jungle junction

jane loves this show on this disney channel:

for several weeks, it was all that she talked about, and she tried her best to act it out and turn her toys into "wheelers" from jungle junction.

she got a big box of legos for Christmas, so I did my best to make wheelers for her out of legos. some looked alright, some were kind of a stretch-

but it was a fun thing to do together. we ended up making a few trips to the lego store to get more wheels and eyes for the wheelers.

every time I made one she jumped for joy and put it into action with the others. we even went to affordable treasures and got some palm trees to make a jungle for the wheelers to zoom around in. it was fun because jane was somewhat obsessed with jungle junction, and I became focused on making them, and we were sort of obsessed on the same thing for a while. we just fed each other's obsessions with our enthusiasm.

but sadly, jane's jungle junction phase is over. she has moved on to new things. she got a new playmat and needed cars to drive on it so the wheelers had to be dismantled. deanna suggested that I take a picture of my wheelers before I take them apart. what do you think?

being a dad is fun.

-rob

Valentine's Day

last Sunday, I went into “the green room” before the service to pray with the pastors, the singers, and all of the people working during the service. I saw my friend Luba in the green room- she was in there as a choir member. I always enjoy talking with Luba. I walked up to her and said, “Hi Luba! Happy Valentine’s Day!” she said, “yes- this is always a hard day for me- Valentine’s Day and my anniversary.” at that moment I remembered that Luba lost her husband of many years just recently.

I gave her a hug and said, “oh Luba- I’m so sorry…”

she said, “you know, I guess it shouldn’t bother me so much, but I just miss getting that little Valentine’s day card every February that says, “I love you.”

she had tears in her eyes.

I had tears in my eyes.

I said, “Luba! you’re breaking my heart right now!”

she said, “you know, my Alex had a knack for knowing when I wasn’t feeling right and he always knew just how to cheer me up- and he would tell me every day that I was beautiful.”

"He was such a good man.” I said.

she said, “I can’t complain- we have wonderful children who love me and love the Lord…”

and then she looked at me with those welled up eyes banged my chest and said,
“now you make sure that you cherish your family and tell them every day that you love them, because you never know when they will be gone!”

I’m sure that my pastor preached an awesome sermon on Sunday, but I doubt that I heard any of it. I just kept thinking of Luba and the pain of her Valentines’ Day. I tried to tell my friend and my wife about the conversation later on, but I just kept getting all emotional just telling the story.

after church I went to the grocery store to get a few things before I went home to lunch. The cashier looked at my things and said, “a little late for buying a Valentine’s Day card isn’t it?”

I said, “oh- this card isn’t for my wife-

this is for my friend Luba.”

tell the people that you love that you love them.

God is love.

rev-rob

you are special.

we have been doing the r12 campaign at our church this month- each week, we focus on a different aspect of an r12 Christian. last week, we looked at the fact that an r12 Christian has a sober-self-assessment- or an honest understanding of their spiritual gifts and their weaknesses; they understand how God made them and what is true about them. the core verse is romans 12:3 “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.”

I was talking with the middle school ministry last weekend and said something like, ”the point is to not think of yourself as a loser, and not think that you’re all that, just be honest with yourself.” a girl raised her hand in the front row and quietly asked,

“what if thinking that I’m a loser IS being honest with myself?”

time stopped.

God split the heavens and said to me, “you better get this right son.”

it was for this moment that God made me and called me into youth ministry.

time started again. I choked back tears and said:

“you’re not a loser. God has made you special. God loves you. God like to be with you. He calls Himself your Father- and He loves you like a father loves his daughter. You are important. God has a dream for your life that only you can accomplish- you are not a loser. that isn’t true. you are special. you are God’s workmanship- created in Christi Jesus to do good works, which God has prepared in advance for you to do.” and then I went on with my sermon.

this is why I am a youth pastor. to remind middle schoolers that they are loved, they are special, they are important.

you are loved. you are special. you are important. believe that.

God is love.

