Are you ever bothered by unwanted thoughts? Maybe when scared or nervous, or you can't stop thinking about something someone said? A helmet will protect your skull or even your brain from being physically hurt, but what if there was a helmet that could protect your mind? In the Bible's book of Ephesians, we are instructed to put on the full armor of God, and specifically:

Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Is the helmet of salvation an invisible magic tool that succeeds where tin foil helmets fail? Kind of. Whenever someone becomes a follower of Christ they begin a process of whole-self renewal (see 2Cor 5:17). Our minds can be renewed! (Rom 12:2). Of course the equation includes us and our own decisions. Though we can't always choose what thoughts we will be exposed to, we still get to decide what we think about and focus on. The Biblical letter to the Philippians has some great advice regarding mental health:

'Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think about such things.'

I tell my kids that they can 'change the channel in their minds'. And, I know sometimes troubling thoughts can keep coming back. That's when there is strength in numbers. Dark thoughts aren't as powerful when they are exposed to the light of day and people we trust can help us win the battle, too. Putting on the helmet of Salvation isn't as easy or as naive as a tin foil helmet. It's not a two-sentance prayer I do once and then forget about. Like a soldier who has to put his armor on every day, it is representative of an on-going, conscious effort get good stuff in and filter out the bad, remembering what God has brought to the table.

Missional is my new favourite Christian buzz-word. It seems like it's all around me: on blogs, at conferences, in books and even coming out of the mouths of my friends. It means that sharing Christ [old buzz word = evangelism] is not just a program, or an event, or even a vocation, but a lifestyle for every follower. It goes like this: 1. A Christian becomes an authentic expression of Christ within his/her own culture, then, 2. People are naturally attracted to Christ and want to become followers, too.

Of course it's not a new idea - it comes from the Bible and missionaries have been talking about it for decades using a different word: contextualization. I'm all for it but I'm a little worried that another cool sounding word is glossing over a difficult proposition.

When Jesus got missional or incarnational [another cool buzzword] it meant God was submitting Himself to pain, stress, trama, torture, and murder. Hmm, that means being Jesus to my friends is probably going to be a little more sacrificial than dressing like them and buying them coffee.

I have heard some programmers say that the best reason to learn a new {programming} language is to learn to think differently. Well, I have always taken this with a grain of salt, thinking 'maybe it helps you think differently about programming, but...'

This morning my 9-year old daughter asked, 'Can Jane think?' Jane is our 9-month-old baby. I was impressed with the question. She had realized that she thinks in words and Jane doesn't say many words. Certainly Jane does think. Even though she doesn't say many words she probably knows several., and she probably thinks mostly in images and feelings. Learning English will revolutionize her thought-life, though. Not only will it increase her thinking vocabulary, it will no doubt change the way she thinks about things.

I wonder if these guys are on to something.

This one could disturb some children and hopefully will disturb their parents :-)

Several years back I started a tradition of designing our kids' birthday invites. Here is the latest:

We are in our second program day of Kids' Week and everything is going well. We've averaged about 200 kids these last two days in the Lisneal venue. Today was the first day of the Templemore venue and I believe they hosted over 250 kids there today. The program has been great - packed with video, puppets, game, and dance, and of course, Bible stories. The theme for the week is the Armour of God. The kids are learning that telling the truth, making right choices and trusting God make a good foundation for a robust life.

We have a team of about 30 American volunteers and about 40 locals working together. It is a thrill to work with such creative and dedicated people on this. Our goal is to give the kids of Derry a great first week of Summer and a sense of God's love for them.

Here are some new Kids' Week photos. Hopefully, I'll be able to show you the video soon.

Everyone knows that helmets protect your head. What if there was a helmet that could protect you from fear and worry; a helmet for your mind? Paul's book of Ephesians suggest putting on spiritual armor to protect ourselves from evil, the Helmet of Salvation is part of the kit. This short video was created for Kid's Week in Derry, Northern Ireland.

How is faith like a shield and God like a Fortress? This video, created for Kids' Week, tackles big questions and features scenic views from one of Ireland's high places.

