Of farming, bikinis, and body art.

Here is this week's dose of my favorites:

1. Favorite Way to Get Your Family Talking - (via Who Will You Empower)

11 Phrases to Get Your Family Talking:

• My family is unique because …
• A question I’d like to ask my dad is …
• My most valuable possession is …
• I’m a great friend because …
• Read the rest here...

2.  Favorite Counter Cultural Video - Jessica Rey: The Evolution of the Swimsuit - (via YouTube)

3. Favorite Farmers - A Fresh Breath of Farm Air - (via YouTube)

4. Favorite Thing to Do To Your Baby - Cabbage Patching Your Kid - (via Today)

5. Favorite Body Art...for dogs - (via mymodernmet)

See the rest here

Can't see the circus for the parade...

A little boy who lived far out in the country in the late 1800s had reached the age of twelve and had never in all his life seen a circus. You can imagine his excitement, when one day a poster went up at school announcing that on the next Saturday a traveling circus was coming to the nearby town. He ran home with the glad news and the question, “Daddy, can I go?” Although the family was poor, the father sensed how important this was to the boy. “If you do your Saturday chores ahead of time,” he said, “I’ll see to it that you have the money to go.”

Come Saturday morning, the chores were done and the little boy stood by the breakfast table, dressed in his Sunday best. His father reached down into the pocket of his overalls and pulled out a dime—the most money the little boy had possessed at one time in all his life. The father cautioned him to be careful and then sent him on his way to town.

The boy was so excited, his feet hardly seemed to touch the ground all the way. As he neared the outskirts of the village, he noticed people lining the streets, and he worked his way through the crowd until he could see what was happening. It was the approaching spectacle of a circus parade!

The parade was the grandest thing this kid had ever seen. Caged animals snarled as they passed, bands beat their rhythms and sounded shining horns, midgets performed acrobatics while flags and ribbons swirled overhead. Finally, after everything had passed where he was standing, the traditional circus clown, with floppy shoes, baggy pants, and a brightly painted face, brought up the rear. As the clown passed by, the little boy reached into his pocket and took out that precious dime. Handing the money to the clown, the boy turned around and went home.


What had happened? The boy thought he had seen the circus when he had only seen the parade!

Are you experiencing all that God has for you? The Christian life is a great adventure, an exciting journey. Many people—including Christians—seem to be content to float in a sea of mediocrity, settling for second best, missing out on the big show! Do you want the abundant life that Jesus promised? Do you want to live life to its fullest? Then aim higher. Don’t set your sights too low. Determine to become all that God created you to be. Give yourself to Christ, follow him completely, and allow the Holy Spirit to work in you and through you.

Jeremiah 33:33 says,

“Call to me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”

Is there anything happening in your life that can only be explained as the power of God? How desperately do you want God to reign over your life? It starts with you. Allow God to have all of you. God can and will use you beyond your wildest dreams. Don’t settle for a spiritual parade when there is a show unlike any other just down the road!

Dads and the Great Outdoors!

As a church we want to see Deuteronomy 6 lived out in the lives of our families. We want to see parents taking responsibility for the faith development of their children, to "impress [God's commands] upon them." Doing this begins with a healthy relationship with your children. It is that relationship that gives us true influence in their lives. It doesn't come from a position of authority, but out of relationship with them. 

Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. ²⁰ For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. (John 5:19-20)

Jesus referred to God as His Father many times during His ministry on earth. Jesus wanted to spend time with His Father. Spending quality time with our sons show them that we love them and want to be part of their lives. 

Many Fathers did just that this past weekend at the Father/Son Campout. Setting up tents, playing games, hiking, fishing, cooking together and laughing together. Some had never been in a tent before. It was a beautiful picture of Fathers intentionally investing in their children. God has great things in store for your family, even if camping isn't for you. Find time to spend quality time with your sons and daughters, building relationships that will allow to the ability to speak truth in love into their lives for many years ahead. 

My son's first catch!

Fire starting demonstration (no matches!)

Spending time with the guys.

Worship and devotions by the campfire!

Guys...here's a hint. Don't miss the next one! It was great!

Friday Five (6/21/13)

1. Favorite Parenting Article - 10 Phrases to Encourage Your Children - (via Orphan Care Alliance)

2. You are amazing!

“I look at you with wonder! Not just at what you can do, but who you are. There is no one like you. No one!”

Lord, there is no one like you! For you are great, and your name is full of power. Jeremiah 10:6

2. Favorite Next-Gen Thoughts - 8 Terms to Understand Generation iY - (via Growing Leaders)

"Hear Me Out" "Keep It Real" "Make It Count" - We may not understand the next generation, but that's not an excuse not to begin. Read the entire article here.

3. Favorite Advertisement - IBM Creates Ad With Purpose - (via Vimeo)

4. Favorite Disturbing Info - 20 Startling Images Invisible to the Naked Eye - (via Sobadsogood)

See more here

5. Favorite Thing You Can Do With Sound - Resonance Experiment - (via YouTube)

Have a great weekend!

What are you reading?

Who wouldn't like to be there reading a great book? While you may not have any beach plans this summer, there is something about this time of year and reading a good book! Something you may not realize is that the church offers a wide selection of books (fiction and non-fiction) for you on a range of topics from some of the best authors for you to check out. 

We recently added a ton of them that align with our "rooted in God's love" initiative. Reading is something that is vital to challenging our minds and spirits. So what are you reading this summer and how is it helping you grow to become "rooted?" 

If you don't know the answer, stop by the church library (to the right as you enter the sanctuary from the welcome area) and let us help you!

A misunderstanding of our circumstances could cause us to miss out on God's plan for us.