-rev-rob

attitude::gratitude

I was searching through my old blogs, looking for my chipper story, and I ran across this post from almost 3 years ago. I wrote it after an absolutely awful night in middle school ministry. looking back on that night, I can see that I had a message that I was really proud of; I had a game that I was sure was a winner; but I had very few adults there. also- I had a group of very rebellious middle school boys that seemed to run the show week in and week out.


I compare that night with what I experienced last night. last night I didn't speak at all. the game was pretty good, not legendary. and there was still a group of rebellious boys there; but last night was fabulous. the difference? an incredible team of volunteers. when the boys acted up, I asked one of the many male staff there to go and talk with them and they did- and the boys settled down. even though the game wasn't off the chart crazy, it was still super-fun because of the love and joy that was in the room. and instead of me speaking, each of those awesome small group leaders took a few students and listened to them, prayed with them, and taught them the Bible.


3 years ago I was ready to quit. I was sure that I had nothing to contribute to youth ministry. today- I'm looking forward to years and years of middle school ministry. my passion for this work has never been brighter. and it goes back to those amazing voluteers. tanya came to group, even though she had sharks tickets. I reminded john that he will be inducted into the small group leaders' hall of fame when he enters heaven. we had a brand new staffer come an hour early, just so she could be prepared. we had another brand new adult come out and ask to join the team. I could tell story after story- I'm sure that there were a thousand amazing things that happened that I dodn't even hear about. I walked the halls looking for some rebellious kids to put to work, but in every room I saw groups of students huddled around their leaders, having great conversations. God is good.


I needed to see things with new eyes- and I credit my friend justin for helping me to see the amazing value of having a large staff team. and I thank God for the gift that He has blessed me with in this wonderful group of leaders; and this incredible new paradigm for ministry. I often talk with other youth pastors and I hear them groan with the same tones that I did in that blog three years ago. and I tell them about the awesome team at 678. They never believe it when I tell them how many are on the team, and how skillfully they connect with kids. I really wish and pray that each of these leaders would be blessed like I have been.


so- the next time I think that I'm God's gift to youth ministry, and that I can do it all on my own, and that its all about me, I'll remember the night that we broke a broom off a kid's ankle and remember- that its not about me at all. its about WE.


God is love.
-rev-rob

lectio divina:: 1 thessalonians

I have been highlighting scriptures that demonstrate how to have a great attitude, and I recently read what seemed to me as the granddaddy of the scriptures on attitude.

1 Thessalonians 5:14:
“Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone.
15 See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people.
16 Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”

in verse 14, God tells us to warn lazy people and encourage timid people-
it tells us to be patient, not impatient, and to be a caring person.
that’s what people with a great attitude DO!
and that the kind of person that I want to be.

in verse 15 it tells us not to be a hater, and instead, to always try to do good to everyone.
who DOESN’T want to be that person?

and in 16-18, it blatantly tells us that its God’s WILL that I’m joyful, that I’m praying, and that I’m grateful.

put simply, its God’s will for you and me to have an attractive, positive, believing attitude.
its God’s will that I be an encourager, a thanker, and a pray-er.

as a Christian, I should have a smile. I should have a kind word ready to be said. I should believe that God is going to take care of things. I should be patient, and most of all, I should be humbled and grateful for the load of grace that has been lavished on me.

so that settles it! a bad attitude is not God’s will for you or me.
it doesn’t come naturally, but I need to have it, so I have been finding myself praying for it.
and I have been finding myself looking for things to be grateful for when I feel like grumbling;
and it really makes a difference.

God is love.
rev-rob

rob-the-builder

last Christmas, jane got a big set of legos as a gift. these are real legos, not the big duplo blocks that she has been playing with for years, so I wasn’t sure if she was up to playing with the tiny parts; but to my surprise, she loves them. she has been playing with them a lot lately, and so I told her, “we should go to the lego store on daddy-daughter-day and get some more legos.” jane responded by saying, “that’s a GREAT idea dad!” Deanna said, “get her a lego-car. she really likes the cars.” what these ladies don’t understand is that I don’t need a kit to make lego cars! I have spent many hours of my childhood with legos, and all I need is some wheels to make some funky and chunky vehicles.

so we went to the lego store. jane was so happy that she did her patented happy-hop the entire time we were there. we got a little bucket and filled it up with wheels, steering wheels, shifters, and lego-flowers. when we got home, we spilled out all of the legos on the floor, laid on our tummies and created things for a long time. I made cars while jane made a lego garden out of her flowers. we showed each other the things that we made. at one point jane said,
“you know what dad? I like this.”
“I like this too, jane” I said with a smile.

how fun that jane likes the same toys that I did when I was a kid!
being a dad is cool.

