Vacation Bible School Pictures!

Frightening isn't it! I've been extremely busy (like a lot of folks at my church this week) with Vacation Bible School this week, and taking lots of pictures. To reduce the clutter on this blog, I've started a new one just for pictures. Either click on link in the right column, or click on link below...

Go to: http://andyfbcphotos.blogspot.com

to see my latest VBS pictures. In the future, this is where I'll be posting special photo collections. Check it out!

Rain - Not An Obstacle But An Opportunity

I'm sometimes accused of being too much of a Honda fan, so I'm pleased to say I was "inspired" today by another car company's commercial. It was from Acura (I know, I know, Acura IS Honda, but it is a baby step!) Anyway, the company was touting its four-wheel drive SUV, highlighting its agility in the rain, and finished the commercial with this statement (or something like it): To us, rain isn't an obstacle, it's an inspiration."

I know they didn't mean to echo an important biblical truth, but they did. Peter, who knew more than his share of struggles, would write later in his life about difficulties, "In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." I Peter 1:6,7

I hope that whenver you face difficulty, your first response won't be that of escape. I was reminded recently that in any good movie, there has to be some kind of conflict or difficulty for someone to get through so they can grow and/or achieve a goal. It makes the story worthwhile.

For some more encouragement on facing difficult times with hope in your heart, check out Rob Bell's first Nooma video entitled "rain." You can see the entire 10 minute video at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dOmpuF1kKk

So the next time you encounter some "rain," don't think of it as an obstacle, but as an inspiration!

I Need A 60 Second Favor

Would you please write this man right now?

I'm not really joking. Wyman Abstance, my vice-chairman of deacons (and good friend) is participating in his 28th World Changers project this week (July 12-19th) in Walterboro, SC, as a crew chief (for those of you unfamiliar with this program, that means he'll be in charge of a group of between 10 and 15 teen agers and adults as they rebuild floor, add a walk, put in a couple of doors, and who knows what else in someone's house who needs it.)

Wyman went with us two weeks ago to Durham, and then he'll leave next Saturday from Walterboro, and head to North Charleston for his third week of World Changers this year. He'll be with our college group in North Charleston, but he is by himself in Walterboro, which is why I'd like to surprise him with more-than-expected emails.

Even if you don't know him (and it will surprise him more to get an e-couragram from someone he doesn't know!), send him a short electronic e-couragram to let him know you're praying for him and his crew during the week. I'd love to hear him come back with stories of how even strangers sent him emails.

Wyman is a good guy who God used to start our World Changers involvement at the church over a decade ago. So, if you don't mind, just take a moment to tell him that you heard he was in Walterboro, and that you are praying for him. Just go to this link:

http://www.world-changers.net/site/c.jjJVJ6MNIwE/b.4113715/#currentweek

Then click on the "Send an E-Couragram" link for the WALTERBORO, South Carolina project from July 12 -19th.(If something happens and this link doesn't work, then go to www.world-changers.net, then to 2008 projects, then to the Walterboro, SC project.)

You'll see a screen like this:(click to make it larger), just fill in your name, his name and church (FBC Denmark) and a short note. Thanks for helping me to encourage someone who will spend three weeks this summer encouraging others!

Pray for Our Vacation Bible School

Can you guess what Eddie one of my deacons, Building Committee Chairman, and VBS contractor is doing? Hint: It's something for this year's Vacation Bible School which starts this Sunday. Pray for stamina for all our workers and for a Christ-glorifying week as kids, youth and adults journey to Outrigger Island to learn about God's unshakable truths!

Oh, Eddie's working on our volcano...Mt. Andeehota-airee!

Excellent Video Library for Parents

Since I'm such an expert on raising children, I'm passing on what seems to be an excellent resource on parenting. This free website has a lot of free video clips covering a lot of different areas with regards to raising kids. The site originator is a former teacher/school principal who used to produce parenting spots for television stations.

