The Great Adventure

 

Sometimes we come up to a season of change.  I have had many times of change in my life.  Many moves, many jobs, many different scenarios happening.  Change is an important part of life.  As we transition into new things, it allows us to grow and stretch.  The funny thing is, we usually don't like to change or have change.  I am very much a creature of habit in many ways.  I like routines.  I like consistency.  But there is a part of me that contradicts that part that like things to stay the same.  It is the adventurer part of me.  The part that wants to explore new worlds and try new things.  It is the part of me that likes the unknown. 

So now we are in the middle of a transition and change.  New job, new vision, new focus, new adventures ahead.  So how do we approach all this "new".  Dragging feet, grumbling about how we hate change?  Or are we going to dive head first into the new adventure and be excited about what will be even if it is hard and challenging.  I choose the latter.  We will be taking on a big, tentatively daunting task (church plant), but it is also going to be exciting, refreshing and a welcome challenge.  I like being challenged and being able to rise to the occasion.

Despite talking about change, I am also experiencing a homecoming. I have had one homecoming when we came back to the Comox Valley which has been awesome!  The newest homecoming is returning to C3 Church which is my "tribe".  A place where I feel I can really be me to the fullest.  Same language, same style, same focus, same heart, same culture, same DNA.  I am looking forward to really being able to get back into the fold with the people and reconnect in a greater way.  It is going to be an awesome ride!

For some reason, the song by Steven Curtis Chapman is in my head "Saddle up your horses, we got a trail to blaze" (The Great Adventure).  I feel like I am stepping into what God has really called me to do.  It will not be easy but anything that is worth it rarely is.  I am excited to see where God takes us and who is coming along for the ride.  It is going to be a fun 2014!  I am so thankful for amazing friends and family to walk this out with.  Stronger together!

Those are my thoughts for this moment.  I have a feeling there will be more and they will be more regular.  Feel free to make comments and share your thoughts with me as well.  Until next time...

Christians and Art...

So remember when the church used to lead the way when it came to art? That was a long time. Christians and the church used to be the biggest influence and have the most impact in art. Music, painting, sculpture, dance...now the church is set on segregating itself from the "world" instead of leading the way in creativity. This seems really backward to me. Since God created the creative, shouldn't His inspiration be the most wonderful and influential? But instead the church chooses to not associate with the community but wants to keep its version of art to itself. You dare not be influenced by current trends and new developments in art. You dare not sound similar to "secular" music. Well dancing is sinful isn't it? I have heard all these comments from people in the church and it saddens me. My heart is for the church to go back to leading the way and influencing the art community, music industry, dance community and then I could guarantee we would see a shift in culture and style which would point towards God and His Spirit. Do we, the church, understand what it means to be in the world? We are supposed to be in there like a dirty shirt not hiding in our buildings. We need to be influencers not irrelevant. We need to encourage our kids to take over the art community as well as other area an let them know it's ok to express their God influenced creativity and spirit in the world. Let's get back to being leaders in our world. 

Vaughn

P.S. I know this was a sweeping generalization and there are those already doing this and I commend them! 

Parents Need to Step It Up!!

So I recently posted a link from Fox News in which a writer wrote about the narcissistic generation we are raising.  I was in total agreement with this article.  I am sure I have talked about this many times before.  As someone that works with youth and young adults I see it consistently.  I also find myself at times falling into the trap.  So if we were all honest, I am sure we would all be in some aspect of agreement with this notion.  Fair enough.  But what do we do about it?  There is only one place in society I can see change coming from.  Parents.  Parents need to be waaaaaaaay more involved.  Parents need to be parents and stop worrying about being your kid's friend.  Your sole job as a parent is to parent.  I would offer up that being "friends" with your son or daughter could actually be harmful for them.  I was not friends with my parents.  They were authority figures.  They were leaders.  They were advisors.  They were police.  They were providers.  They were disciplinarians.  They were instructors.  I could probably list a bunch more of roles they played in my life.  I would not include friend in any of them.  Were we friendly.  Of course.  Were we close.  Yes.  Did we enjoy hanging out together and doing stuff.  Yup!  Were we friends?  No.  We were family.  They were my parents and I was their child.  It worked really well.  It was the way it was designed to be.  Once I became an adult did our relationship change a bit?  Sure.  They became more of a consultant position I could go to.

I don't subscribe to the idea of giving our kids lots of privacy and space.  My grandfather, who was a terrific father and grandfather as well as a police officer, gave my mother this advice.  Check your child's room regularly, know where your child is as much as possible, know their friends and who they hang out with.  Basically, be intrusive.  Did my mom do those things?  Yup!  Did she find things in my room I didn't want her to?  Yup!  Was I better for it?  Yup!  I recommend those things for all parents to do.  Know where your kid spends time and who with.  Do regular room checks.  Check their computers and follow what they are doing.  You can even get software to check up on them so you know what sites they are going on and what they are doing online.  Be intrusive.  Don't give them unnecessary privacy that will not do them any good.  Be extremely involved in their lives whether they want it or not.  Don't be their friend.  Be their parent.  Squash their narcissistic tendencies and teach them to have respect for others, to act properly, to serve others, to work hard and be full of character and integrity.  This is best gift you can ever give your child.  The gift of a real parent.  Do what is best for your child not what they want.

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/01/08/are-raising-generation-deluded-narcissists/