IN TRANSIT

When I was a student at UTA (University of Texas Almost), I took a class called "Oral Interpretation." In this class it was expected of all the students to memorize a rear-end-load of literature and eventually recite/perform it back to the class as if we were the author or main character of the piece. 10-15 minutes worth of monologue is A LOT of memorization. My professor told us that if we were to forget our lines, then we should just keep going- act like it's all in the plan. She summed up her advice by saying, "Basically, act like a cat. When a cat runs into a wall, they just keep going and act like they meant to do that."
While I was preaching on Sunday, I took her advice. During my sermon on Sunday, I was reading a James Dobson interview with Ted Bundy (16 hours before Bundy went to the electric chair). I came upon the word "succumb" and mispronounced it horribly. Instead of placing the emphasis on the 2nd syllable to say "suh-kuhm" I placed the emphasis on the first syllable to say "suck-uhm." I immediately knew that I mispronounced it. I decided not to look up and see spouses leaning over and whispering and giggling like little kids. I acted like a cat. I was hoping no one would notice. But I was reminded in my Life Group on Sunday night that my cat-like reflexes were not very good.
I was also reminded that last Sunday I mispronounced another word while I was reading Revelation 12. The word was "scepter" and I read "skepter." I knew that it was wrong when it came out of my mouth, but I kept on going. It was glorious.

While we're at it- if you have heard me say anything else that needs to be exhumed or brought out into the light, leave it here and laugh it up.

I am really pumped about Secret Church this Friday night. In case you're in the dark, here are the details:
Location: Jose & Rosanne Zapata's house- 6901 County Rd 526, Mansfield, 76063
Time: 6:00 pm - midnight
Agenda: Hear from Tony Rizzo (our friend from Gospel for Asia), take the Lord's Supper together, pray for the Persecuted Church, and study the entire New Testament.
If you are planning on attending, please eat before you come and get ready to dig into the Word. If you can, be there a little before 6 because we'll start on time and it's going to be a special time of identifying with the early church, the persecuted church, and of worship together.


Here's a promo video by our friends at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama.

On Sunday I read part of a manuscript of a Ted Bundy interview conducted by Dr James Dobson 16 hours before Bundy went to the electric chair. I feel like this interview highlights very well the seriousness of sin- the way that sin will work if we think we can manage it and deal with it ourselves (just like Cain in Genesis 4). Bundy tried to manage and deal with his secret sin on his own for a couple of years before it finally pounced on him and devoured him (and over 30 lives were taken as a result).
The moral of this story: Don't think you can deal with your sin on your own. Don't think that you are beyond Bundy. Don't think that you are stronger than Cain.

Here's the interview in case you are interested.

Last night was a rare night. It was rare because I held Hudson between 2:30 am and 4:00 am and absolutely loved every minute of it. He did not fight me- he fought sleep. He would rest his eyes for 3-5 minutes, wake up, pull back from my chest, and then collapse into it again. He rarely cried and rarely made a sound. I hummed and sang softly the same song over and over again for about 45 minutes. It's a lullaby that Jessica and I wrote together last Christmas as Jessica was carrying Hudson in her belly. It's sung to the tune of "Be Thou My Vision." I thought I'd share it with you now.

"Sleep now our Hudson
with whom we've been blessed;
Dream of our Jesus
for He's your true rest;
He's your great Comfort
your Strength and your Friend;
He'll never leave you
from now til the end."

We'd like to make little songs like this and traditions in our house all point to Jesus. We're looking for more family traditions and songs that are meaningful and amplify Christ. Feel free to share if you have one that's a must!

As I was preparing for the message on Sunday morning (Genesis 3:14-24), I came across a short blog by Dr Russell Moore, a well-respected pastor and professor at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Lousiville, KY. I have included it below so that you can read it for yourself. It's well-worth the read. I was definitely intrigued by the title of the blog "Why I'm Raising Violent 4 Year-Olds" partly because it sounds counter-Christian, but also because I think I know what he means. I don't want to raise a nice boy. I want to raise a boy who is a warrior in the battle against Satan and the dark forces of this world. By the end of my son's life, I want his hands to be soaked in blood from battles with the Enemy- blood not from his own violence, but blood that he's accepted from the cross of Christ. I want to raise a conquerer who will not love his life even when faced with (and by) death/Death. Take part, Little Warrior, in an age-old battle. Victory is sure to be yours with Christ your valiant King beside!

Revelation 12:10-12 & 17
10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
"Now have come the salvation and the power
and the kingdom of our God,
and the authority of his Messiah.
For the accuser of our brothers and sisters,
who accuses them before our God day and night,
has been hurled down.

11 They triumphed over him
by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony;
they did not love their lives so much
as to shrink from death.

12 Therefore rejoice, you heavens
and you who dwell in them!
But woe to the earth and the sea,
because the devil has gone down to you!
He is filled with fury,
because he knows that his time is short."

17 Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God's commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.





Why I'm Raising Violent 4 Year-Olds
Wednesday, June 01, 2005
by Dr. Russ Moore
....

This is because of my overall philosophy of childrearing. I am aiming to raise up violent sons.

I am not seeking to raise sons who are violent in the amoral, pagan sense of contemporary teenagers playing "Grand Theft Auto" video games or carjacking motorists. I want them to be more violent than that.

I want them to understand that the Christian life is not a Hallmark Channel version of baptized sentimentality. Instead, it is a cosmic battle between an evil dragon and the child of the woman, an ancient warfare that now includes all who belong to the Child of the Promise (Rev 12). I want them to forgive their enemies, not because they are good boys, but because they understand that vengeance against the Serpent comes not from their hand, but from that of the anointed Warrior-King (Rev 19), whose blood-soaked garments don't often transfer to the imagery of a Precious Moments wall-hanging. And I want them to exercise self-control of their passions, not because it is polite, but because they are called to struggle against the Evil One, even to the point of cutting off their own limbs rather than succumb to devices.

The "Star Wars" movie offered the opportunity to talk through these issues of cosmic struggle with my boys. And to place such themes in context of what they already know from the most blessedly violent bedtime stories they hear every day: the Holy Scriptures.

So I found out about this video from a friend (Steve) who heard about it from his friend (David Crowder). Thanks, Steve, for sharing. And thank David for me, as well. This is powerful powerful stuff.

Many of you have been asking me, "Kyle, which Life Group would get the Life Group of the Year Award? Which one is the best Life Group ever?" One of you even asked me, "Kyle, which Life Group do you believe will go down as the greatest Life Group in the history of the world?" Someone even asked me, "Kyle, which Life Group would win in a bar-fight?" All of these questions boil down to one spectacular award: Life Group of the Year Award.
And here it is . . .
(drum-roll please)
The Vongdachan Life Group

You ask me, "Kyle, do you play favorites?" My response: "No. I will only award this award if the Life Group does something truly magnificent such as celebrating Canadian Thanksgiving."

So, here's to you, Vongdachan Life Group: Ya geez. Happy Thanksgiving, ey?
And thanks for the invite. It was totally kosher!