Protective Hulk Smash Dad: A Lesson In Trusting Our Heavenly Father

My Daddy Hulk-Smash was imperfect, but God is not...

Recently, our 8 year old son came to us and admitted that he was having a hard time at school because some kids were being mean to him.  These kids were doing their best Amish impressions and shunning him during recess.  His little heart was broken.  As he cried about how hurt he was about their rejection, our parent hearts broke.

This was especially difficult because of our 3 kids, young Jack is the friendliest and most adventure-prone of our kids.  His raw courage and complete lack of fear in virtually every aspect of life is remarkable to me.  As a kid who grew up in the grip of fear, it's been exciting watching Jackson embrace adventure!  While I often opted not to do things and embrace the safety of my couch as a child, Jackson is always ready to pounce on something new and adventurous.  On this night, however, he was a broken-hearted boy crying over his "terrible life" because of this rejection.  We hugged him, prayed with him and attempted to say the right things to him to make this better.

But somewhere deep inside me, a seething papa bear rage began to rise up.

A big of a HULK SMASH, if you will.

Suddenly, I fancied myself a massive green character in the Marvel Universe willing to smash and destroy anyone and anything that would dare hurt my boy.  I know what you are thinking, "this is a guy who works in children's ministry and he's blogging about attacking a bunch of 2nd graders?"

Yes.  Yes I am.  Of course, I wouldn't attack 2nd graders, but the desire to protect my son rose up within me with an unbridled passion.  I really didn't know what to do, but I felt such a protective urge to save my son at that moment.

Lately, God has been impressing on me the importance of trusting Him as a good Father.  We always talk about how God can protect us and God cares about us and how God is good.  We don't always walk that out.  Sometimes it is easier to believe that God is good from the sidelines, rather than in the excitement of the game.  Consider Jesus' teaching in Matthew 7:9-11:

"Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!"

We've all read or heard that passage a million times.  You're probably reading this right now quipping sarcastically, "okay, Bill, are you going to cite John 3:16 too?  I already know this."

As misguided as my HULK SMASH rage in defense of my son was, it was rooted in this same Fatherly passion to protect his own that dominates the scripture.  We are SONS AND DAUGHTERS of God, He constantly reminds us through the Bible that as our FATHER, in all things HE works things out for our good.  He promises to never leave us nor forsake us. His fatherly love for us is perfect.  It is the perfection of fatherhood that we will never see in earthly fathers.  When we well up with passion to protect our kids, sometimes we succeed and sometimes we fail.  When HE wells up with perfect passion to protect our kids, he conquers sin and death and opens a path to freedom.

As imperfect children here on earth, we will never fully understand the magnitude of His fatherly awesomeness.  And that's okay.  We can just rest in knowing that He is bigger than anything we will face and He is dying to provide for us in the way that only a perfect Father can.

You're Welcome, Dad!

You're Welcome, Dad...

I confess:  I'm not the neatest person in the world.  I sometimes find it beyond my ability to put my clothes away, do the dishes or take out the trash.

So, it wasn't a surprise when I saw how terrible our boys' room was.  Noah and Jackson hadn't really been cleaning.  The floor was completely covered with clothing--dirty and clean tossed indiscriminately around the room.

Toys, DVDs, books, and other flotsam and jetsam (not Ursula's hench-eels) were strewn about the room.  I told my boys to clean up their room.  Wii was off-limit my s until such time as this massive task was completed.

Hours passed.  I assumed that the room was clean and failed to do the proper inspection.

Later that evening I entered their room to put our youngest, Jackson, to bed.

As I feasted my eyes upon the complete disaster that still remained before me, my son smirked with confidence.

In my head my fatherly anger began to burn.  I asked myself if I was dreaming telling them to clean up the room.  I wondered as my eyes darted to and fro amongst the landscape of ruin in their room if even one thing was cleaned up.

Jackson, however, being the over-confident six year old that he is, took my shock and awe in a different way.

The shocked look on my face gave way to a "Jackson, YOUR ROOM!"

This statement was meant to convey my horror.

Thinking I was impressed with their cleaning skills, Jackson beamed with pride and said confidently, "You're welcome, Dad."

You're.  Welcome.  Dad.  

For a room that was just as disastrous as before the alleged clean up.

I quickly informed Jackson that he and his brother would have to clean this room again and that I was not in any way thanking him.

They were both puzzled the next day when Operation Clean-up Version 2.0 commenced.  I had to give them additional direction and they obediently spent hours cleaning up.

This time it was a success and the Wii was enjoyed by all.


