A Battle of Wills

Carson had a high fever tonight which led to us having to miss the Christmas Eve service and spend most of the night on the couch watching movies. At one point I assume Carson started feeling better because he got off the couch, started talking, and went to get his books to read. Which brings me to my story.
He got his Star Wars alphabet book and got to the letter D which of course has a picture of Darth Vader. Carson proudly yelled:"that's Darth Vader." I preceded to go through the book and help him with other pictures. Then we watched Darth Vader on tv. When we came back to the book Carson looks at Darth Vader and says:"that's not Darth Vader." And me in my infinite wisdom inform him he is wrong and that it is indeed Darth Vader. Carson persists that it is not Darth Vader and that it is a Stormtrooper. And I continue to reason with my two year old son by saying and I quote:"Dude, Darth Vader is black and Stormtroopers are white."
It is at this point that I realize Carson is just contradicting me for the fun of it. So as I am reasoning with my two year old, he is just playing around. So I ask you, who is training who?

Happy Holidays
Kevin

Being Lukewarm

We talked a few weeks ago at youth about being a Lukewarm Christian and what that means.  I heard something today that made me reflect on that message.  I was at the store and heard a lady say to her friend: "I was going to buy my son that shirt but decided not to because I was worried he would sneak out of the house and wear it to school."  Two questions:  First: If you, as a parent, deemed the shirt inappropriate (and it was) to wear to school why would you even think about buying it so your son could wear it other places?  And second: what kind of message does that send to your son?  Well you can wear the shirt, but not in places where it is socially unacceptable to do so. (And yes there is a hint of sarcasm there) If you are keeping score, I don't know if the lady ending up buying the shirt but she did put it in her shopping cart.   :(

So that story reminding me of not being a lukewarm Christian.  We are called to be Christ like all the time, not just when it is convenient for us.  This lady was going to make her son be appropriate at school but not in all situations and circumstances.

My prayer today is that we can all be Christians all the time, in ALL situations, and in ALL circumstances.  That is what we are called to do in this life.

grace & peace
kevin

Everything

We watched the Skit set to the Lifehouse song Everything last night at youth.  Everytime I watch the video it gives me chills.  There is just something about the lyrics, the music, and especially the skit.  I love the lyrics: How can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?

Here is the link so you may watch it again...or for the first time.  It's worth it.

grace & peace
kevin

Lifehouse Everything Skit

Cars

Carson was playing with his cars last night and was repeatedly hitting them against one another.  Then he said the funniest thing.  He took one of the cars and said: "car-you go to time out because we don't hit."  Oh the mind of a child.  I think he picks up on things more than we realize sometimes.

grace&peace
kevin

An Attitude of Gratitude

Some of you have probably done the Thanksgiving activity where you trace on outline of your hand (to where it looks kind of like a turkey) and then write what you are thankful for in each "wing."  We did that at youth last night and asked the youth to write, in each finger, not what they are thankful for but how they can show or what they can do this thanksgiving week to show an "attitude of gratitude."  There were many great ideas such as: help mom with thanksgiving dinner, watch my siblings, be mature, be understanding of family, and many more.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 says we should give thanks in all circumstances.  So no matter if you are staying home this week, having family come in to visit, heading out of town to visit family or just hanging out I encourage you to be grateful for all God has given you this year and have an attitude of gratitude.  Have a happy thanksgiving.

grace & peace
kevin

*thanks to Tiffany for "letting" me borrow the title of this post from her sermon*

Romans 1:16

For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith.

Pretty simple huh.  Or is it?  What does it mean to not be ashamed of the gospel?  There's a lot of meaning in that one verse.  The power of the gospel is in our hands and not only should we believe in it but we should share it's power with others.  It is such a great gift that we are given.  My question to you is-how can we not share it with others?  I shared at bible study last night about the feeling you have when you share the gospel with someone who hasn't heard it before and what an awesome feeling that is.  Wouldn't it be great if we could have that feeling everytime we picked up a bible ourselves.  I think it would be kind of like being a kid on Christmas morning....just something to think about.

grace & peace
kevin

It Got Me to Thinking

How many times do we have to hear something or be told something for us to know that someone or God is trying to tell us something?  Answer: sometimes more than others.  Last week I heard that someone I know is planning on giving up facebook for a month.  I decided I could do that, but that wouldn't really be that difficult.  (for me at least)  As I started thinking and talking to others about it, what would be difficult for me to give up for an extended period of time would be television.  And I started to think more about it and that it really shouldn't be that hard.  How much more useful could I be with the time that I spend watching television?  What could I do with that time instead?

So it seems pretty simple to be able to give up that time and be more constructive with it, now I just have to decide on that time.  Maybe around lent.....

grace & peace
kevin

I Don't Want to Grow Up

On Saturday Carson and I were looking at some pictures of me when I was a kid. He saw a picture of Jason and I holding Stephanie when Jason and I were four and she was an infant. It's such a cute picture. Carson was pointing to me in the picture and saying: "thats Carson." Then he would point at Jason and say: "that's uncle Jason."

Which brings me to the reasoning of the title of the post. In the picture I am wearing a dark blue Superman t-shirt. I found the picture so fitting since I have the same shirt (although a different size) that I wore trick or treating last night. I guess it's true what some of the youth say...I do act like a kid sometimes.

