How creepy are you when you watch Christmas lights? An awkward questionaire

It's that time of year again! Christmas season is upon us, and its time to pile up into the cars, drive around the neighborhood and check out the Christmas lights.

Although, have you ever wondered how creepy you seem when you do so?

To ease your thoughts, just go through the checklist below to determine just how creepy you seem. Just add up the points and see how you score!

• You drive around by yourself: +5

• Your vehicle has tinted windows: +10

• Your vehicle has no windows at all: +1,000

• You park outside a house just to "appreciate" the lights: +2

• You physically get out of your car to get a "better viewpoint": +15

• You take pictures of your favorite houses: +20 

•  You take pictures of ALL of the houses: +30

•  You take those super cool mental pictures: +53

• You bring your family onto the lawn to get a closer look: +40  

• Not that you would know, but looking at the house of someone in witness protection: +10

• You DO know that they are in witness protection: +100

• You have a picnic in front of your favorite house while you look at the lights: +200

• You return to the best houses every night as long as the lights are up: +10

• You leave the families of said houses a note letting them know that you will, in fact, be back: +500

• You keep looking at your own house: Not creepy, but pretty conceited. Check yourself.

• It isn't Christmas and there aren't any lights up: There is no number to describe how creepy that is.

Merry Christmas!

3 Great Tips on Getting the Most out of Your Summer as a Camp Staffer

Summer camps are something I'm extremely passionate about, especially after working two summers for CentriKid camps. I wouldn't be the person I am today if God hadn't led me to CentriKid, and I know several people who would say the same. In my experience I've found that there are certain things you can do to make the most out of your experience as a camp staffer for any kind of summer camp, and the lessons you learn are lessons you'll keep with you for the rest of your life. I'm so thankful that God has taught me and so many others these lessons.

1. Preparation begins long before camp does. If you're working a camp this summer or just considering it, your spiritual preparation begins NOW. I've made plenty of mistakes and it usually goes back to the fact that I had not allowed God to fully prepare my heart and mind. I can guarantee that I'm doing it differently this summer, and I encourage all of you to begin praying and searching now, and let God speak into your heart specifically about this summer and the ministry you'll be doing.

"Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." Joshua 1:8

2. Give it your all. At the end of a long day working camp, when you're barely able to walk, seek God and let Him comfort you. I know I wouldn't trade the experience for anything in the world, and that's how God gets me through those days. Give God your all, give the campers your all, and give your fellow staffers your all. Being a camp staffer is one of the few experiences that puts you in the position to serve incredible amounts of people with a Christ-like character. Don't let it go to waste. 

"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it." Malachi 3:10

3. Stop comparing. I have DEFINITELY learned this one the hard way. I've struggled with comparing "my" successes with kids to the ones who haven't really understood what God is trying to teach them and seeing it as a failure. However, that is a completely wrong way to look at things. When a kid accepts Christ, it's not my success, it's God's. My successes are when I commit to follow God no matter what happens with a camper or anyone else. That's what we all need to remember.

There are many more ways to get the most out of your experience working as a camp staffer, these are just the three that stuck out in my mind. If you have any others that stick out to you or would like me to post others, you can comment on here or do whatever technologically savvy things you like. Also, if you want information on working CentriKid, you can definitely talk to me about it or look up their website www.centrikid.com 

God Doesn't Play Fantasy Football

Okay, so I just recently started playing in a fantasy football league this year. The great thing I've discovered about fantasy football is that it gets rid of all those ridiculous "teams" like the Philadelphia Beagles and Tampa Bay Musketeers (I'm actually not too familiar with the team names), and you can just create your own team of the best players you can find, and leave everyone else out. Kinda sounds like my high school gym class. This can be either sad or happy in your mind depending on how you rate my athletic ability.

