What do #2 pencils, Elmer’s Glue, Crayola Crayons, and Construction Paper bring to mind? Well, besides the obvious answer of “Tools that MacGyver would use to build a car with;” most would say school supplies. With a first grader in our home, we have certainly been reacquainted with the whole “back to school” scene. You remember it don’t you? If it’s been a while for you, maybe this will help. New blue jeans that are so dark they don’t even look blue, so you make your Mom wash them a few hundred times to give them that faded look; or if you were privileged enough to grow up in the eighties, you got some new “stone-washed” jeans or if you were really stylin’ you went for the “acid” washed variety. New “school” shoes that unexplainably empowered you to run like Carl Lewis and we can’t leave out the most classic school supply of them all: a new “Trapper-Keeper” notebook. All right, fess up; I know some of you had one. Man, I wish they made an executive model; I would use one today, all those pockets and secret compartments! In reviewing my son’s school supply list, check that, after having Wendy read me the list, I couldn’t help but notice something. The compiler of the list, his teacher, was very specific on what type of supplies he would need. I figured any old kind of crayons would be fine, let’s just buy the cheapest ones, after all, what difference does it make? According to the list, all the difference in the world. Evidently, Crayola Crayons have certain colors that they will need for certain projects throughout the school year. I know what you’re thinking, “Sienna isn’t even a real color.” I agree, the list didn’t.
You and I do the same thing when we are given a list of supplies we will need for our spiritual lives. In the book of Ephesians, the apostle Paul gives us a list of supplies that we will need to succeed in the Christian life. Ephesians 6:13 “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground.” You notice he didn’t say “if” the day of evil comes, he said “when.” Just like Tanner’s teacher, Paul knows what’s needed. Here is where we get into trouble in our Christian walk; we tend to put question marks where God has put a period. Just like me questioning the need for Crayola Crayons, we read Paul’s list and say, “Yeah, I know he said put on the ‘full armor,” of God, but c’mon; I’m OK with the ‘helmet of salvation’ part, but the ‘sword of the Spirit?’ I’m a lover, not a fighter.” God is in the equipping business. He does not send us with a knife to a gun fight. He tells us in advance the supplies we will need to get an “A” in his class. How does he know this? He wrote the curriculum.

$500 million for Grand Theft Auto. Half a Billion for stealing a car? No, that is not what someone was fined for committing a crime; that my friends, is the amount of money the video game, Grand Theft Auto, made the first weekend it hit the shelves. Tragic. I miss the days when we had toy controversy’s like…was the “magic 8 ball” really magical? I have to admit it was a little disconcerting when I asked the 8 ball what I should strive for in life and the answer it gave me was, “keep striving for mediocrity.” While we are talking toys, I have a question: Why did girls get all the good stuff? They got Easy Bake Ovens that actually worked….we got Tonka Trucks whose axels rusted after one rain and went from being a dirt hauler to a garden hoe. Remember trying to get those things to roll? They dug up half the yard!! At least the edges weren’t sharp….yeah right! Did the Tonka Company intentionally set out to injure an entire generation of boys? If you grew up in the 70’s or 80’s, I can guarantee you that somewhere on your body is a scar with Tonka written all over it.

Recently my kids got a new toy called, Dinosaur Eggs. Have you seen these things? You put the eggs in a glass of water and over a couple of days they hatch and start to grow. Remember Sea Monkeys? They are kind of like that. Over the next few days of watching the Dinos, we discovered something: the Dinosaur will only grow as big as the environment it is placed in. The smaller the glass, the smaller the Dino…the bigger the glass, the bigger the Dino. So, logic has it that if you want a big Dinosaur, then place it in a big environment. The same is true of us. How big is your environment? I have to admit that often I want to stay in a small glass. It is so comfortable in there. I know what’s going to happen, how it’s going to happen and what I will do once it happens. It’s called a comfort zone. I have a good question for you: When was the last time you did something for the first time? While you are thinking about your answer, I will tell you mine.

