Dear Graduate

You guys did it!! High School. Finished.  Most of you I won't have the privilege of seeing you receive the diploma you earned or even be at all the graduation celebrations.  So I wanted to just take a moment and say...

I knew it.  I knew you'd get here.  There was no doubt or wonder in my mind that you'd make it.  This is what you were made to do!  You were made to face challenges and step right over them, plow through them, you were made to succeed.

Here's the deal though...you are just getting started.  I'm so proud of each of you for putting your heads down and focusing on your work to get to this day.  In the midst of practice, games, training, work, sickness, life changes, all sorts of time-eaters; you pushed through and did it!

Now, get ready to do it again and again and again and again! You've done it over and over these past 18 years and now you will continue to do it throughout the rest of your life.  You were created, not to have challenges or obstacles break you down; you were created to go and do amazing things!  You were stamped with the image of the Creator, not just to get by, not just to live...but to LIVE!  Jesus said I've come that you might have abundant life!  So let's get after that abundant life!

Whether you starting your career, your time in trade school, an academy or college, get after it!  No matter what life looks like in 5, 10, 15 or 20 years...never stop getting after it.  Attack life with a zeal that never ceases, never wanes, never is overcome by the challenges you will inevitably face.

Lastly, I'd like to leave you with 3 thoughts:

1. You are made in the image of God.  Who you are is defined by the one who made you and whose image you were made in.  You are not the job you do.  You are not the sport you play.  You are not grades you get, the hobby you do, or a passive object that things happen to.  True, each of these things play a role in how you live, but that's not who you are!  Don't ever let your performance in any area of life (work, school, relationships) become how you measure your worth. Your worth is based on the One whose breath (ruach- look it up, it's Hebrew) you breathe.
2. Your life is not about you.  You have not been given this breath, this life to lead, these challenges to overcome so you can fatten your ego, feel better about yourself, and get whatever you can get in

this world.   Just because you were made in the image of God doesn't mean the world owes you anything.   Go change stuff, make stuff, teach stuff, play stuff, talk about stuff by serving everyone you come in contact with.  You are here for everyone else; live for them, make it better for them.  You are not here for you, you are here to do good for others.  So, go do it!
3. So, we've talked about who you are, why you are....now comes the how.  If I'm created in the image of God and for the sake of others, how do I live that out?  You love with grace, humility, and joy.  Life will be tough, you will have to overcome many, many things with humility and grace.  And this, not so that you might be this great human being but that you might be an agent of grace and redemption in this world!  You will accomplish stuff, thank those who are a part it with you.  You will be hurt by things and people, forgive them.   Never stop learning, never stop growing, and never stop living with joy and a smile on your face!

After all, you've been made in the image of God, and that's something to rejoice about.

Love you guys, can't wait to see all God does through you.

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You have been weighed...

For some people, this will come as a surprise; maybe even a shock.  For others, eh, not so much.  In fact for those folks, they can already recognize the caked on sarcasm with which i am typing.  Because, well, they know me.  Here it comes...hope i don't shut down the interweb...

...i'm a football junkie...

There, i said it.  i'm sure if i was actually getting something off my chest, it would feel like it right now.  i'm a football junkie, and even though the Olympics are happening right now, in fact USA is playing Canada in hockey at this very moment and the two other tabs i have open on this wonderful browser are related to the NFL Combine.  That's right...the event where 20-24 year olds are paraded across a stage and field and they are weighed, measured, probed...with questions you sicko, although it might happen that other way too.  they are timed, judged, tested and checked for strength, body-fat, speed, ability and brains.  In other circles it's called a beauty pageant, and still other circles something far worse...

...i was listening to sports radio yesterday, i'm not even sure who i was listening to.  i believe it was the guy filling in for Jim Rome, mainly because I wouldn't actually listen to Rome if it was Rome. No substance.  Anyway, he was interviewing someone who attends the combine and is connected to all the scouts and officials there who are trying to figure out who they are going to target for employment.  The guy on the radio talked about how this whole show starts with a guy coming on stage in his undies and maybe socks to be weighed, measured, and examined.  No questions...yet...just to be stared at and have people write down things on their little note pads about what they see.  And the man being interviewed said, "It's weird, it's awkward, it's ugh, I don't like it.  It's just uncomfortable really. It reminds me of...well, you know..."  And he left it at that; even the host left it alone.