God is love.
-rev-rob

lectio divina:: philippians

this year, one of my primary goals is to be known and marked by a good attitude. I think about this often; today I was reading through Philippians, and paul puts on a clinic on having a good attitude.

for context, remember that paul is writing Philippians from a prison cell, awaiting his execution. he has a right to have a bad attitude. instead, he shows what a great attitude really looks like. here are some notes from my journal on this:

people with a great attitude are marked by GRATITUDE.

even in the face of his execution, Paul thanks everyone. he thanks the Philippians, and he thanks God. in verse 1:3 he writes, “Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.” people with bad attitudes don’t do that!

people with a great attitude are marked by VERBAL AFFECTION.

paul takes time to personally thank and bless others with his words. in 1:7 he says to the philippians, “So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart.” and in 4:1 he says, “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stay true to the Lord. I love you and long to see you, dear friends, for you are my joy and the crown I receive for my work.” he also gives some special verbal praise to his friend Timothy. people with bad attitudes don’t do that!

people with a great attitude are marked by FAITH.

even though he was in his darkest hour, paul believed that God was in control of both the presnt and the future, and that God can do anything. in 1:20 he writes, “For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die.” and in that famous passage in 4:13 paul says, “For I can do everything through Christ,[c] who gives me strength.”

people with a great attitude are marked by OPTIMISM.

since paull believed that God is in control, he could see the glass as hal full. and he encourages the Philippians to do so as well. in 1:12 he says, “And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News.” in other words, his imprisonment is a good thing. even his execution would be a good thing! he says, “But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy.” and he tells the Philippians to be optimistic, positive and grateful in Philippians 4:4, “Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do.” paul never complains about his situation and he tells the Philippians in 2:14, “Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you.” (that’s a pretty good verse to memorize if you want to grow in a good attitude!)

people with a great attitude are marked by A FOCUS ON OTHERS.

no one had a better attitude than jesus; and paul says it clearly in chapter 2: “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave…”

just before that he writes, “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.”

people with a bad attitude don’t do that!

but we should.

be others centered. and a person with a big faith.

be a person who genuinely thanks God and others.

and watch how God uses you this year.

God is love.

-rev-rob

lectio divina:: 2 corinthians 6

I was reading this chapter this morning and it reminded me of my commitment this year to have a great attitude. paul write is verse 1:


"We live in such a way that no one will stumble because of us, and no one will find fault with our ministry. In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food. We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love. "


even in the face of hardships, paul and his team have a great attitude. their focus is on god and on others, not on themselves. their great attitude is their identification; it is their credibility. its interesting to me the components of attitude for paul:
patience;
purity;
understanding;
kindness;
the indwelling of the Spirit;
and sincere love.


that's the kind of people that I want to be around, and those are the characteristics that I want to mark my life in this year.


God is love.
-rev-rob

jane the artist

this is a video that I took with my ipod of jane drawing some items from her room, including her bed, her toy box and the ceiling. she reminds me of a 5-year-old bob ross:

jane the artist from rob walter on Vimeo.

one LAST new year’s resolution:

one LAST new year’s resolution:

no fried food at all in 2010!

no fries,

no onion rings,

no mcdonald’s hash browns,

no tater tots,

no chicken strips,

no fried cheese sticks, corn dogs, fried burritos, nothing.

but this raises some problems:

what about chips? aren’t they fried? do they count? how will I eat salsa?

what about orange chicken at panda?

does that count?

do taco shells count?

I’m sure I’ll spend the entire year trying to figure out what counts and what doesn’t.

I’m going to focus primarily on the stuff that has been dunked in oil and is still wet from it-

and anything that has a crispy breading on it.

hold me accountable if we're out to eat!

-rob