As I sit to write this post, I want to call it "MishMash" as I think it will cover a lot of varied topics. "MishMash," though, makes me think of the word "applesauce" and I like applesauce so that is what I will call this post. In reality, though, this post will have very little to do with apples ... perhaps you may think I was sauced when I wrote it but I assure you I am 100% sober.

Speaking of applesauce, I remember watching my grandma make applesauce. Does anyone else remember that? I believe she would cook the apples first and then drop them into a large cone-shaped metal colander that had very tiny holes in the sides. She then had a well-used wooden cone-shaped masher she would roll around and around, squishing applesauce out through the holes in the colander. Does anyone make applesauce at home anymore? We should. Kids shouldn't grow up not seeing that.

Lisa and I taught 2nd and 3rd grade Sunday School today. We do not see ourselves as being gifted in working with kids but, if you're going to have a kid, you'd better pay your dues and help out now and then. We were trying to teach the kids about "peace" as a fruit of the Spirit. We talked a lot about cooperation and working together and letting the Spirit live in and through us. It was all pretty much over there heads. But we played a real cool game we found on the internet. We divided the kids into two groups of six. We gave them each a long piece of yarn and tied one end of each piece to a common rubber band. By pulling on their strings, they had to work together to open and close and maneuver the rubber band in a way that allowed them to stack and manipulate styrofoam cups. That was pretty cool.

We did not have them make anything for their dads for Father’s Day but we did ask them each to think about what they most like doing with their dads and then go home and tell their dads about it. I felt that would be far better than any card, keychain, or paper necktie we could make in Sunday School. Plus not making one of those things meant we had time to play the Styrofoam cup game. (Yippee!)

Okay, switching gears … our senior pastor left yesterday with a group of about 30 from our church to travel to Israel. It’s been a little more than a year since the similar trip I went on. I would have loved to have gone back this year but I really missed my family last year while I was gone. There is a tentative plan to take a “second-timers” trip in a year or so. I would love to be on it. There is something about visiting the Holy Land that really gets under your skin.

Switching gears again … for the past few weeks, the board at Evan’s school has been working through a process for developing a renewed Mission and Vision for the school. We have had a great process in place and my buddy Todd R has done a great job of pitching in and facilitating our meetings. A little over a week ago, though, I had a call from Chuck -- one of the people that has been participating in the meetings. He wanted to talk to me. Now, you have to understand the huge respect that I have for this guy. I feel honored that he has been helping us through this process. He has spent his entire career in the upper echelons of Campus Crusade for Christ. Chuck was picked by Bill Bright to lead the transition team when Dr. Bright announced his retirement. This guy knows leadership and he knows how to work a process. I always learn so much from him and am humbled to be around him.

Chuck started the meeting by informing me that he didn’t think we were ever going to get anyplace in the meetings we’d been holding at the school. My immediate thought was “Oh, oh. I don’t think I am going to like this meeting.” He then proceeded to explain that he felt we were stalled, and why he felt that way. My prideful arrogance had to really be squelched down as I listened to him. It wasn’t easy. However, he handled the things he had to say so marvelously that, without him ever saying it directly, by the end of our meeting, I knew what he was telling me. He was telling me that, as president of the board, I had to play a stronger leadership role. I could not just rely on the process to naturally play out. I had to drive the process to a stronger degree. By the time our meeting ended, I did not feel beat up but instead I felt empowered. That is because of Chuck’s giftedness in listening to the Spirit and following the Spirit’s lead.

So, I am striving to take a stronger leadership role. I have written about it before. I have known for some time that I have not been stepping up the way I should be in certain areas. I thank Chuck for taking the time to help me see that. I just pray for God’s guidance, direction and wisdom through all of this. If I try to force my way through on my own power, then I will fail. It must be all about God as I walk this path.

Today, with our senior pastor gone, Chuck delivered the message. He told the Parable of the Prodigal Son as the Parable of the Loving Father. He did an awesome job. Here are a few notes I took:

In this parable, the father knew when to let go, when to receive back, and how to define the restoration of the relationship. When the son came back, the father was scanning the horizon for him. The father is always there and sees the son no matter how far away the son thinks he is. The son wanted to make it about himself again as he sought to apologize in order to restore the relationship but ultimately the father restored the relationship, lovingly, willingly, and before the son was even fully back. A love that was strong enough to let go is even stronger to welcome back.

Chuck then talked about how, once we accept Christ, we enter into a new relationship with a new Father. No matter how bad or messed up or missing our relationship may have been with our biological father, God wants to re-parent us. He wants to re-parent us the right way. What we are – where we have been – is an excuse for our behavior only until we become Christians. Once we accept God as our Father, it’s a whole new ballgame.

I don’t think he was saying that past pains ever just magically disappear. We know that doesn’t happen. But he was helping us to see that God offers us something new and refreshing. He will re-parent us regardless of how our pasts might have been.

I appreciated hearing that.

On a final note, about 75 youth and adults from our church just returned from the Ichthus Christian music festival in Wilmore, Kentucky. It sounds like it was a greta trip.

So, there you have it – a MishMash of Applesauce. Have a good week.