What does it remind you of, i was saying to the radio, tell me, SAY IT!  i kind of wish he would have continued.  Because it reminds me of a few things. First, that scene from the movie Taken where rich well dressed men are sitting behind two-way glass bidding on bikini-clad drugged young women that want to 'purchase'. Also reminds me of the pictures in my schools' history books of slaves being brought onto the auction blocks where they are bid on based on their strength and ability to make the master money.  Don't get me wrong, the NFL Combine doesn't come close to comparing to those two absolute atrocities of humanity...these dudes are hoping to get a well-paying opportunity to play a game, albeit putting their bodies on the line for our entertainment (Gladiator anyone?).  But imagine with me, you are standing in front of 100s of people, note pads flipped open, and all that stands between you and complete vulnerability is the undies you chose to wear that day.  Your arms a spread so they can see if you are genetically created and fit to participate in their multi-may i say-billion dollar industry.  Sure there is hard work and dedication that sets you a part from those who excel in the industry, but it is very rare to have someone of a certain size and stature (that they are not in control of) excel in the game.  So after you have been weighed and measured, you may just be found wanting (Knight's Tale anyone?).

What message does that display?  What does that teach us about who we are?  What if God measured us by those kinds of standards?  Who could stand?  Who could survive? Not only that, what if we as the church acted like that?  what if we as the church chose to only trust those who fit a certain 'stature'?  What if the church only accepted those who fit into a certain mold?  What if the church only promoted/championed those who had a specific genetic make-up?  What if we looked at the outside and not at what God has created and stamped with His image?

...so glad that doesn't happen...

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How do you think they feel?

she ached, really.  to say she was hurt, i don't think that would encapsulate all that she was feeling, all that she was thinking.  her kids were being hurt, and by one they had come to love and welcome as their own.  in fact, it was clear that she saw him as one of her own.  this breakdown, this severing of relationships was personal, to the point where she was shouldering blame, believing somehow, someway, this was her fault.  if she had just done...or if she hadn't done, or maybe if this was this instead...

it is quite sad to see relationships, that were once vibrant and full of love and respect dissipate into vengefulness and hatred.  the disrespect that can follow broken relationships is so sad.  one of the things we hope to infuse into the lives of our kids, as well as the lives of the young men i get to spend time with, is an understanding that we all possess the imago Dei.  it seems this is a never-ending aspect of my blogging.  that we are made in the image of God...and we should love and treat one another as such.  we've started to adopt a parenting strategy that one of our friends shared she used with her son.  this soon to be sixth grader is kind, empathetic, respectful and caring.  he shot back at a bully who was picking on him and kids in his class and felt awful when the bully began to cry.  we refused to believe her when she told us he used to not be as observant of how his actions and behavior affected others.  she started the transformation by asking the questions, "And how do you think that makes _______ feel?"  and slowly, over time, we now have this incredible young man who seems to embody the word empathy.  we've started asking the boys and we are seeing how they are responding to the question and beginning to see the world as bigger than their 4 and 5 year old bubbles.

i wonder how much hurt, how much anger, how much malice would be avoided if, rather than clinging to protecting our own interests and rights; we chose to often ask ourselves, "How do I think 'so-and-so' would feel if I do/say _______?"  Scripture calls us to live that way, Jesus lived a life of kenosis on our behalf, for our good...should we not live the same? as you move throughout your day, when you enter into any interactions, ask yourselves that question...seek to live in a way that brings love and joy to those around you.

