Who Packs Your Parachute?

I have enjoyed what I’ve read thus far of Scot McKnight’s book, but I cannot get one nagging thought out of my head: while our world continues to wage religious wars, why doesn’t knowing we all worship the same God - the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob – help us to simply ‘love God and others’? Jesus is all right for me, but He is definitely not okay for many others. If God is the foundation, the core from where all love begins, then I feel more comfortable focusing on God. And I know I am not supposed to always feel ‘comfortable’, and so therein lies my struggle.

Having gotten that off my chest, I want to share a version of an email that I feel encompasses an act of ‘loving God, loving others’ and helps remind me that all of our daily actions, conscious and unconscious, affect those around us.

“Plumb was a US Navy pilot in Vietnam when his plane was shot down and he ejected and parachuted into enemy hands. He was captured and spent 6 years in a communist Vietnam prison. He survived.”

“While in a restaurant one day, a man recognized him and approached him repeating his experience. Plumb said, “How in the world do you know that?””

“I packed your parachute!” the man responded.

“Plumb gasped in surprise and gratitude. The man pumped his hand and said, “I guess it worked!” “It sure did. If your chute hadn’t worked, I wouldn’t be here today,” Plumb replied.

“Plumb couldn’t sleep that night thinking about this man. He kept wondering what he looked like in Navy uniform. He wondered how many times he might have seen him and not even said, “Good morning” or anything because, you see, Plumb was a fighter pilot and the man was just a sailor.”

“Plumb thought of the many hours the sailor spent in the bowels of the ship at a long wooden table, carefully weaving the shrouds and folding the silks of each chute, holding in his hands the fate of someone he didn’t know.”

“Plumb asks his audience, “Who’s packing your parachute?” Everyone has someone who provides what they need to make it through the day. Sometimes, in the daily challenges that life gives us, we miss what is really important.”

“We may fail to say hello, please, or thank you, congratulate someone on something wonderful or just do something nice for someone for no reason. As you go through this week, the month, this year, recognize who packs your parachute.”

Julie Small

Signs of Love at KOG

At KOG the love for God and other is prevalent in every thing I see. I see it in the parents who hold on to their little children during the service to instill in them the idea of worship. I see it in the youth directors when they are with the youth of the church. I see it in our pastors when they bless us every Sunday morning. The Love for God I saw in Mary Preston
when she played her organ was so inspiring. She played for God and God alone. Her music was her gift from him to show just how much she loved and appreciated it, she shared it with all of us. The love for others and God is shown to me personally by the youth at KOG. The youth group is my strength and my rock when I need the spiritual and emotional support when dealing with not JUST my faith but every day problems as well. I see God IN the youth group every time I go on Sunday nights. Every time I feel down, all I need is the
tiniest little pick me up from my Christian family and everything seems ok again. God works in the people around me by supporting me in what I do and in my faith.

I also think that to love God is to appreciate him as well. Every time I sing I sing for God. I thank him so much for my music and I love him so much. When I sing its to honor HIM and to thank HIM for EVERYTHING he has given me.

To love God isn’t just to come to church on Sundays and forget everything during the week, its to live for him and respect him. I know as a teen I struggle with this a LOT but Wednesdays and Sundays are the boost I need to try and keep my mind focused on the main goal.

A verse I love to read when I'm down or feeling upset is Psalm 40:1-3

"1I waited patiently for the Lord;
he inclined to me and heard my cry.
2He drew me up from the desolate pit,*
out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure.
3He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
and put their trust in the Lord."

God loves as much as you love him and more. He will lift you up and keep you standing no matter the circumstances.

Chelsi Arduengo

How do we pray to God? THROUGH Jesus or TO Jesus?

I see myself as an Israelite—which means “one who struggles with God.” But--Why? Who? When?

One of my struggles was about prayer. How do we pray to God? THROUGH Jesus or TO Jesus?

I noticed in the service at our church we pray “Our Father who art in heaven....THROUGH Jesus Christ our Lord , Amen.” I noticed that some of my friends in other denominations prayed TO Jesus--”Holy Jesus save me...”

Scott McKnight's chapter on the Lord's Prayer shows the roots of the Lord's Prayer as part of the older Jewish tradition and the change put into it in drawing on other aspects of early Jewish literature. That brought home to me the personalness with which Jesus called on us to follow God. Through Jesus teaching me, like an older brother--”just ask Daddy in this way”. I have come to a deeper personal prayer life with God. I have come to it THROUGH Jesus.

I would highly recommend Scott McKnight's book and am looking forward to his appearances at KOG. It's a simple uncomplicated message for us as taught by Jesus in the context of biblical times—Love God, Serve Others.

Dalene MacWilliams

Audrey George: Hearts on fire 2007

"Let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.” That verse was found in 1 John 3:18; and that was exactly what we were there to do: show them our love and God's love by a simple smile. As we played tag with the kids for hours and sang and clapped during the puppet show, we were showing them pure love.