When I was a teenager I was once pulled far out to sea by a riptide. I remember the people on the beach looking like ants. This morning we came across a story which is far better than mine.

A father watched his autistic son get pulled out to sea by a dangerous riptide. He knew it would be like suicide, but he knew he had to jump in after him. The father and son were dragged 3 miles apart, 8 miles out to sea and survived almost 14 hours in shark infested waters.

Walter Marino knew his son's verbal skills were limited, so, to keep tabs on him in the dark, he shouted something he knew his son would respond to: "To infinity..." From a distance he could hear his twelve-year-old, Christopher shouting back, "and beyond!"

As the night wore on the responses got quieter until they ceased. Walter decided his son must be gone.

After sunrise, Walter was found by fishermen. His son, who seemed to think the whole ordeal was a great adventure, was found shortly after.

Video Link

[Link to full map] Thank you: strangemaps.wordpress.com. I love language and culture - this topic (what people call soft drinks) has come up in my conversations several times.

This young person had lots of chores, grew up without his/her natural parents, and had two evil siblings. Who was it? Post your comments and we'll follow up with the answer in a week. In the mean time remember this:

It was Samuel.  Congratulations to Cady, you knew exactly where I was going with that.  I'm guessing that his story was the inspiration for Cinderella.  Have you ever felt like you were toiling away in the shadows while someone less worthy got all the attention and benefits?  Don't wory.  God sees what no one else does. 

Eli's sons were crooked hopless philanderers; they milked their position as sons a Nation's leader for all they could while Samuel slaved away.  Who would replace Eli as the nations next leader?  Apparently Eli didn't even think of Samuel, but God did, and God put him in place.

 Illustration by Claire Bear Inman, age 9

 

Remember the excitement you felt anticipating holidays as a kid? I still feel that way about Thanksgiving. It has everything going for it:

• The joy of taking time for family and food inside when it's cold outside
• The excitement of seasons changing and colors shifting.
• A memory of a hopeful moment in America's history when, with God's help we overcame disaster

I'm going to comment on that last one. The Pilgrims, mostly religious separatists who had escaped to Holland to avoid religious persecution in England arrived on American Shores in 1620. Their first winter in the New World was so tough that nearly half of the original 102 voyagers had perished before it was over. Adversity must have taught them something, because that spring these civilized English ex-pats befriended their Native American neighbors, not as teachers, but as students. They were taught how to plant, hunt and dress, and by the time fall arrived, there was a bountiful harvest. The governor ordered a week of celebration with their native hosts.

An account from Edward Winslow, who'd written back to friends in England:

" Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a special manner rejoice together after we had gathered the fruits of our labor. They four in one day killed as much fowl as, with a little help beside, served the company almost a week. At which time, amongst other recreations, we exercised our arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and among the rest their greatest king Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five deer, which we brought to the plantation and bestowed on our governor, and upon the captain and others. And although it be not always so plentiful as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want that we often wish you partakers of our plenty."

There you have it: Thankfulness to God expressed through a cross-cultural feast. Now that's a holy holiday!

Images courtesy : www.fractalyze.blogspot.com

There was a good old joke in Bible College with the punch line:
If the King James[translation of the Bible]was good enough for St. Paul, then it is good enough for me.
Of course neither Jesus nor Paul were speaking or writing in the king's English.
When God speaks to us, He speaks our language, but, what language was it when he declared, "Let there be light!"?
I suggest it was... Math!  Well, I'm sure that's an over-simplification, but in a very limited way, as we discover mathematical patterns in nature, we uncover design practices.
Mathematicians have uncovered fractals in nature: ferns, seashells, cracks in the mud. My thinking goes something like this:
patterns -> order & beauty -> informed design -> Benevolent Creator
While I respectfully acknowledge that some interpret these patterns as 'nature finding it's way', believers like me see patterns of design; fingerprints.
From Romans:


UPDATE Dec 22,2008:  Hey, someone else thinks God likes fractals!  Today I was reading William P. Young's, 'The Shack.'  In the book, the Holy Spirit guides Mack, the lead character into a garden (a metaphor for his soul).  He notices that the garden is beautiful is messy.  The Holy Spirit tells him that from above you can see fractals.