Colossians 3:23-24

23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.

It was no mistake, then, the very next Sunday when I was preparing to deliver the story at our Kindergarten to 5th Grade Large Group at church, that I read Colossians 3.  I realized that like Jackson, so many times we smile with confidence to Christ and say "You're Welcome." when in fact, we should be cringing in fear.

The Bible bids us to come to the throne of Jesus with confidence, but it doesn't mean this kind.

We need to work at EVERYTHING we do as if working for the LORD.  That includes BOTH the effort we put forth AND the attitude we have internally about doing it.

We need to resist the temptation to exalt in mediocrity and always strive for better.  Under grace we may be but JESUS demands our very best EVERY TIME.

Let's not rest in our own strength or lull ourselves to complacency under the shadow of grace.  Let our service reflect our worship to Him.

JACKSON: Jesus Knows What Infinity Plus Infinity Equals

I love my kids.

Jackson, our 5 year old, recently broke his elbow.  This is the second of our 3 children to break an arm at the age of 5.  Parents of the year we are not.

Jackson is the full of life adventurer type.  At a year old he was already climbing out of his crib, climbing onto the top of the kitchen table and pushing chairs around the kitchen.  When I contacted my mom to inform her of his broken arm, she replied, "I'm really sorry that that happened to him, but to be honest, I'm really surprised he hasn't already broken a bone!"

He also has a big bold spirit.  I wrote about that previously when I compared him to C.S. Lewis' Reepicheep from the Narnia series.  While reading the Narnia books to the kids, Jackson saw a picture of Reepicheep and claimed that the mouse was him.  Now, I don't think that Jackson was identifying with a rodent.  I think he was identifying with the absolutely fearless bold faith of Reepicheep because that is exactly what Jackson is.

So, when Jackson went to the ER, he entertained the masses with classic gems from his Jackson Lexicon. One of the pearls of wisdom that he tossed out to the entertained ER staff was the following:

"Jesus is the smartest. He knows everything.  He even knows what infinity plus infinity is.  I don't even know if infinity is really a number, but He knows what it equals."

It's so awesome to have my little guy testifying before people about the greatness of our God.

It's also a funny little story but an important reminder of my own failings in trusting God's wisdom and proclaiming it publicly.

Jesus DOES know what infinity plus infinity equals.  He knows everything.  And yet our grown-up adult view of faith seems to fail to grasp that truth when we are dealing with something monumentally scary in our lives.

It's like Job.  I love when God shows up to answer him in Job 38:

1 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said: 2 "Who is this who darkens counsel By words without knowledge? 3 Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me. 4 "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. 5 Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? 6 To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone, 7 When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy? 8 "Or who shut in the sea with doors, When it burst forth and issued from the womb; 9 When I made the clouds its garment, And thick darkness its swaddling band; 10 When I fixed My limit for it, And set bars and doors; 11 When I said, 'This far you may come, but no farther, And here your proud waves must stop!' 12 "Have you commanded the morning since your days began, And caused the dawn to know its place, 13 That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, And the wicked be shaken out of it? 14 It takes on form like clay under a seal, And stands out like a garment. 15 From the wicked their light is withheld, And the upraised arm is broken. 16 "Have you entered the springs of the sea? Or have you walked in search of the depths? 17 Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Or have you seen the doors of the shadow of death? 18 Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth? Tell Me, if you know all this. 19 "Where is the way to the dwelling of light? And darkness, where is its place, 20 That you may take it to its territory, That you may know the paths to its home? 21 Do you know it, because you were born then, Or because the number of your days is great? 22 "Have you entered the treasury of snow, Or have you seen the treasury of hail, 23 Which I have reserved for the time of trouble, For the day of battle and war? 24 By what way is light diffused, Or the east wind scattered over the earth? 25"Who has divided a channel for the overflowing water, Or a path for the thunderbolt, 26 To cause it to rain on a land where there is no one, A wilderness in which there is no man; 27 To satisfy the desolate waste, And cause to spring forth the growth of tender grass? 28 Has the rain a father? Or who has begotten the drops of dew? 29 From whose womb comes the ice? And the frost of heaven, who gives it birth? 30 The waters harden like stone, And the surface of the deep is frozen. 31 "Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades, Or loose the belt of Orion? 32 Can you bring out Mazzaroth in its season? Or can you guide the Great Bear with its cubs? 33 Do you know the ordinances of the heavens? Can you set their dominion over the earth? 34 "Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, That an abundance of water may cover you? 35 Can you send out lightnings, that they may go, And say to you, 'Here we are!'? 36 Who has put wisdom in the mind? Or who has given understanding to the heart? 37 Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can pour out the bottles of heaven, 38 When the dust hardens in clumps, And the clods cling together? 39 "Can you hunt the prey for the lion, Or satisfy the appetite of the young lions, 40When they crouch in their dens, Or lurk in their lairs to lie in wait? 41 Who provides food for the raven, When its young ones cry to God, And wander about for lack of food?"

