Parody

Ok, I have to be honest here…I have always been a big fan of Weird Al Yankovic.  I have always enjoyed his songs and his strange way of looking at life.  I even enjoyed his movie UHF. 

The reason I mention Weird Al today is because I have always thought that Christian music needed a “Weird Al” like person making parodies of popular songs and turning them into Christian songs.  You could really have a lot of fun with it if you ask me, and frankly this might be a great youth group event idea.  (Attention Michael Bochman!)  You could do something like the following:

Popular Song                             Made into this Christian song

“Girl on Fire” by Alicia Keys = “Christian on Fire”

“Locked out of Heaven” by Bruno Mars = “Enter the Gates of Heaven”

“Daylight” by Maroon 5 = “Your Light”

“Don’t Stop the Party” by Pitbull = “You are the Party”

And I think you get the idea. 

Now why would someone want to do this?  I am a firm believer that you have to reach people where they are in their lives.  In this instance we’re talking about music, and these are popular songs that people are listening to every day.  What if they heard a familiar beat, and before they knew it the message had changed?  Now they are hearing God’s word instead of the normal song, and they didn't turn it off.  Now a door is opened for that person to really hear the gospel.

I’m not saying that we’re all going to be able to do this, but today I am advocating that we go reach people where they are in their lives .  The day of just inviting everyone you know to church and expecting the church to do the evangelism is over.  I’m not saying that the church can’t help with that process, but frankly I think God wants us all more involved than that.  He wants us to invite everyone we see to be a part of our life.  If they become a part of our life then they’ll see what God is doing and become curious.  If they want to learn more then you can invite them to church and really show them what God wants to do in their lives. 

So, you may not be able to make parody music but you can still reach people for God.  You just have to be willing to let people see Him in you.

Coaching

Recently I started coaching my son Andrew’s 4^th grade travel basketball team.  Ok, not real recently, as we’ve now played 2 three games and have been practicing since the week before Thanksgiving.  I really wanted to coach this team because I really love the game of basketball and enjoy spending time with my son.  Plus, I have so much free time anyway….lol.

To be honest, when we first started practices these kids were really rough.  They have varying amounts of skill and were all coming from different backgrounds in the game of basketball.  The plan quickly became to start from square one and build them together as a team, each learning the same fundamentals at the same time.  After we worked on putting in that foundation we then continued to build on it.  You see, none of the kids has ever played “real basketball”, as I was calling it.  This level of basketball is set up like a high school varsity team’s play instead of the earlier levels that give just the basics.

So, now that we’ve played the three game the kids have had a good taste of what basketball is really all about.  They continue to learn and want to keep getting better.  You can see it in their eyes...the will to improve every practice and every game.  It’s really a cool thing to see and very welcome to anyone who has ever coached.

I mention this today because I have to imagine that this is the same kind of look that God is looking for in our eyes.  That will to be better than who we are and to continually make progress.  Maybe we won’t win every day, but the desire to make ourselves more than we already are has to light up His heart.

So, if you think you are ready for some of God’s coaching, just open His word and find the best gameplan for your life.

The Story of Us

“The Story of Us" is a movie that came out in 1999 starring Bruce Willis and Michelle Pfeiffer.  It’s a movie about the different stages that a couple goes through over 15 years of marriage.  Now, without giving the entire movie away, the couple is struggling and contemplating divorce. 

What I liked most about the movie when I first watched it is how realistic it seemed.  The movie didn’t sugar coat marriage at all.  It took a realistic look at what happens to people and how a relationship evolves.  Some of the funniest quotes from the movie are these:

“It is physically impossible to French-kiss a man who leaves the new roll of toilet paper resting on top of the empty cardboard roll. Does he not see it? DOES HE NOT *SEE* IT?”

“Marriage is the Jack Kevorkian of romance.”

“Isn't this the moment where one of us is supposed to say: Look, this is ridiculous, we love each other, all couples go through this, let's give it another try.”

I’ve always kept this movie in the back of my head.  Let’s be honest here for a minute, marriage isn’t easy.  There are going to be ups and downs and times when things aren’t going as smoothly as you’d both want them to be.  That is especially true when you add kids to the equation.  That is why we all have to work at our marriages.  If you just expect it to always be perfect you are just being a fool.  You have to spend time with your spouse.  You have to get away from everything else from time to time and really focus on each other.  That can be a couple hours, a day or two, a week, etc. 

I can tell you for certain that if you aren’t making the effort to be closer together then you are getting further apart.  God put you together and doesn’t want to see that happen.  Trust in Him and follow His guidance for your marriage.  If you do those things alone, then nothing will break you apart.

Negotiating

The time of year just passed when we all went out and hit the stores looking for the gifts that our loved ones will truly cherish.  We looked through the store ads and went from store to store hunting for just that perfect item.  Some of us even went so far as to haggle on a price or features for the items that we were looking to purchase.  We might have gotten a free extended warranty or the price chopped off at this store because another store has it cheaper.

It’s all of those negotiations that has me thinking this week.  How often have you negotiated with God?  You know, you tell God that you are only going to sin this one last time, and because you did it you’ll then never do it again, or give to some cause.  Have you ever done that?  Maybe you skipped church today and instead will make sure to pray every day this week.  The next question is how often did you hold up the other end of that bargain you were trying to negotiate?