My name is Audrey George, and this was my first year on the mission trip to Dallas and Chicago. And as all "rookies" I was nervous, anxious, and to sum it up, a little scared. And even with all the amazing stories I've heard from the people around me I still didn't know what to expect.

It was heart wrenching to even think that those adorable kids with huge smiles were living horrible lives at home; that when we left, they were probably not even given enough food to eat, and yelled at by their parents for no reason. At St. Philip's school in Dallas, we figured that none of these kids that ever had a chance to get close to God, so we decided to try a prayer circle. Each girl would go around and thank God for something in their lives. Little Kathryn thanked God for helping her parents stop fighting last night so she could fall asleep. What she said sent chills down my spine.

On Wednesday we got the opportunity to play with the little boys for a couple of hours, because St. Phillips was separated with girls in one class and boys in another. I quickly became friends with Xavier, an adorable little boy that just wanted to have fun. We drove to Hawaii and then flew to Rome on the playground. And by the end of the day, it was so hard to say goodbye. I was amazed by how much you could only know someone for a couple of hours and yet love them with all your heart. As I gave him a big hug, he handed me this note, but it wasn't until we got back to the YMCA that I actually understood what it said. The note read, "99 men. . . Revolver. . . Gun. . . Sniper." This little third-grader had to grow up so fast. And the dangers and struggles he’s had to live with is something I've never known and may not ever understand.

This trip has changed my life so much because I have truly experienced God's love through these children and through each one of us. We all watched over one another and were there for each other when we needed it. I have made so many friends on this trip and as I look back so many fond memories. From "hot water" to "flavorless lemonade", everyone always made me laugh. Each person has made a great contribution and impact to the hearts and lives of each kid. God's power and love was within each of us these past two weeks, and I pray that the flame in our hearts will continue to burn forever and ever.

How Much God Loves Us. How We Love Others

In Luke 15:11-32 “ The Parable of the Prodigal's Son”, Jesus was spending time with people of questionable reputation who were listening to him intently. The religious scholars were not at all happy with this situation. In fact they grumbled accusing Jesus of sinful behavior—associating and eating and dining with sinners as if they were his friends. How could he! His response might be surprising—the story of the prodigal's son. The father has two sons. The younger one comes to him and wants now, his share of his father's estate. What happens? The father gives it to him, probably to the son's astonishment. The son goes off and squanders it all and ends up destitute, alone, hungry and feeding pigs slop. Repenting he returns home, hoping that just maybe--just possibly, his father might allow him to be a lowly servant on his father's estate. Instead the father sees the son coming, runs to greet him, and throws a party to celebrate his return. At the same time the father must respond to the older son who has been attending to his daily responsibilities and now feels angry, jealous, and slighted.

Scot McKnight enhances our understanding of the strength of this love by explaining biblical customs at that time. When a young man, through his behavior, disgraced his father then ran away from him and later returned, the elders of the village interceded. They took him to the center of the village and broke a pot at his feet. This was an act of legal banishment from the community. Some scholars think that the father (who must have been looking daily for his son) ran to his son to get to him first to prevent the tragic separation of his son from the community. The father showed that no rebuke was necessary. His return showed a repentant heart. In fact he joyfully celebrates his repentant son's return and restores him to the community. (Scott McKnight, The Jesus Creed, Brewster, MA: Paraclete Press, 2002, pp. 29, 30)

What was Jesus up to? What does this say about God's love for us? What about our love for others?

This book is deceptively easy to read but insightful in uncovering God's plan for each of us. I recommend it to all and am looking forward to hearing Scott McKnight.

Member KOG

Vulnerability - Hearts on Fire Sermon Story

Hey everybody! My name is Rennie Taylor. My heart is burning; this is my story.