This falls under the category of WHAT IS THIS WORLD COMING TO?
This morning I was enjoying some online Sesame Street with my one-year-old, Jane.  Cookie monster was promoting the Number One, and Spanish, and Strawberries.  Here is an actual quote:
Una Fresa! UM NUM NUM NUM NUM NUM NUM!
I'm all for Spanish, but my childhood friend, Cookie moster promoting healthy eating - betraying his True Self - that's not something I wanted to witness.

Some Brittish and Irish people seem to have a knack for subtle irony.  The humor is like a slow burn - it catches up with you.  The BBC did a sweet writeup of a story of two small children who got up early one recent morning and snuck away to get married.  From the article: 
The young couple were "very much in love" and had decided to get married in Africa "where it is warm", police spokesman Holger Jureczko told the AFP news agency
"They can still put their plan into action at a later date," AFP quoted the spokesman as saying.
Full Article Here
 
In other news, my cousin Sue Foth, alias Tired Supergirl,  has been published.

On our way to visit schools, my friends in the Extreme Team and I got into some great discussions. A recurring discussion was about crows. The general consensus was that they are dirty or creepy. Personally, I’ve always liked crows, like dogs. They are like small flying dogs to me. They’re some of the smartest animals because they use tools to accomplish a task - a skill formerly believed to be exclusive to humans. In the video above, crows actually use humans to accomplish a task. Enjoy.

Well, not too guilty. I hope Paddy sees this.

To Dream from Sam Inman on Vimeo. My brother made this.

I got to do something today that I've wanted to do for a long time. Lauri's mom took Madeline, Max, and myself out on a whale watching tour in the Monterey Bay.

We found out that on this stint of their journey, the whales don't eat. In fact, they won't eat for six months! Swimming is easier below the surface, so they only come up when they need air, which is about once every 2 - 8 minutes. They travel at 2 - 4 mph, so, after they dive, the boat just keeps slowly trolling forward, hoping to catch them when they come up on the next stint.

This whale was pretty far off. To the naked eye this tail was about the size of a breadcrumb.

Tim and Lauri both grew up on the West Coast of America and met at University. After years of working as a Children's Pastor in the San Francisco Bay Area, Tim moved his family to Northern Ireland to serve children there.

Tim teamed up with the Extreme Team and Cornersone City Fellowship, in Northern Ireland, where he got to speak in Primary Schools and participate in community-wide outreaches during the summer. Tim's most recent project has been the creation of KidBuilder.Net, an interactive website for children.

Currently the Inmans are back in the US reconnecting with family, friends, and supporting Churches. Tim is working towards creating a kids' show for television when they return to Ireland in the Fall.

These last few days of March, hundreds of Painted Lady Butterflies have been flying overhead, just in front of our house. They are on migration, and I remember the story of Monarch Butterflies, which take residence here here in Fremont. The first leg of their round-trip journey takes a whole lifetime. The return trip takes three lifetimes. In other words, butterflies are born along the journey without really knowing where they're from or where they're headed, but they journey on anyway.

Abraham's father, Terah was migrating from Ur to Canaan, but settled along the way in Haran, then (from Genesis 11, NLT):

The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”

"Go to the place I will show you?" Now that takes trust. Still Abraham headed out without a explicit destination, trusting God to reveal it along the way.

Some say, "If you don't know where you're headed you'll never get there." Well, maybe, unless you're trusting God to reveal it along the way.

Sister Peig Cunningham taught her North Dublin school children Bible stories and then recorded them retelling the stories. The recordings were discovered in storage by a priest long after the school had been closed. EMI released the recordings, some of which were made into award-winning animations like this one, by Brown Bag Films.

If you listen to multiple recordings, you start to pick up common expressions in the stories, evidence of Sister Cunningham's ability to put 'North Dublin' flesh on (to incarnate) these Gospel stories. Beautiful.

I can't stop laughing about this! “ACHOO! My bad brotha!? Allergies”

Maggie Joy Inman
Born July 7, 2009
20 inches
9 Lbs. 4 oz.