This past Saturday morning I did something I have never done before… I played with Barbies. Now before you make me turn in my “Man Card” let me explain. My 9 year old, Cameron was up in her room and I decided to check in on what she was doing. I quickly figured out that Malibu Barbie was having some type of get together and everyone in Barbieland was there. I surveyed the party and realized the only one there that resembled GI Joe was a guy named Ken. Evidently he and Barbie are a couple and live a pretty lavish lifestyle. I was amazed at the wardrobe options and various modes of transportation they had….I started to ask Ken who he had his mortgage with but figured that might be a sore subject. Among all the dolls in her room, sat a group that weren’t involved in any of the action. I asked Cameron why they just sat on the shelf and she responded that “they were porcelain dolls and weren’t good for anything other than looking pretty.” She went on to say that the reason Barbies are more fun to play with is because “they are flexible.” How about you? Are you flexible or stiff like a porcelain doll? If flexibility determines usefulness in the hands of a 9 year old, how much more important is it in the hands of who holds you? Jeremiah 18:6 says “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand.” Have you ever tried to mold hard clay? It doesn’t work real well does it? Get off the shelf and get in the action!

“To be honest…..” Don’t you just hate it when someone starts a statement like that? Does that mean that everything they have said prior to “to be honest,” is not honest? I don’t get it. Why not just say what you’re going to say and leave it at that? When did that disclaimer become popular? Can you imagine your Grandparents saying that? I don’t think so. Evidently truth telling has become so scarce that there is even a new TV show called “The moment of Truth.” The contestant can win up to $500,000 not for solving puzzles or picking briefcases….but for simply telling the truth. See what we get for taking down the 10 commandments?!? Pretty sure #9 is clear on that!

On the same network that is rewarding people for telling the truth is another show that exposes people who have never faced that same truth: American Idol. I will admit it….I love that show. Every week another fresh batch of deceived divas and confused crooners are paraded on stage to face the harsh reality that….they stink! No doubt some of the contestants are there for their 15 minutes of fame, but many of them actually think they can sing. Who told them they can sing? Good question. The better question is: Why didn’t someone tell them they can’t? Now don’t get me wrong, I am not trying to steal anyone’s dream but c’mon, if the only person telling you you’re good at something is your Mom….you probably aren’t. So why do we avoid the truth? Because it hurts. Don’t believe me? Pull out your driver’s license. Just do it. What does your height and weight say? That’s what I thought. The last time I went to renew my license the person at the counter actually laughed when they looked at my vitals. The only thing true on it was that I had blue eyes! I haven’t weighed what my license says since my Freshman years of college….yes, I said years. How about your alarm clock? I will bet some of you have it set approx 27 minutes ahead. How do I know that you ask? Because that way you can hit the snooze button 3 times at intervals of 9 minutes, hence 27 minutes of extra sleep. Sad, isn’t it? One last truth test: Men, if a gust of wind strikes fear into the depths of your soul, then you are probably sporting a “comb-over.” I am going to help you with two words you need to hear…..you’re bald!

Just last week I was confronted with truth I didn’t want to face. Recently my family joined the YMCA. For years I have been consistently inconsistent with my workouts, but at the Y they offered something my life had been missing for over a decade: Basketball. Back in the day I was known for my jump shot. It was lethal! It still is. Only now it’s lethal for my team, not the opponent. It got so bad that the guy guarding me was actually encouraging me to shoot. I was appalled! The low point came when I had a wide open lay up…to win the game….and my momentum carried me so far under the goal that the ball almost decapitated me as it bounced off the bottom of the rim!! Not good. It gets worse. When it came time to choose teams for the next game it came down to me and another guy to be the last player chosen. I really can’t call him a “guy” because he was approximately 12. Yep, they picked the kid. As I limped back to my car, which I’m sure is nicer than his, (yes, I’m bitter) I had to come to grips with the truth. I am not the teenager who used to rule the court anymore….I am the guy that teenager used to beat. The apostle John said it best: “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”III John vs.4 Truth is not just something we need to tell, it is something we need to live.

Have a great week!
Jason Peacock

November 26, 2007
Happy Thanksgiving! I know…I’m a few days late with that greeting but I had full intentions of getting this out prior to Turkey Day, but two things got in my way. The first was that I suffered from an overdose of Tryptophan….evidently when you eat an entire Turkey you get a chemical reaction…..Butterball should put out a disclaimer!! The second setback was just that…..a “set back.” Due to my “Butterball” belly, I have been unable to reach the keyboard for several days, thus delaying this writing.