Something I really enjoy doing is relating normal stuff I encounter to the supernatural presence of God, it's just a gift He's given to me. So, since I'm really terrible at fantasy football, I decided I might as well get something good out of the season, so I thought about ways that fantasy football could relate to God. I'm a strong believer in the fact that everything we do can be pointed back towards God, so I knew there was something out there. When I reflected on my many, MANY losses, I realized how glad I am that Christianity is nothing like fantasy football, because I'm just as bad at avoiding sin as I am at fantasy football (and, once again, I'm quite terrible at fantasy football).

Like I mentioned somewhat before, in fantasy football (and fantasy sports in general) you draft the players you hope will do the best, and have some on the bench, and then the others just go undrafted. Each week, you choose who to "start" and who to keep on the bench. Depending on their performance, some players can get added, and others can get dropped. Once again, I am SO glad that God doesn't go by these rules.

The blessings that God pours out to us is not based on our performance. Obviously, if we follow Him and obey His word, he promises to pour out blessings to us. God promises in Malachi 3:10 to pour out endless blessing if we give Him our all: "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it." However, the blessings aren't reserved for those who do well, and God doesn't pick who to "start" or "bench" depending on how we are doing in that season of life. No matter how well I'm following God, He needs me about as much as I need a third kicker in my roster (I don't.). God chooses to use whoever He wants based on His plan and His timing. God sometimes uses the people we would least expect to carry His name across nations, because through that, His power is shown. it's not about us, our performance, or how likely we are to follow through. God knows our hearts and His blessings are poured out to those who believe and follow in His name, not the smartest or strongest or most popular people. It's not about our wisdom or strength, it's about God's awesome power. His roster isn't limited, He promises to accept whoever comes to Him by faith.

So, in summary, God doesn't play fantasy football, and NEITHER SHOULD YOU!!!! Just kidding, you can play fantasy football, just don't live a Christian life believing that the same principles apply. Don't live you're life with a low opinion of yourself based on how you've performed and served recently, because God loves you just the same. Just put the past behind you, learn from it, and go out there knowing that you can serve God freely. As believers, we can all be in the starting lineup of God's army, let's go and make disciples. The game has already been won. Satan ain't got no more players to score.

"For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength" 1 Corinthians 1:25

Bucket List of Things to Do While Listening to Chris Tomlin's "God's Great Dance Floor"

I hold the belief that songs have a certain personality that go along with them, and the Chris Tomlin song "God's Great Dance Floor" just has a joyful personality. First of all, if you don't know the song, look it up on the ol' Tube (cool guy slang for YouTube) and check it out. After that, do all of the activities on the following bucket list while listening to "God's Great Dance Floor". I guarantee that it will enhance the joy in your life, and you're just gonna say to yourself, "Man, my life is cool."

1. Dance. That's pretty obvious.

2. Watch a video montage of your life. It doesn't matter if you're the one who made it or if you find it in your mailbox one day (although if that's the cause, you may want to contact the police). Video montage + God's Great Dance Floor just says: "Hey buddy, check all the cool stuff you've done on God's metaphorical dance floor. You got a swell life, champ."

3. Be in the process of being revived by CPR. If there's one song I wanna continuously wake up to while drifting in and out of consciousness, it's "God's Great Dance Floor". However, the chorus of Newsong's "Arise My Love" does give it some heavy competition.

4. Walk out of class after miserably failing an exam. Sure, you just failed a test and may have to retake the class if you're on that path, but that song will always remind you that you're on God's dance floor. Boogie your way through all 3 semesters of Psychology 101, my friend.

5. Walk out of class after stupendously passing a test with flying colors. YOU JUST OWNED THAT TEST. Dance your way out of class with no shame, 'cause you just passed that test like a kidney stone.

6. Write a blog post. I'm doing that right now, and I'm not gonna lie...feels good.

What are some other activities that will enhance you're life with God's Great Dance Floor blasting in the background?