Today I just want to remind you that God doesn't want to negotiate.  He has set forth his terms way before you and I were born.  They are all listed in the Bible.  We can take them or leave them.  God wants each and every one of us to have a relationship with Him.  He is waiting for all of us with arms wide open.  God doesn’t say that you have to feed the hungry (although it’s a wonderful thing to do) before He will love you.  Instead, He just loves you.  God wants you to believe in Him and all that He is doing, and to be a part of it all.  So stop trying to make deals, just give yourself to God and enjoy a wonderful life with Him.

Christmas Music Again – We Wish You a Merry Christmas

Yes, I do realize that Christmas has passed, but to me all year it’s Christmas time.  As a believer in the one true God I am willing to celebrate Him every day, and I hope you feel the same.  So, I felt like concluding this series with one last Christmas song to ponder.  Read the words here of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” and I’ll discuss it further below:

We wish you a Merry Christmas; 
We wish you a Merry Christmas; 
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. 
Good tidings we bring to you and your kin; 
Good tidings for Christmas and a Happy New Year. 

Oh, bring us a figgy pudding; 
Oh, bring us a figgy pudding; 
Oh, bring us a figgy pudding and a cup of good cheer
We won't go until we get some; 
We won't go until we get some; 
We won't go until we get some, so bring some out here

We wish you a Merry Christmas; 
We wish you a Merry Christmas; 
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

I feel, that this is a good song to end with because to me it’s unending, just like the Christmas season.  We wish the world a Merry Christmas and bring everyone good tidings on a regular basis.  When we show others the love of Christ daily we’re really doing just that.  You can help an old lady cross the street and show His love.  You can help someone fix their computer, or counsel someone through a rough situation and show His love as well. 

Today as you start to progress into the new year I want to make sure everyone remembers that Christmas isn’t a once-a-year kind of thing.  Jesus isn’t a season, to me He’s a way of life.  I pray that you feel the same way and share that feeling with others.  Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year. 

Now go watch some football!

I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day

I first heard this song a few years ago when my friend Larry Lepard and I went to a Casting Crowns Christmas concert in Kentucky.  The entire trip was fun and the concert was really moving.  What hit me the most from the concert was this one song.  It’s become one of my favorite songs since hearing their version and I’ve had it planted firmly in my Christmas song rotation since then.  Read the words here and then I’ll discuss it further after:

I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play
And mild and sweet their songs repeat
Of peace on earth, goodwill to men

And the bells are ringing
(Peace on earth)
Like a choir they're singing
(Peace on earth)

In my heart I hear them
(Peace on earth)
Peace on earth, goodwill to men

And in despair I bowed my head
There is no peace on earth I said
For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, goodwill to men

But the bells are ringing
(Peace on earth)
Like a choir singing
(Peace on earth)

Does anybody hear them?
(Peace on earth)
Peace on earth, goodwill to men

Then rang the bells more loud and deep
God is not dead, nor doth He sleep
(Peace on earth, peace on earth)
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, goodwill to men

Then ringing singing on its way
The world revolved from night to day
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime
Of peace on earth, goodwill to men

And the bells, they're ringing
(Peace on earth)
Like a choir they're singing
(Peace on earth)

And with our hearts we'll hear them
(Peace on earth)
Peace on earth, goodwill to men

Do you hear the bells, they're ringing?
(Peace on earth)
The life the angels singing
(Peace on earth)

Open up your heart and hear them
(Peace on earth)
Peace on earth, goodwill to men

Peace on earth, peace on earth
Peace on earth, goodwill to men

To me this is one of the most powerful Christmas songs I’ll hear during the Christmas season.  I’m sure you could pull multiple different parts from this song, but for me I focus on the bells and their ringing, just like a choir singing.  If there is any time of the year that people are more open to the Gospel it’s now, especially a day like today.  The bells of the Gospel are always ringing, but there is a good chance that some may be hearing them now for the first time.  God is finding a way to get the lost to hear Him, just as He always does.  But there are people now hearing those bells and responding!

If that doesn’t get you excited as a Christian, then I don’t know what will.  God is ringing those bells and trying to get others to follow Him.  He is seeking that Peace on earth!  I don’t know about you, but I want to be a part of that!  And as you continue with your Christmas festivities and hear this song, I pray that you hear the words and that they affect your life.  I know they do mine every time I hear them.

Christmas Music Again – Feliz Navidad

If you know me personally at all, you know that this is by far one of my all-time favorite Christmas songs.  I have many great Christmas day memories, and many of them involve this great song playing in the background.  It’s more than just a great song though, as you’ll see by reviewing the words, and then I’ll discuss it more below:

Feliz Navidad 
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Prospero Año y Felicidad.

Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Prospero Año y Felicidad.
[ Lyrics from:

I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
From the bottom of my heart.

[Repeats]

Now, I know when you look at this song it looks like a pretty simple song that just says the same thing over and over again.  Frankly, that is a pretty good summary of the song.  However, it’s when you hear the song that, in my mind, you get a true feeling for the song.  For me it’s the way that the words are said that truly makes it special.  It’s so upbeat and cheerful.  The person singing it is so happy about the fact that Christmas is here that they had to exclaim it over and over again.

This is the way I believe we should feel about being Christians.  We should want to exclaim it over and over again for the world to hear.  People hearing us should not just hear that we’re happy about being Christian, but they should also feel just how true those words are to us!

To me sometimes it’s the simple things like this song that really hit home.  Feliz Navidad!  Not only am I happy about the fact that we’re about to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, but I’m willing to exclaim it for all the world to hear.  When have you felt that way?  I pray that the rest of the Christmas season when you hear this song that you get to hear and feel the joy that this song brings.  Then I pray you are moved to share all of that with others.  Feliz Navidad!