Grace & Peace
Kevin

One Meal, One Day

Have you ever wondered how much a single small act (as perceived by us) can drastically change someone's life.  Compassion International has a youth movement called "One Meal, One Day" this wednesday October 20th.  Without going in to too much detail, the challenge is for youth to give up one meal that day (or shortly thereafter) and take the money you would have spent on that meal and donate it to compassion international to help support hungry children around the world.  So this one "small act" by us can transform someone else's whole life.  So, just like we talked about last wednesday, let's give up our money for 1 meal to help those who are more in need.

Check out their website: http://onemealoneday.org

kevin

Fortress of Solitude

I wonder how many of us have a certain place that we can go to when we want to be alone with our thoughts.  I like to go outside for a few minutes each day.  Usually at night for a few minutes after everyone has gone to sleep or in the morning before Carson wakes up.  Either way its nice just to have a place to go to be alone with your thoughts.  (Kind of like Superman has a Fortress of Solitude)  Do you have such a place?  Just a place to be alone and pray, a place to feel safe, a place to be in silence.  I believe it is important to have such a place to get away from our busy lives...even just for a few minutes.

grace & peace
kevin

(is anyone else surprised that the first superhero reference is superman and not batman...me too)

Isolation

We started our "Enough" all church study last week at youth and a quote I read seemed to really resonate with me.

"What happens is we allow our abundance of possessions to isolate us from who we truly are."

I shared a story about an iPod I had where I could watch movies, tv shows, and listen to music and books on tape for 31 days and not repeat listening or watching any of them.  Wow, what a waste that would be, a whole month of music and movies-and isolation.  I shared with the youth how that would isolate me from everyone else.  What I really didn't think about was how that would isolate me from myself.  If I constantly had an iPod in my ear I wouldn't be able to concentrate very well on my own thoughts or what was important.  I would just be focusing on "noise."  So I guess what I'm saying is that it's important to not let our abundance of possessions to effect who we truly are and who God has called us to be.

grace & peace
kevin

Happy Anniversary

Kathy and I celebrate our 4 year anniversary today.  I can't believe it has been that long.  I got a subtle reminder of how small a world it is yesterday.  Our friend Curran was playing golf at the Texas Tech course yesterday in Lubbock and found a tee on the 9th teebox.  The tee was pink with Kevin and Kathy inscribed on it and there is no telling how it ended up there.  The tee was one that was on the tables at our wedding reception four years ago.  I have no idea who used it but I find it kind of fitting that Curran found it right at the time of our anniversary and sent us a picture.  Thanks for finding it Curran and thanks for sending us the picture Julie.

It's been a great four years and we are looking forward to many, many more.  Happy Anniversary to anyone who is married (whenever that day of the year may be)

kevin

I Don't Wanna Go Through the Motions

It seems that the song "Through the Motions" has come up quite a bit in the last year....I wonder if that means that it is important and God is reminding me of how important it is to NOT just go through the motions.  It was the theme song for Discovery, we sang it on Mission Trip, and at church camp.  The song came to mind yesterday during Su's message about the Lord's Prayer.  Most of us have that prayer memorized, so I wonder how often we actually think about the words and what they mean while we are saying them.  Read through the Lord's prayer below and as you do really think about what the words mean...don't just go through the motions.

Our father, who art in heaven
hallowed be thy name
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven
and give us this day our daily bread
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us
and lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil
for thine is the kingdom, and the power
and the glory forever.  Amen


grace & peace
kevin

A Prayer for Adversity

God, I know that if you bring me to it, you will bring me through it.  I know you have a plan, but quite honestly I don't see it right now.  But I know it's there.  I know I have to believe.  I know I need to have faith.  I have to trust you.  And I do trust you.  But it's hard right now.
(taken from "Coming Back Stronger" by Drew Brees.)

I read this prayer in a book I am reading and it really spoke to me about how prayer can help us handle times of adversity when we just don't understand what God's plan is and why we are hurting.  I believe it is a powerful message in showing how we have to trust in God's plan even though we may not understand at the time what his plan is for our lives and the lives of others.  We all hurt, we all struggle, we all deal with loss and it is at those times that I believe we need God the most.  Although we may not understand right then we must trust that God has it figured out for us already.  We just have to be willing to be patient and listen.

grace & peace
kevin

What's in a Name?

I decided to start a personal blog because I believe we all have something important to say, even me.  And at the behest of my wife I decided to try and come up with an off the wall blog title that everyone can remember so I came up with 7eggsinaskillet.  Why?  I'm glad you asked.  My reasons are 5-Fold:

1.  The number 7 symbolizes completeness or wholeness in scripture  (and as an added bonus it's John Elway's number)
2.  I love the way Carson says eggs when we ask him what he wants for breakfast (or dinner)
3.  Kathy, and I quote: "cooks a mean egg."
4.  Skillet is my favorite band
5.  You can throw a lot of different things into a skillet, kind of like throwing youth of different ages and personalities into a youth group and they can mesh so well together.  Not that I condone throwing youth into a hot frying pan, but you get the idea.

So for those reasons I chose this name for the blog.  It may not make total sense to you, but if makes sense to me (sort of)

more to come later
kevin