Lessons from a 3-year old (part 3): 

The other day during all the tornado warnings and storms, Lizzie runs to the back door and excitedly reports to me "Daddy! It's snoring outside!" It took a second to realize she was referring to some pretty nasty sounding thunder. She wasn't afraid at all about it. I think she thought it was pretty cool. 

I'm a responsible enough of a parent not to leave her uninformed and let her play outside while it's "snoring." We corrected her thinking and helped her understand what was, in fact, happening. 

This time the storms weren't so bad. If we left Lizzie in her ignorance  thinking that thunderstorms were actually someone "snoring" or simply God bowling, at some point her misunderstanding of her circumstances could leave her in a deadly situation.  

This happens to us all the time. A great example of this is Joseph (Genesis 37-50). Here's the very-abridged version. Joseph's brothers are jealous of Joseph (somewhat rightfully so) and they throw him in a well and sell him into slavery (better than killing him). Bummer for Joseph. This takes him to Egypt. Joseph has a series of highs and very lows as he earns his way to a high position in Egypt only to be falsely accused of sexually assaulting his bosses wife. Now in jail. Bummer. Earns respect from interpreting dreams and becomes 2nd in command in Egypt under Pharaoh. What a ride! 

Joseph could have misunderstood his circumstances. During the highs he could have been filled with pride because of what he accomplished for himself. He could have disregarded God's work in his life because of all that had happened and that he pulled himself up by his own bootstraps and made a name for himself. 

He could have become filled with self-pity in his lows. His family abandoned him. His boss didn't believe him. His life was filled with hard labor, loneliness, and despair. Even God has turned his back on him!

Fortunately for Joseph and the nation of Israel he didn't take that perspective of his circumstances either. 

A famine happens and Joseph's family comes to Egypt for food (because they were the only nation prepared for a famine - thanks to Joseph's dream interpretation) and who do they have to request food from? Yup. Joseph. After some back and forth, Joseph reveals himself to his family:

Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt!  And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. (Genesis 45:4-5)

This interchange led to Joseph's family moving to Egypt, being given a safe place to live and survive the famine. 

Joseph's trust in God through difficult circumstances allowed him to see God's plan for saving his family. 

Can the same be said of you?

• What is your response to a job loss? 
• A job promotion?
• A car wreck?
• A child suffering with an addiction?
• A parent struggling with a debilitating disorder?
• The death of a family member?
• A disaster?

Your circumstances will change, but God's love for you will not; God's plans for you will not. It's easy to misunderstand our circumstances as God abandoning us. It's easy to misunderstand our blessings as simply a reward for our hard work, our persistence, something that we did and, we aren't careful we will take the credit. 

How do we respond to challenging circumstances? 

• We must look to God's word and ask "What does God say about this?"
• Sometimes, God's word doesn't speak specifically to an circumstance. In this we ask "Is there a principle from God's word that can direct me?"
• Finally, we must use the common sense God has given us and ask "What is the wise response?" 

Regardless of the circumstances I may face, I want to be able to say:

God, I may not understand what's happening right now, but I trust you. Be my rock. Be my guide. Show me how I can honor you where I am.

How do make sure to keep a right perspective? Who do you talk to in difficult circumstances or in times of blessing? 

To tattle or not to tattle?

I have a question for you today...completely anonymous. 

Ellen Reynolds - Using Her Gifts in Service to Share Christ.

As we seek to become rooted in God's love as a church and as the individuals that comprise this body of believers, we want to become rooted in what we believe are 6 expressions of God's love: Study, Prayer, Stewardship, Discipleship, Community and Service. 

Here's how we define service in the personal goals we set: I am using my spiritual gifts in service to share Christ. 

I have been on staff at Campbellsville Christian Church for just under thirteen years now and in all that time, Ellen Reynolds has taught our 5th grade Sunday School class. Unless you're a personal friend of hers or a 5th grader you might not know that. Here is why I find that incredibly important. 

• She knows and uses her gifts - She loves 5th graders and teaching and is using those gifts to make a difference in the spiritual development of young people in a transitional time in their lives. 
• She found a "home" - So often, we serve in an area until we no longer have a child or a vested interest in a program/ministry and then we move on. Ellen has stayed the course. We encourage you to find your "sweet spot" and hang out there.
• She makes an impact - 5th graders are the "big kids on campus" right now but are quickly going to become "low on the totem pole." It's a tough time to navigate in the life of a young person and Ellen is there through this pivotal time. 

If you see Ellen, tell her thank you for making a difference and using her gifts in service to share Christ.

Friday Five (6/14/13)

1. Favorite Cultural Question - Cross-Dressing Day at an Elementary School - (via Christian Post)

A Milwaukee, Wis., elementary school has come under fire from parents for encouraging children as young as five years old to cross-dress in celebration of an event billed "Gender-Bender Day" at the school last Friday. (Read more)

How would you respond?

2. Favorite Parenting Article - The Bikini Question - (via Made In His Image)

Summer is rolling around, and our time at the beach or pool just skyrocketed! I think we can all agree that the majority of girls wear bikinis at any place involving water. However, I don’t. Most of my friends think I shy away from bikinis for the wrong reasons. They either think I am insecure, am forced away from bikinis like the plague, or have some weird hatred for skimpy swimwear. All of those reasons are wrong. (read more)

3. Favorite "New" Thing To Do To Babies - Baby Mugging - (via Laughing Squid)

4. Favorite Magic Trick - Crossword Puzzle Magic - (via Neatorama)

Finally, because you have nothing better to do on a Friday...
5. Favorite Animal Compilation Video - Animals Sneezing - (via YouTube)

Have a great Father's Day Weekend!