This movie looks pretty fun! Big on talent and small on computer generated effects that can make a lot of kids movies amazing and blah at the same time. I need to see this, especially after seeing Ice Age 3D.

From kidbuilder_resources

I've made some improvements to the word game on www.KidBuilder.net. I've re-factored the code so that it plays runs a little smoother and I've gotten rid of annoying pop-ups after each key entry. I've also added some sounds - a chime for a correct answer and a buzzer for a wrong answer. Look for more changes coming soon.

If you like, come see Jesse and I demo our app: tonight, 5:30 PM at the Googleplex.

One of the really great things I've been able to get involved with this year in America has been starting a kids' club in a local Elementary School. Volunteers from two churches came together to make it work, and let me say, these people are Stars.

My sister-in-law, Kristen will be helping to take the club forward next year and things are off to a really good start. We knew we needed some more volunteers - someone had the idea of making a video and someone else said we should use the song I'd been teaching the kids. The two ideas were married in the video, and I think it's pretty fun. 'Hats off to my brother Sam who took hours out of his schedule to meticulously piece it together. If you click through to Vimeo, you can probably find the other version, which is a straight music video.

Compassion Bridges, here in the SF Bay Area helped us get started with the club. If you want to get a club started in your area, why not look them up: www.CompassionBridges.com.

A couple months back, I got to sit down with Debbie Fraser for an interview on "People Like You" which will air this week on the San Francisco Bay Area television station KTLN.

Schedule
Thursday 7/23	8:30 PM
Friday 7/24	3:00 PM
Saturday 7/25	11:00 AM
Sunday 7/26	4:00 PM

Last weekend I got to take a little break and do something really fun with my brother Jesse; we attended the GTUG Camp out at Google Headquarters. The basic idea was that people would pitch an idea for a web or mobile application, teams would form, and applications would be developed over the course of the weekend, which would culminate with presentations of finished projects. I was excited looking forward to the event, and it didn't disappoint. Here are some highlights:

1. We met lots of cool people.
2. We were wowed by Google's facilities and hospitality.
3. We were sketched by David Newman.
4. We were written up in the San Jose Mercury News.
5. And... we developed a word game: Mumbo-Jumbo

From kidbuilder_resources

www.KidBuilder.net

OK Christians... This is your job.

Since I like reading and love learning, why don't I enjoy reading more ministry manuals? Whenever I open one I tend go into full-throttle analytic-assault mode and start challenging the author's claims. When someone suggests that their strategy or method is the key to success, I'm dubious. I have a strongly held core-belief that ministry is about building loving relationships. I worry that the method and strategy books oversimplify things and risk advocating ministry that is less than authentic and less than loving.

Recently, I was invited to read and review “Shift”, by Brian Haynes. I didn't know how I'd like it, but I was at least a little bit excited to hear the experiences of a fellow children's minister.

In his new book, Brian Haynes encourages ministry leaders to 'shift' their current strategy to 'family ministry'. Too many parents look to the church (instead of to themselves) to spiritually nurture their children, and too many ministers pour so much energy into church programs that they neglect the spiritual formation of their own kids (a contention which he backs up with personal experience).

The antidote, according to Brian, is having the courage to adjust our lives according to the Old Testament blueprint for Spiritual development. Specifically: encouraging and empowering parents to be primary spiritual influencers in their children's lives. His plan incorporates planned 'faith talks', and impromptu 'God sightings'. He also uses core-competencies to keep track of progress and seven milestones 'that every person growing in his or her relationship with Christ experiences and celebrates.' Each milestone has church and family components, and the church provides a lot of support to parents in the way of events, seminars, and conferences.

Me: “OK you're starting to win me over with your emphasis on family relationships, but isn't this just another strategy? What if your milestones and celebrations aren't as meaningful in my context?"

Brian: (p. 42) “Cookie cutters are for cookies. What I am about to show you is a strategy designed specifically for Kingsland Baptist Church in suburban Houston, Texas. The principles behind this strategy are universal... You're the expert regarding your church and your ministry.”

Me: “I get it. I should get ideas from your plan and let this overarching philosophy guide me as I develop a plan for the people in my life.”

