More pics from Somerset

What a great camp.

That's me under the big top

[caption id="attachment_253" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="The beating of a helpless plastic horse"][/caption]

Ben Barnes speaks the truth... with hand motions

I’ve been at Somserset Beach Campground for the week, hanging out with the above as we shared the speaking and gaming and meaningful time-wasting for 6th-12th graders. It was good. I’m ready for a nap now.

NIV vs. ESV internal debate rages on

I’m getting ready for a youth camp I’m speaking at next week. I’m sharing the load with a buddy and fellow pastor, which means we’ve had a few sessions to sit down and talk through the kind of week we want these students to experience in the “youth tent”. Our selected text is a classic for teens — 1 Timothy 4:12. Because I was raised NIV, I have that version memorized:

“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity”.

Because I’ve decided to give the ESV a serious run to be my main translation, I of course went to it to get ready for the week, where 1 Timothy 4:12 is rendered as:

“Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.”

I read it to my co-youth-speaker and he said “conduct?” I said “yeah, that’s how the ESV says it”. He said “sounds old fashioned”, to which I agreed. Then I felt a sense of “aw, man… I want to use the ESV because it’s a very accurate dynamic equivalence translation, but… it sounds old fashioned”.

So now I’m bouncing back to the New International Version just for the week. And I know what’s going to happen — I’ll like some things about it and not like other things about it. The internal dialog will look like this:

> The NIV is good because just about everyone has it, and it’s kind of the denominational “standard”

> The ESV is a new translation that deserves to be adopted because it’s new and accurate

> But the NIV is much easier to understand and will not put up a language barrier

> Yes, but the ESV is accurate — it says “conduct” because it’s a better translation

> True, but the first thing I’d have to say is “conduct means life, guys”. And if I’m going to say that…

> You raise a good point, self. But does this mean you’re abandoning your ESV commitment?

> By asking that, am I becoming an ESV fundamentalist?

> I wonder if I should just use the NLT since it makes a ton of sense but tends to over-simplify things to the point that it loses its punch

> Mmm… I love punch.

Ugh… being an early adopter sucks.

PS: the NIV vs. ESV posts get the most action on this blog.  I know you’re reading.  Let’s hear some comments.

The Opposite of a Bath

I came home this morning between appointments to find my wife gagging at the site of human waste in the bathtub. No, I didn’t have a confusing night. The boy child decided that it’s inconvenient to get out of the tub to take care of business. While I agree with his initial thesis, I would not have chosen to take the same path as he did. We had a good talk. I think we both learned something. I learned what a blessing Clorox wipes and rubber gloves are; he took another step forward to what will end up being a victory in the potty training arena.
The strange thing is that I remember doing the exact same thing when I was little. And while it’s a little gross and maybe even shameful to mention on what is otherwise a blog of some esteem, I think it’s important to deal with the crap in our lives. And here’s the connection — we’ve all “done that” in the wrong places and in ways that affect people. This works whether we’re speaking literally or figuratively, but for the sake of being spiritual I am likening sin to human goo and the offense it brings.
When we sin, we offend God. Always. And we usually offend other people. It violates the love-love relationship we’re called to have with God and with others. Plus, it makes a big disgusting mess. This is the opposite of a cleansing bath, when sin abounds. And only Jesus can cleanse this kind of offense. Thankfully, with His help, I can handle this goo that was in the bathtub. It’s gross but it’s forgotten. It’s gone. Forgiven. We’ve moved on. I don’t expect Malachi to keep bringing it up and reveling in it. I expect him to know that he did wrong but that his loving parents offered discipline with grace. And may he never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never do that again. Amen?

Link-A-Palooza

• For those of you thinking of switching from PC to a Mac
• Garfield Minus Garfield is funny for many reasons
• “The depressed area of skin under your nose and above your upper lip is called your philtrum.” This is just one of many amazing facts and other treats for knowledge junkies found at mentalfloss.com.

Independence Day 2008

AKA July 4th or “July Fourth” or simply “the Fourth”, as in “I plead the fourth, which is the wrong thing to say in court because it’s like saying “you’re not going to look in the trunk, are you?” to the police officer. Other things not to say to the cops when you get pulled over include:

I bet I could do your job. So… let’s trade jobs. You now work at Wendy’s. And I’ve got a tazer.

I told the guy “no cops”! Man, kidnapping is hard work.

You seem nervous. I have some concealed paraphernalia that could take the edge off.

I’m thankful for the police because they keep this democracy of ours safe. And I’m thankful for a democracy and for freedom. And I’m thankful for freedom of speech (our first amendment) that clearly indicates that I am simply writing a silly blog that points fun at my own foibles as a vehicle for pride in the USA, and should in no way lead to any trouble with the aforementioned police.

Summer Trajectory Shift

I had a good time last week at a favorite camp of mine.  It is a joy in which I am still basking.  Every once in a while I get to speak/teach/preach to students, which is something I always enjoy.  It was a great week.  God was present.  The kids responded to Him in Worship.  It was a good time of spiritual nourishment plus adolescent jokes about biological functions (this is, of course, the only place that these two can symbiotically flourish).  

 

I’m still realizing just how seismic the high school experience is.  Major decisions are made in these years; trajectories are set and patterns are established.  In the sovereignty and grace of God, students will often experience a trajectory shift at a summer camp where faith and trust are put in the right place. I find myself praying about this before, during, and after a week long experience.  Today is no different.  I’m praying about a kid that I talked to about the possibility of being held back a year and repeating 10th grade.  I remember the girl that talked to me about how her mom hasn’t been the same since Grandma died.  I replay the conversation that I had with someone who was struggling with really deep and dark stuff (sin).  And I remember the guy who considers himself a religious mix of everything, since that’s what his parents are (buddhist + christian + whatever).  

Some students leave a camp and go back to a very unfavorable spiritual environment.  But the Holy Spirit can work and remind and open eyes in ways that even the most dynamic and convincing speaker never could.  That’s pretty much what I find myself relying on right now as I remember last week and look forward to a couple more camps this summer.  I don’t remember being so burdened for something like this before.