How to Know If That Awesome Christian Song You're Hearing is Actually a Secret Reference to You and Your Crush

It's happened to everyone. You're riding around in your car thinking about your big crush jammin' to some sweet tunes on Air1, or K-Love, or some other station, when it comes on. That song that reminds you of your crush (for our purposes lets call them Sasha, as in a girl or strapping Russian man.) It twists your mind around: Is this song about God, or Sasha??? Well, here are some simple ways to determine the answer to those questions. This way you can jam out stress-free.

1.) When that song comes on, examine the lyrics closely to determine whether or not the song could even be talking about a human being. For example, in Matthew West's "More", part of the chorus reads "I love you more than the sun and the stars that I taught how to shine...". At first listen, you may think this definitely is in reference to the feelings you have for Sasha. I mean, the song does say "I love you". Yet, when you examine the lyrics, it becomes obvious that it is in reference to God. Sasha is pretty awesome, but no way did he/she teach the sun and the stars how to shine. They probably haven't even been to space.

2.) If you wanna go a more elaborate route, contact the artist of the song and inquire them as to who they were referring to. Do they know Sasha? If so, for how long? Are they related, cause if so, their song is kinda weird and you probably don't want to listen to it anymore. The positive of going this route is that you will have all your questions answered. However, you may find yourself in a love triangle with a popular musician, and will most likely lose.

3.) If you really have courage, approach your crush and play the song for him/her. Afterwards, have them fill out a brief survey on how the song made them feel towards you (short answer questions will yield the most honesty). This can go one of two ways: They feel the same way and the meaning of the song doesn't even matter to you anymore or they don't feel the same way, plunging you deep into awkwardness, and Sasha is left awkwardly avoiding you, and you are left resenting a song for the lies it told you that fateful day in the car.

It's always helpful to examine before you approach, because more often than not, that song will be written about God. Not to say that there aren't songs out there on Christian radio that are about earthly love, but when they are its pretty obvious. Listen and learn, my friends.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Travis (and other ridiculous stuff kids say)

In my years of working with children, whether its at a camp or elsewhere, I've realized that there is a reason why we teach and reteach bible stories in Sunday school and elsewhere. The majority of the time, when kids "remember" a Bible story I've asked them about, they have never ever heard that version before. Whereas the Biblical accounts I've heard several children present are completely random, I've noticed that there are some basic constants in the ideas that young children present:

1. Names in the bible are interchangeable and sometimes just aren't important. It's impressive how many kids know the story of David and the Lion's Den and Daniel and Goliath. I didn't even know that one. Maybe they just saw those stories in dreams and visions like Jonah and the Coat of Many Colors. Or hey, got a friend named Travis? Lets throw him in that furnace with Shadrach and Meshach in the gripping story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Travis. You can probably guess which one was adopted.

2. Modern-day examples just aren't as plausible. While teaching a bible study to a group of 5th graders, I tried to come up with a modern day example of Daniel and the Lion's Den. I can't remember all the details, but somewhere in the story we had broken the law and been thrown in the lion's exhibit in the zoo. However, each kids had objections to how much danger they were actually in. One, in a gross underestimation of the size of a lion's appetite, said he would just feed the lion his shoe so it wouldn't be hungry anymore. But, in fairness, a good pair of Nike's with velcro straps are just what lion's crave after a hard day of prowling.

3. Veggie Tales is a legitimate translation of the bible. The VTT (Veggie Tales Translation) does contain some accuracy, but I don't know if it qualifies as being parallel to a bible translation, what with the Chocolate Bunnies and singing asparagus. In the future, emphasize to your kids and little siblings that Veggie Tales is a creative retelling of the Bible, but not a shot-for-shot remake. Great for a rainy day, though.

All in all, kids say some crazy funny stuff when you take the time to share Bible stories with them and invest in them. Consider the rewards of sharing the Gospel with kids. You get to impact the next generation of Christ followers, and get some really good laughs when you do it. Trust me, it's worth it.