I admit it, this book disarmed the critical-thinking ninja in me just long enough to get through to my heart. Hey, I think I just enjoyed reading a ministry book!

A while back I moved my blog to blog.inmans.org, and created a profile page on inmans.org. When I did that, it, of course, messed up the link for those (my guess is two or three people) who were subscribing to my rss feed.

I have now fixed that problem, so who knows? Maybe you're one of those subscribers who haven't been getting my posts but now maybe you're flooded. I can't really predict the havoc this is having on the Internet. If you are subscribing, I'd love to hear from you, maybe leave a little comment on this post. Cheers!

There once lived in the city of Marseilles an old shoemaker, loved and honored by his neighbors, who affectionately called him “Father Martin”

One Christmas Eve, as he sat alone in his little shop reading of the visit of the Wise Men to the infant Jesus, and of the gifts they brought, he said to himself. “If tomorrow were the first Christmas, and if Jesus were to be born in Marseilles this night, I know what I would give Him!” He rose from his stool and took from a shelf overhead two tiny shoes of softest snow- white leather, with bright silver buckles. “I would give Him those, my finest work.”

Replacing the shoes, he blew out the candle and retired to rest. Hardly had he closed his eyes, it seemed, when he heard a voice call his name…”Martin! Martin!”

Intuitively he felt a presence. Then the voice spoke again…”Martin, you have wished to see Me. Tomorrow I shall pass by your window. If you see Me, and bid Me enter, I shall be your guest at your table.”

Father Martin did not sleep that night for joy. And before it was yet dawn he rose and swept and tidied up his little shop. He spread fresh sand upon the floor, and wreathed green boughs of fir along the rafters. On the spotless linen-covered table he placed a loaf of white bread, a jar of honey, and a pitcher of milk, and over the fire he hung a pot of tea Then he took up his patient vigil at the window.

Presently he saw an old street-sweeper pass by, blowing upon his thin, gnarled hands to warm them. “Poor fellow, he must be half frozen,” thought Martin. Opening the door he called out to him, “Come in, my friend, and warm, and drink a cup of hot tea.” And the man gratefully accepted the invitation.

An hour passed, and Martin saw a young, miserably clothed women carrying a baby. She paused wearily to rest in the shelter of his doorway. The heart of the old cobbler was touched. Quickly he flung open the door.

“Come in and warm while you rest,” he said to her. “You do not look well,” he remarked.

“I am going to the hospital. I hope they will take me in, and my baby boy,” she explained. “My husband is at sea, and I am ill, without a soul.”

“Poor child!” cried Father Martin. “You must eat something while you are getting warm. No, Then let me give a cup of milk to the little one. Ah! What a bright, pretty fellow he is! Why, you have put no shoes on him!”

“I have no shoes for him,” sighed the mother sadly. “Then he shall have this lovely pair I finished yesterday.” And Father Martin took down from the shelf the soft little snow-white shoes he had admired the evening before. He slipped them on the child’s feet…they fit perfectly. And shortly the poor young mother left, two shoes in her hand and tearful with gratitude.

And Father Martin resumed his post at the window. Hour after hour went by, and although many people passed his window, and many needy souls shared his hospitality, the expected Guest did not appear.

“It was only a dream,” he sighed, with a heavy heart. “I did not believe; but he has not come.”

Suddenly, so it seemed to his weary eyes, the room was flooded with a strange light. And to the cobbler’s astonished vision there appeared before him, one by one, the poor street-sweeper, the sick mother and her child, and all the people whom he had aided during the day. And each smiled at him and said. “Have you not seen me? Did I not sit at your table?” Then they vanished.

At last, out of the silence, Father Martin heard again the gentle voice repeating the old familiar words. “Whosoever shall receive one such in My name, receiveth Me…for I was an hungered, and ye gave Me meat; I was athirst, and ye gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took Me in…verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, ye have done it unto Me.”

Back in the eary, early days of KidBuilder.net I didn't know flash or javascript and I was looking for ways to add interactive content. I came across scratch.mit.edu and created a couple quick projects. Check 'em out! (You'll need to have Java installed.)

Surf Duck

Clicking on the image will take you through to play on the Scratch site.

How Many?