This rebuke of God's almighty power and sovereignty continues for another chapter or so (you should get a Bible and read it or look it up online!)  Here's Job in the midst of tremendous suffering and although he refuses to "curse God and die" as his wife encourages, he is having a little pity party and demanding answers.


Too often in Christian circles we think of teddy bear Jesus who wants us to have our "best life now" and make "every day a Friday."  And yet, interestingly, God chooses to respond to Job not out of love and compassion, but out of rebuke.  He's reminding Job of His tremendous power and sovereignty.  Job's suffering brought about God's glory.  And when Job stood up under that suffering God restored him to prosperity and health far exceeding his previous years.  Every day wasn't a Friday for Job, but he sure ended well!  It's this fundamental truth that Paul wrote about in talking about finishing the race well.


And although I sometimes miss it in the storms of life, my little guy Jackson can sit in a hospital at midnight with a broken arm and remember that God knows all, is above all, can do all things and takes comfort in that.


Jesus does comfort the broken-hearted, but He's also the all-powerful Lion of Judah prepared to demonstrate His power to a hurting world.  Take comfort not in phony sentimentalism but in the absolute sovereignty and power of Jesus.  In this life we will have trouble, but even when we fall off the couch and break our arm, Jesus is still in control.  Just ask Jackson!

Fourth of July Parade, Narnia & The Greatest Type of Love

So, we were able to take our kids to the 4th of July parade in Pitman this year.  Pitman is a local town that has that small town feel, complete with a main street and center of town like the good old days.  In years past we participated in the parade with the church that we were attending at the time.  That church always has a huge float and scores of people to represent the church in the community.  Their parade outreach is led by a very godly older couple who have been faithful through the years to make sure that the church has a good representation in the parade.

I will save you the full play by play of our worst experience marching in the parade.  Let's just say that it was hotter than Iraq in Pitman and we thought we'd be super smart and park our car somewhere near the route on a side street and then meet up with the church.  And let's just pretend for a moment, however hard it may be, that we are both terrible with directions (a reason why we will never win the Amazing Race) and that we got lost walking up and down side street after side street in search of the oasis of our air-conditioned car.  Low on water, cranky with heat and sweating like pigs, we both prepared to die.  The end was near.

But since I'm typing this to you, you can assume that we eventually found our van (which was probably right nearby the entire time) and made it back to air-conditioned civilization.

Back to the parade.

It struck me that many of the floats and organizations participating in this parade were local churches.  And that made me smile.  So did the frozen vanilla latte that I picked up at Casa de Coffee, a local coffee shop right around the corner.  Good stuff folks,  good stuff!

We joined Pitman-dwelling friends of ours on the curb.  They view July 4th kind of like most people view Christmas.  It's a huge deal.  So it was fun to share in their enthusiasm for the day.

It was a hot day, but our kids seemed to be enjoying themselves.  One moment that repeated itself over and over again was our two sons leaping to their feet every time a military veteran went by via a car, a float or just walking in a group.

The first time military vets went by we told them to stand up to show respect.  Our boys did one better:  they both saluted the veterans.  This became a ritual.  Every time a veteran went by my 10 year old and my 4 year old would stand proudly to their feet and salute!  Several of the old GI Joes saluted back to our little guys.

It was a moving moment for my wife and I.  Our boys were showing RESPECT to people who have earned it.  They understood in that moment what it meant to be American.  They understood in that moment what it meant to thank someone for sacrificing so much for us.  They understood in that moment what it meant to be rescued from evil by someone else's powerful sacrifice.  Biblically speaking, they understood Jesus' definition of love.

Jesus tells us in John 15:18 that "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."  This is right after He commands us to love one another.  And before He will do this very thing by laying down His perfect sinless life on behalf of a fallen world.

To the boys that day in Pitman, the patriotism-soaked holiday commemorating our nation's birth helped to illuminate the true nature of honor and sacrificial love.  And it reminded them that sometimes we need someone bigger, stronger and more powerful to save us.