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hooded reflections...

death is awful.  i'm not a fan of it.  not sure who is really.  i've come closer to death in the last few years than i thought i ever would.  its no secret i'm not a fan of 17 year old young men getting shot and killed.  breaks my heart, everytime.  no matter their story, no matter their past, no matter the situation and context. how i wish we valued life the way our Creator does.

i've not said anything about Trayvon Martin to this point, because, well...I live in Portland, this happened in Florida.  The only 'information' i get is through the news and i can't trust it all...none of us can really, whether its FoxNews, CNN, MSNBC...there are angles.  Speaking of FoxNews, check out this post from a friend of mine over at Roused to Mediocrity, made me laugh.  thanks scott.  but being someone who spends time with some great young black men who are also at risk of being shot at, or honestly, pulling the trigger, i thought i'd go ahead and share the things i'm thinking about.

first...the fact that he is dead is tragedy enough...whether you believe the shooter was defending himself or that the shooter was overzealous and profiled Trayvon as a young black man in a hoodie; the death of a 17 year old who was carrying only skittles and an Arizona tea should be enough to bring a tear to your eye and recognize that there will be no justice, no matter what the outcome.  whether the shooter is charged, imprisoned, or left free...nothing will change this tragedy, there can be no justice.

second...these tweets hit home for me.
First, from Efrem Smith, @efremsmith:
Many young black men have been murdered by other young black men, but there was no rally for them.

Next from Sho Baraka, @amishobaraka:
Troy Davis', Trayvon Martin's, sex trafficking and Kony Movements. What are you doing off twitter to fight it "Before and after the fact?"

And from Propaganda, @prophiphop:
Lets Pray that God brings Justice and Racial reconciliation from this


i'm all for outrage, i'm all for a prophetic voice...we need those.  but may we not just be a voice, may we not wait for a tragedy to give cause for speaking, and may we live day in and day out in such a way that when these injustices come we may know we have already been about our Father's business of declaring the good news, of being the light in the darkness, of declaring that His Kingdom has come and is coming.

Hoodie been up, still up.  Now, lets make sure all our knees and hands are dirty.

_______________
check out Efrem Smith's blog reflections...he says things a bit better than i...

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daughters of zion

So, as the B. Moore Project continues to gather steam, I'm constantly reflecting on manhood and what specific traits we want to see built into the lives of the young men who enter our realm of influence.  There are so many which come to my mind and heart, but there is one I've been reflecting on more and more.

Maybe it's because there is an absolutely precious 4 month old who has stolen my heart.

Maybe it's because I've seen relationships hit dangerous lows because of pornography.

Maybe it's because I've been near many a single mom left alone searching for encouragement and validation.

I desperately pray we teach these young men to respect, cherish and have a proper view of women.
Men and young men, the way we treat and talk to the women in our lives should always be infused with the truth that they are made in the Image of God, just as we are. The words 'chick' or 'b!tch' describes more of your lack of maturity than the type of women in our lives.  Our actions should always uplift, cherish and serve the women in our lives.

It says that God created them in His image, 'male AND female.'  We need to start acting like it.  We need to treat our women with respect and love.  They are not objects to be possessed but people who can sharpen and encourage us.  Imagine how our communities would look different if we(men) treated women different, if we didn't sexualize them, de-person-ize them.  Imagine if we instead cherished and uplifted, encouraged and applauded them.  I couldn't even do an image search on-line with the word 'woman' to add a picture to this post because of what would probably come up.

I pray my sons grow up and know how to treat a woman.  That might be my greatest failure as a Dad if they don't.

That's my rant, and I'm sticking to it...but, what's your thoughts?  No, really, I want to know...

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identity

the enemy is tricky. the way he is able to hold people captive is awful. my heart hurts when i see people bound by things outside of them, as well as inside of them. yesterday when Mandy was at the hospital, I took the boys to a near by park to kill time until we were able to join her for a tour of the maternity ward. it was a nice little park, swing sets, see-saws, climbing structures, slides...plus there was a basketball hoop, a pavilion and tons of open space. i even ran into a friend down there.

in the 45 minutes we were there, i definitely witnessed two drug deals, and may have witnessed a few more. you could see it coming...the buyer acting shifty, scratching their arms; clearly looking for a fix. the dealer waiting, almost playing with the addict, the captive one. they would then begin haggling over something until the price the dealer is seeking gets met. the addict walks away with their fix, knowing they are about to get a moment of freedom for the itch...only to have it return later. and the dealer leaves, feeling a bit victorious and attempting to absolve himself of feeding someone else's addiction...

as i sat there with my two sons everything in me wanted to run over there and tell the addict...you don't have to, you don't need this, you can fight it, we get find a way to help you fight it!

