I read a Mother Teresa quote to my basketball team the other day before our game.  She said this, “I can do what you can’t do, and you can do what I can’t do. Together we can do more.”  I thought it made for a great pre-game quote on teamwork.  However, the following morning it took on new meaning while I was at practice. The team was doing foul shooting, and I was at a basket with 2 of my athletes, making my rounds, helping each group as they shot.  Out in the hallway, 4 kids walked by.  They were dressed in black from head to toe.  They had baggy pants on.  Chains too.  Did I mention they had all black on? I was standing in front of the foul line, rebounding a shot when they walked by.  I think they were at the school for stage crew.  The play is coming up soon.  It hit me like a ton of bricks: I’ll never reach those kids.  Reality came crashing in on me at that very moment.  My sphere of influence is so limited.   I’m strictly limited to athletes and a few of their select friends.  I coach sports so that’s the group I reach. But what about the musicians? What about the stage and lighting crew? What about the artistic kids?  What about the ones who go home every day after school? What about them??? Who’s gonna connect with, and reach them? I h...

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We walk our offering up to the front of the sanctuary during worship.  It’s just how we do it here at New Testament.  So last week there was a little boy in front of me with his parents.  He brings his plastic guitar with him every week and rocks out with it during worship. It’s pretty awesome. But then came tithe and offering time.  Pastor Jim walked up front, shared a few words and prayed.  This boy’s dad pulled the family’s tithe check out of his pocket and waved it as his son.  Instead of grabbing it from his dad, this little boy said, “No dad, I got my own. No dad, wait, I got my own.” He then proceeded to find his Kid’s Church cash that he had jammed in the pages of his Bible.  Yes, this little 5-year old boy tithed his Kid’s Church cash that he could have bought toys and candy with. It kind of reminded me of the words Jesus spoke in Mark about the widow who gave from what little she actually had, compared to those who gave little out of their abundance. During this same Sunday service I looked across the sanctuary and a 9-year old girl was looking up at her mom during worship.  Her mom had her hands lifted, so the little girl lifted her hands too.  It was precious. What a cool service that day was.  Jesus said multiple times in the New Testament to let the children come t...

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I guess sometimes it doesn’t matter. The order of things, that is. Like getting dressed. I can put my shirt on first and then my pants or the other way around. I like to put my socks on first and then my pants but not always. Left shoe, right shoe, either one can go first; it doesn’t really matter. Same with eating. A plate full of meat, potatoes and veggies, you can eat a little of each until you’re done or all of one and then the others. The order doesn’t matter. Like my wife says, it all ends up in the same place. Even dessert can be eaten before the main meal. My mom wouldn’t like it, but I admit I’ve done it before. I didn’t get sick and no lightning bolt appeared to teach me a lesson. For many things the order just doesn’t matter. But then there are times when the order is essential. Some things need to be done first. I have to put my socks on before my shoes. The snow needs to be cleaned off my car before I drive. First things need to be first. Like the day I was going to stop at the bank, take my wife out to breakfast and then do some errands; all in that order. We ended up going to breakfast first. Half way through breakfast I remembered that particular restaurant only takes cash. That’s why the trip to the bank needed to be first. That’s why it is important for us to put first things first. What we do fir...

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