Vulnerability is a really scary concept, at least to me. The idea of putting yourself out there for everyone to see, to analyze, to scrutinize- honestly, it terrifies me. Especially for someone who actually enjoys risks as much as I do, I can’t stand risking someone figuring me out before I figure myself out. However, in the two weeks I spent in South Dallas and Chicago I met hundreds of little boys and girls who had no choice but to be vulnerable. They don’t have the luxury of being able to “figure themselves out” or “find their own way in life”, because as far as any of them were concerned, their surroundings labeled who they were and what their lives meant the day they were born. I don’t have a specific story to tell, or amazing moment when I experienced god to describe to you. Mainly because I don’t know how to describe an ongoing moment. God is a constant presence, and I know he was at the sites and with the kids long before we were. I hope God was shining through me on the mission trip, but I know for a fact that he was shining through every one of the kids that we worked with. And it doesn’t matter that we can’t technically say God’s name at the site, because I don’t believe to accomplish my mission I needed to. And that’s what I want to talk about today: my mission. My mission was not to convert or to preach, but to show the kids that no matter who they are, where hey come from, or how impossibly unfair their lives are, God has one incredible plan for them, something they cant even imagine, and with his guidance they can break away from anything that’s holding them back and truly do something amazing with their lives. It was my mission to convey to them that dreaming or having goals that went beyond the hole that they were born into was not only okay, but actually filled with possibilities. My entire life I have been bombarded with those nagging, annoying questions like WHAT DO YOU WANT OT BE WHEN YOU GROW UP, or WHAT COLLEGE DO YOUI WANT OT GO TO; WHAT DOES YOUR FUTURE LOOK LIKE? I’ve never had an answer to any of those questions because there are so many possibilities and infinite opportunities, how could I possibly pick just one plan without exploring all the rest? But the kids I bonded with the last two weeks also didn’t have an answer to those questions, but for a completely different reason. No one asks them those questions, and if someone did they would soon have a young child staring blankly back at them, confused by the idea of having a choice of what their lives will play out to be. And I hate that. I found myself not sad at the end as we loaded the bus to go home for good, but really angry that we were leaving. This youth does an incredible thing for two weeks out of the year, but what happens the other fifty weeks to these kids? I wanted to leave them with something more than just love- as important as that is- my mission was to leave them with a sense of wonder, a freedom to imagine all the different directions in which each one of their lives could play out. And although I would be lying if I stood up here and told you I came back from mission trip spiritually charged, I can tell you that the kids I met in South Dallas and Chicago are not broken-they are so wonderfully vulnerable and truly amazing human beings that are meant for greatness. And if I was able to help even one child recognize that potential and have the courage to not only dream, but to fulfill their dreams, then I did my job. I let God do his job through me. I succeeded in my mission. Thank you.

Nadine's Impact on a Friend & Generations of Children

I had just finished two years of Crossways (thank you to Annetta and Warren Olson), had young children, and summoned up my courage to request from our then Director of Youth Education the opportunity to teach for two years in Sunday School. I explained that I had never taught young children (except for my own) and that although I had taught at the university level, this was entirely different and I felt very insecure. A week later the director contacted me with a big smile and said that he had the right place for me—kindergarten. When I arrived at our first meeting I learned that I had been paired up with a wonderful woman who had raised 5 children and was now enjoying grandchildren. Moreover she had taught kindergarten Sunday School for years. And so Nadine Bush entered my life—and became a friend and teacher.

I quickly discovered there were two Nadine Bushes—one was the friendly, warm Nadine who I saw in church with friends and the other was the Nadine who lit up the kindergarten classroom and held “her children's” love and interest from the time they entered the classroom until they left at the end of class. I had much to learn from Nadine—she left nothing to chance. Nadine carried a big bag of “goodies” for the children. She had everything in it pertaining to the Sunday School lesson as well as “surprises” for her children. With children that age you must be well prepared and have more than enough activities to do or you will lose their attention. She used every minute she had with “her children”.

From the time they walked into the room, there was no “wasted time”. Mrs Bush knew every one of her children well. They would come eagerly over to her before class and talk about what important had occurred in their life during the week—and at the same time they would work on their before-class activity. I never wondered where Mrs Bush was—I just looked for the big group of children. Nadine kept her eyes on all of her children, especially the shy, quiet, and the “more challenging” ones. She had ways of bringing out the shy, quiet children and quieting or calming the more active ones. No matter what the situation, she was always encouraging and supporting yet firm. Over the weeks the children quickly leaned that Mrs Bush was a person they could trust and respect. I watched them blossom before my eyes.

When class started there was always a sequence of activities with breaks from one activity to another. The children never got bored that way. There was always the planned Sunday School lesson. But there was also Mrs. Bush's individualized and thoughtful variations of activities. For example, some children had trouble with fine motor skills like holding or cutting with scissors. Mrs. Bush figured out which muscles needed strengthening and developed games—for instance with clothes-pins that these children would would play with her before class. Or she might ask a child to do a special “help”task for her that required use of those muscles. Over the weeks she modified the activity accordingly and before the end of the year the child was able to do or had made strides in doing what earlier had been impossible or frustrating.

Nadine was one of the most modest people I have met. She never told me any of these things or for that matter directed me to do anything. It was only as I watched her and the children that I began to realize what was happening—and I asked her questions and more questions. She knew “her children” so well that she was the one who adjusted to each child's needs. Nadine was so naturally talented as a kindergarten teacher she didn't realize how exceptional she was. She could easily have been director of a preschool (which included kindergarten)--provided she could also do what she loved so much—teach and be with the children. What prevented that was her lack of formal education. However the irony was that Nadine did “naturally” what people who spend years in school aspire to achieve with their education.

God however had a special place for Nadine and that was here at King of Glory in kindergarten Sunday School because that is where she turned her talents. She did the Lord's work with generations of our kindergarten children. Nadine died in 1999 and to this day “her children” carry her special gifts with them.

Arline Hoel