it brought me back to something i've been sitting on for about a week. its a touchy thing really, it affects so many of us. please add your thoughts, comments, critiques.

there are so many people like this addict who have become bound, who have become victims of

something outside of them. be it a drug, alcohol, violence done to them; physical and emotional. yes, some start themselves on their path of becoming a victim...but most are victimized...

i've met many people in my life who are victims of the people around them. they've been abandoned, beaten, raped, hated, slandered, lied to, set-up, drugged...the list could continue. my heart hurts at the thought of the people who's faces enter my mind just as i type each word. we have all been victims of the evil in this world in some way or another...be it relational or systemic.

the worst part of it all for me is when i watch people stay victims. they re-live their victimization, they stay there...they identify themselves as victims and with their victimization. they can't imagine their lives without that, and thus they make it their all-consuming identity. how they relate to the world around them is completely based on their identity as victim of ______.

before i write more, hear me out...I am not saying 'Get over it'. i don't want to be insensitive to the hurt and pain anyone has endured on any level, at any time. if you were a victim of anyone; know this, it is awful, no one can know what you've experienced, i wish it had never happened. it makes my heart hurt, it makes God's heart hurt. nor am i saying, forget about it, pretend it never happened. its a part of your story, but it doesn't have to be the whole story....

please though, please don't allow it to consume you. one of the trickiest traps the enemy has is to find a way to keep us a victim, keep us in our brokenness and pain, of having the pain and the action consume us to a point where God cannot even redeem the pain because we can't even imagine our lives without it!

there is another reason the enemy seeks to keep us as victims...we see victims as innocents. victims did not do anything to merit what was done to them. and if we remain in that victim state, if we allow ourselves to remain as victims; we begin to see ourselves as innocents and that begins to pervade every area of our lives until we begin to think we can't be in the wrong; because we are the victim...'this happened, that's why i'm this way and its ok because this happened"... we absolve ourselves of responsibility, we rob ourselves of transformation, we prevent God from being able to take those broken pieces of glass and transform them into something beautiful, something that shows the power a loving God has over the sin and evil in this world.

the enemy definitely doesn't want that. so he whispers, 'its ok, you're a victim, its not your fault. you're stuck in this now, you can't make it past this. besides, you're broken, you're a victim, what can you do anyway...'

but God is a liberating God. God is a transforming God. God proclaims freedom for the captives, liberation for the oppressed. God is who enables us to break away from an identity wrapped up in our victimization, and into an identity as the children of God. let that be what defines you. believe that today you can say, 'i was a victim. now i'm a child of God and victor in Christ.'

church, we must walk with the victims in our lives. its a hard thing, we don't like to enter into suffering, we try to avoid suffering at all costs. but church, if we are going to be like Christ...we must enter into the suffering that surrounds us, we must suffer with those in pain; that they might know they are not alone. we must be incarnational.

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In His image

You were created in the image of God. You were created in the image of the eternal, indescribable God. You were stamped in your inner-most being with the Imago Dei (image of God). Who you are, who you were created to be, begins, ends and centers on whose image you have been made in.



That family member who you wish wouldn't show up to family events because of the awkwardness they produce...has been stamped with that same Imago Dei. That co-worker who is clearly more concerned with themselves and their stuff, and their time, and what they want...has been stamped with the Imago Dei. That thug selling dope to the kids you teach and coach....Imago Dei. That guy or girl who seems to live to make you cry...Imago Dei. The woman in that video you watch when no one else is looking...Imago Dei. The guy standing in the corner of the on ramp to the freeway...Imago Dei. That friend who'd stab you in the back if given the chance...Imago Dei. Your parents who destroyed more of you than built you up...Imago Dei. That blowhard on TV speaking more about fear and hate than actual news or solutions...Imago Dei. Your neighbor who goes to the temple, the mosque, the Spiritual Center, mass, that other church...Imago Dei. The boss who lives to make your life miserable...Imago Dei.

I am humbled by my own sin of hate for others, and not seeking to recognize the Imago Dei in all of us, and not reflecting more the Imago Dei created within me.

posted from Bloggeroid

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