Later this week when we were reading our portion of C.S. Lewis' Voyage of the Dawn Treader, we came to the chapter where the ever-annoying Eustace has been made into a dragon because of his greed and wickedness.  As a dragon, Eustace learns the folly of his ways and repents.  Then comes the moment when he attempts to shed his dragon skin.  Hard as he may try he cannot remove it permanently.  It keeps growing back.  Finally, Aslan (the lion who represents Christ in the world of Narnia) helps him out:

"Then the lion said--but I don't know if it spoke--'You will have to let me undress you.'  I was afraid of his claws, I can tell you, but I was pretty nearly desperate now.  So I just lay flat down on my back to let him do it.  The very first tear he made was so deep that I thought it had gone right into my heart.  And when he began pulling the skin off, it hurt worse than anything I've ever felt.  The only thing that made me able to bear it was just the pleasure of feeling the stuff peel off...Well, he peeled the beastly stuff right off--just as I'd done it myself the other 3 times, only they hadn't hurt--and there it was, lying on the grass: only ever so much thicker, and darker, and more knobbly-looking than the others had been.  And there was I as smooth and soft as a peeled switch and smaller than I had been..."

The 4th of July and the brave sacrifices made by our founding fathers and the generations of liberty's defenders serve as a reminder that we are in a world at war.  My little boys can't defend themselves against Nazis, Commies, or terrorists.  They need the protection of brave men and women willing to demonstrate the Biblical definition of the greatest type of love--self-sacrifice.  The little boy Eustace was also powerless to turn himself back into a boy without the powerful lion Aslan to help him.

And we are also incapable of shedding the sin into which we were born without the self-sacrifice and love of Jesus.  And that's something worth saluting!

My Boy Jackson: "I not broke down. God Made Me."

Jackson's famous pout...

Mad props to the Orange folks who are working on the First Look Curriculum!  It's making a difference in the lives of little ones like my son Jackson!

The First Look curriculum seeks to impart 3 basic truths to the wee tots entrusted to us:

God Made Me

God Loves Me

Jesus Wants To Be My Friend Forever

And my 4 year old son just demonstrated that it's catching on!

Jackson's sayings are famous around my house.  He has enthusiastically declared after watching a vintage Veggie Tales DVD that "God is bigger than the foogie man."  Multiple attempts to correct him were met with adamant denials of the existence of any such "boogie man."  The "foogie" man is his real name and slime comes out of his ears.  He was wearing his "fweatshirt" at the time of these denials.

He's also been known to ask if we are going to take a "hair cut" to get home sooner (presumably "short cut") and asked the nice lady waitress at Friendly's to put "hot vudge" on his ice cream.

This past weekend, he was playing with key chains and declared an all-consuming love of "cheese canes" which admittedly don't sound like such a bad idea to me.

And my personal favorite is his perennial answer to the question "What do you think Jackson?" which is, of course, "Yes, I do think!"   Except on bad days, when it is a sullen "No, I don't think!"

His latest addition to the Jackson Lexicon was actually a God moment from the lips of a four year old poet.  This past week, I was being my usual silly self and mangling a show-stopping song from his older sister Reagan's kindergarten "train play" in which she plays a haughty purple tiger who rebuffed cries of "please stop and help us" with a curt, "help you, I should say not!"

The song I was mangling actually goes as follows:

Please stop and help us

Please stop and help us

Please stop and help us

Our engine's broken down

My version, of course, replaced "Our engine's broken down" with "Our Jackson's broken down."

Admittedly not the most ego-boosting statement to make to your son, but a fanciful line of whimsy nonetheless.  Jackson, however, was not amused.

His angry face and pouty lips took shape as he declared, "I not broke down!  God made me!"

Now grammatical errors aside, it was a statement that made me smile.

My 4 year old knows that God made him, and as a result, that he's not a mistake, broken down, or worthless.   At his incredibly young age, thanks to the Deuteronomy 6 partnership between his parents and his church leaders, young Jackson has embraced a teaching that is so absolutely life-altering that many folks wrestle all of their lives to fathom it, much less live it.  Jackson the theologian was applying the key biblical truth from Psalm 139 to himself and  declaring (in typical Jackson-ese):

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."   Psalm 139:13-14 

That is the kind of true life change that folks working with the Orange curriculum can expect.

Teaching with an end in mind works.  Working with parents to reach this next generation to plug them into the purposes of God is an amazing blessing and privilege.  When kids like Jackson can take hold of the big boulders of faith, it's much easier for him to build his household of faith on the solid foundation of Jesus Christ.

And it's certainly more than enough to fight off the evils of the foogie man!