!  Well, “Shrove Tuesday” comes from the latin scr bere  for to write, which changed to the Old English scrifan through the Middle English schriven which means to make or go to confession.  Hmm…

Shrove is the past tense for the verb shrive, which means to obtain absolution for one’s sin by way of Confession and doing penance.  Oh… starting to make sense…

Mardi Gras comes from the French for “Fat Tuesday” referring to the practice of the last night of eating rich fatty foods before the fasting of lent starts on Ash Wednesday.  Oh ok…why pancakes?

Pancakes were traditionally made because it was a way of using up all the rich fatty foods like eggs, milk, and sugar that were traditionally given up.

 In Newfoundland, tokens were actually made into the pancakes that were symbols of divinatory.  So like a coin meant they would be wealthy.  One of them was that you would marry a carpenter if you found a nail in your pancake! 

So we generally get to Lent and give something up.  Candy, soft drinks, sweets…just because it is what is our tradition and it is what we are told to do.  But what are we actually doing this for?

Tomorrow we will gather at altar and have ashes smooshed on our foreheads while the words, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

We are called to repent.  To confess our sins and return to the Lord.  A chance to love the Lord with all our hearts, with all our soul, and with all our might.

This is the time that Jesus went of in the desert to pray and fasted for 40 days.  He was tempted by the devil.  All this leading up to his crucifixion, where he takes on all our sins.

So what do we do, we “fast”.  We give something up.  We pick something that we like and say we will give it up.  That is how we honor this.  That is our penance.  

In the book of Joel we are called to “Even then,” declares the LORD, “return to me with your whole heart”.

Calvary hosts a Lenten Preaching Series each year.  Last year, the Rev. John M. Pitzer, O.P. started off the series last year and I wanted to share some of his lessons with you.

He starts off talking about the fact that we give stuff up for Lent and that’s great!  That is what we are asked to do.  But is it really that simple? 

“With your whole heart!” declares the Lord! 

Rev. Pitzer challenges us.  If you are fasting from something…chips, candy, soda…If you are fasting from these things.  What are you feasting on?

He leaves us with these examples and challenges for Lent.  I leave you with the same.  Giving up something is fine.  But what do you fast on?  How are you using your whole heart, to return to the Lord?

If you fast from being critical of people…feast on building people up.

Fast from gossip…feast on holding your tongue

Fast from holding a grudge…feast on forgiveness

Fast from telling those white lies we all tell…feast on the truth

Fast from disrespecting others…feast on respecting all of God’s Children

Fast from making excuses…feast on getting involved and being willing to help

Fast from a bad attitude…feast on being positive

Fast from violence…feast on peace

Fast on being passive aggressive…feast on sharing your feelings honestly

Fast from being mean or rude…feast on being nice and polite

Fast from fear…feast on hope

Fast from hate…feast on love

“Even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with your whole heart.” 

A lot of time we struggle with this for whatever reason.  We consider ourselves too much of a failure.  We have sinned too much.  We are not worthy, not good enough.  We can’t forgive ourselves for whatever we did…

“Even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with your whole heart.” 

It’s never too late…remember the Prodigal Son?

The fastest growing "religious" group in America is...

Did you know that over 110 million Americans tuned in to watch the Baltimore Ravens defeat the San Francisco 49ers Sunday evening?   That means that 46.3% of all Americans were tuned in for the big show down.  Nielson reported that 71% of all television were tuned into CBS for the game.  That is impressive! 

Sports are a huge part of many peoples lives.  We play them, we watch them, we want to grow up to be a professional one and we look up to them. 

Trust me, I am no different.  I grew up with a picture of Cobi Jones in my bedroom and dreamed of one day being a professional soccer player.  Currently, I am a huge Titans and Tennessee Volunteers fan (notice all the orange in my newsletters?)  And I, along with about 30 other youth and volunteers gathered in the youth room this past Sunday to watch the great showdown between the brothers.

Now I wanted to state a few facts and statistics that I found…

So as stated before,

 46.3% of Americans Watched the Super Bowl.

Last year, 28% of American adults left the faith in which they were raised in

In adults aged 18-29, one-in-four do not claim any affiliation with a particular religion.

Less than 20% of Americans attend church regularly

In a survey done of children ages 6-12 spend their time and how much time per week was spent on each activity.  The results are as followed…

Activity	Age 6-8	Age 9-12
Sleeping	70 hrs, 44 minutes a week	67:34
School	33:54	33:50
Playing	11:26	8:44
Television	12:38	13:36
Eating	7:58	7:54
Personal care	7:58	7:54
Household work	5:05	6:06
Sports	4:38	5:14
Visiting	3:25	3:41
Other leisure	2:32	3:34
Studying	2:03	3:37
Church	1:21	1:28
Reading	1:14	1:16
Art activities	0:45	0:56
Family talks	0:32	0:28
Hobbies	0:04	0:09

In a study conducted by the Fuller Youth Institute, there are two places that a child or youth can develop their faith and learn in a way that can prepare them for all the obstacles that life will throw at them.  The first and most important one was family.  Having a strong relationship with your family and being able to communicate with them.  Nothing even compares to the effect being able to talk openly with your family about what is going on in your life or about your faith.

The second was the church.  Often times children look to their church children or youth groups as a place where they can connect with other people their age that can help them and talk with them about what is going on in their lives.

So now if we look back at the study, we have almost 2 hours a week that is spent on those 2 activities combined.

Now, I do not think anything can replace the importance of family.  But I do think that the church should also be a very important part of a children’s development.  It was why I am still involved with the church.  I was forced to be active when I was younger.  Yes.  I said it.  Forced.  But I guess somewhere along the way, I couldn’t help but go.

I understand the feeling of being tired on a Sunday morning.  I almost always wake up and think…“I just want to sleep in!”  If I didn’t have this job or teach a Sunday school class, in all honesty I would probably miss every now and then.  

But is that right?

Let’s look back at that list.  I feel that even adults can sub work for the school section and it still is pretty close to accurate.

Sleep.  Well it’s necessary to function.

School/ work. Mandatory.

Playing.  That’s just fun

Television.  Well, it’s normally on while I am doing something else or while I’m eating.

Eating.  Necessary for life.

Church.  Well, if I skip Sunday school I can still make it to church. 

Church.  I just went to sleep a few hours ago, I’m still tired.  I’ll go next week.

Church…I’ll make up an excuse and keep saying it until I believe it.

Why is that where we make the exception?  We will force and bend and flex our schedules around everything.  I must make it to that party.  I have to play at least 3 sports this season.  I need to be a part of this group at school so it looks good on my college applications.

Yes, that is great.  You should do all the things you want to.  If you like playing basketball, you should.  If you want to be a part of FCA or be Vice President of German Club, awesome! Do it! (Yes, I was VP of German Club in High School).

It is great to have those goals and great to have the ambition to go out and make it happen.  But then we are burned out and tired and just looking for a place to slack.  So we pick the church.  That place we know forgives us.  That’s kind of their thing, right?

We want to squeeze everything into our already over packed schedule and the things that normally get squeezed out are the two most important. 

If merely 2 hours are spent at church or talking with your family, where does a child learn about God?  Explore their faith. 

Why is it ok that we put the church on the backburner while we live our lives?

One last statistic,

The fastest growing “religious” group in America is…atheism.

Wonder if the two can be connected at all…