Check it out at:
http://www.thelearningcommunity.us/view-all-topics.php
For a Christian perspective on parenting check out:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/parenting

A Movie Tip - We Are Together

I was checking out "Rotten Tomatoes" (http://www.rottentomatoes.com/) and spotted a rare 100% review of a documentary entitled "We Are Together." This site averages a bunch of movie critics to come up with either a fresh (over 60% positive) or rotten (under 60% positive) movie rating, gleaning the best lines from the best reviews. One of the best lines concerning this movie was made by Ronnie Scheib of "Variety," "We Are Together stands as a celebration of resiliency."

Here is the Rotten Tomatoes synopsis: "We Are Together tells the remarkable and moving story of a group of children who use music to overcome hardship and loss. Filmed over a period of three years, it is the story of an orphanage unlike one you've ever seen, where the young singers of the Agape Choir lift their voices to create the home and family they so very much need."

Here is the website for the film: http://wearetogether.org/ where there are video clips of the film and lots more information on these remarkable kids. Though it's in limited release, it's definitely on my "to see" list when the DVD comes out!

My Take on Wall-E

One of the highlights of my vacation was going to see Wall-E. As expected, it was great. It is an animation masterpiece, but the underlying message is sobering for those with eyes to see it. Basically the underlying message is consumerism left unchecked will result in massive amounts of garbage, and lazy, self-absorbed humans who can no longer think for themselves, connect with other humans in a meaningful ways (the only characters in the movie who fall in love are machines!), or even walk! After 700 years, humans have evolved (or de-evolved) into overweight couch potatoes who spend their days in hovering recliners watching TV and eating. Every day is like the day before...no purpose, no adventure, no love, just consumption. It's scary because it seems to be true for some people.

Wall-E, after 700 years of compacting and stacking garbage on an abandoned Earth, finally meets another robot from the ship where humans have been "surviving" for seven centuries since the garbage they left behind had rendered the planet uninhabitable. Suffice it to say, Wall-E rocks their world.

On a Christian level, it amazes me how many people don't understand that Christ came not just to get us into heaven, but to transform us here so we can be transforming agents in our culture... for the better...hmmm....sort of like Wall-E...who comes to humans who have forgotten what it means to be truly alive, to show them the way "home." So don't write Wall-E off because it's animated. Critics are almost unanimous in their praise for Wall-E's artistry and for its message.

Wall-E is introduced doing what he was built to do, stack garbage in nice little cubes, but along the way, he found out life has a lot more to offer. We live in a culture that pushes consumption, and there are a lot of people out there who are buying into that (literally). Maybe we Christians need to learn again and again that we all were created for a lot more than that, and like Wall-E, will have the love for our fellow man and God to spend our lives helping others to discover the life that IS life and worth living...the life Christ died to give us!
"Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing." Philippians 2:14-16

A Special Greeting from Uncle Sam

Vacation is a great time to find new websites with new "toys" to use on my blog. Like this message from my good friend, Uncle Sam! (Sorry about the ad in the viewer below, but that's how they keep it free!) Goto: www.voki.com for more info!




Get a Voki now!

World Changers 2008 Durham, NC MAIN ALBUM

CLICK ON THE PICTURE to go to:www.Photobucket.com for My World Changers' Album. If you scroll down, you'll see six slide shows of 30 slides each. These are the SAME pictures as in this photo album. So if you want a quick look, scroll down. Do note, however, that the pictures were posted where the most frequent pictures will appear first, so if you want to take them in order, scroll down to the WC 08 01 album and work your way up. Some of the vertical pictures were chopped off in the slide show (I'm still learning!) so I included this link to all my online pictures.

I apologize to all my fellow photographers in that I haven't had time to sort through ALL the over 2,000 pictures we all took, but I had to have a little vacation time on my vacation! All those pictures you did submit to me will be included on a master DVD with more pictures than you'll ever want to look through! Thank you fellow World Changers for an amazing week!!!!! For now...enjoy the memories....

Photobucket Album

WC 08 05 Fri - Sat and HOME