For me, the perfect Thanksgiving weekend has three components: Family, Food, and Football. While feasting on Pigskin the past few days, I noticed something. The next time you watch a game, pay close attention to the wide receivers and defensive backs. Often when either a receiver drops a pass or a defensive back gets beat on a play, they suddenly pull up lame. Watch how they hobble back to the huddle….what you are seeing is called a “Loser’s Limp.” The only thing that is hurt is their pride. Had they caught the ball or prevented the other guy from catching it, they would be celebrating their success; instead they want sympathy from their teammates, coaches and fans. What they want to hear is, “Of course you couldn’t make that play…..you can barely walk!” The Loser’s Limp is nothing more than an excuse. We do the same thing every day. Thankfully our lives aren’t broadcast to a viewing audience…..or are they? No one pays a ticket to watch our excuses…..they actually pay a much higher price. In what situations do you pull up lame? At home, at work, at church? Excuses do nothing but reinforce the very behavior you are trying to excuse in the first place. For years I have said that the reason I am carrying a few extra pounds is because my body retains Ice Cream. How is that going to help anything? All that excuse does is one: makes people laugh and B: it somehow gives me a free pass to get elbow deep in a tub of Blue Bell Rocky Road!

One of the best examples in scripture on how God views excuses is found in the Parable of the Talents. In Matthew 25:14-30, Jesus tells the story of a man who gave each of his servants some money to invest. To one of the men he gave 5, to the second he gave 2 and to the third he gave 1. After some time had passed he asked them all a simple question: “How did you do?” The first guy turned 5 into 10. The second guy turned 2 into 4. The third guy? He suddenly pulled a hamstring and began his “Loser’s Limp.” He was worried about losing the 1, and so he did nothing with it. He was quickly shown the door and the boss took the 1 and gave it to the guy who turned 5 into 10. What’s interesting is that the boss was not interested in how the team performed. He asked them individually. That’s huge. Collectively they turned 8 into 15! You would think he would let “Hamstring Harry” slide and keep him on the team as a benchwarmer. Nope. God is not interested in hearing why we “coulda, woulda, and shoulda.” He knows we didn’t pull a hammy and He doesn’t need instant replay to see if we dropped the ball or not. Now here is what’s cool. Have you thought about bringing God out of the owner’s box and onto the field? No, he doesn’t just want to be the Head Coach of your team….He would prefer for you to let him play quarterback!!! Let him….He’s undefeated!!!

Former professional wrestling champion, Chris Benoit, horrified the nation recently with the murder of his wife, son and himself. After the news broke, the internet quickly filled with statistics showing the untimely deaths of over 60 former professional wrestlers. After reading through the names of the deceased, I was saddened not only for the lives lost, but for the tainting of a once regal sport.

Now, you may be one of those who still think that wrestling is fake but for the purist, it will always be “Rasslin’” and it will always be real. Don’t believe me? Comedian Andy Kaufman didn’t believe either, that is until he met the right hand of the “Law”…..The King Jerry Lawler. Yes, it’s sad that I would remember that. As I strolled down memory lane, I realized that much of what I have learned in life has been learned by watching those Titans in Tights, Squires of the Squared Circle, Masters of the Mat, the Heroes of the Headlock. Speaking of Headlocks, had I not been schooled in evasive techniques, you may not be reading this right now. I am one of the few, the proud, escapees of the Benji Fontenot Headlock. Benji, was a fifth grade phenom. His strength was superhuman, his breath was super Skoal. At recess one day I found myself on the receiving end of his signature move…it was go time. With stealth and stamina, I used a combination move that Nature Boy Ric Flair himself would be proud of. See, and you thought there was no educational value to watching Rasslin’.

Something else I learned was that: Rasslers rassle to Win!. In Rasslin there aren’t any “participation” awards given. You either win or lose. Can you imagine the Junkyard Dog congratulating the Iron Sheik on a good effort? C’mon now. For starters Sheik’s handler, Skandar Akbar, didn’t put up with “effort,” it was win at all costs for his protégé’s. To quote Jake the Snake Roberts: “Win if you can, lose if you must, but always… cheat!” Obviously I am not saying we need to heed the advice of Mr. Roberts, but why are we so comfortable with losing? As a society we have grown so soft that we can’t even announce winners anymore. For instance, we have replaced “and the winner is” with “the Oscar goes to.” Even Miss America doesn’t know who she is until she finds out who the “first runner up” is. Losing has become so accepted that if you actually care about winning you are thought of as being overbearing, too serious or intolerant. Go to most youth sports events and there isn’t even a scoreboard! Well, I hate to break it to you, but in life, there is a scoreboard. In every area of our lives we are either winning or losing…period. The bad news is: not looking at the scoreboard doesn’t change the fact that it is there. The worse news is: the clock is running. So the question is: are you winning or losing? Look at every area of your life and be honest with yourself. Are you still dealing with the same problems you dealt with a decade ago? If so, I would say you are losing in that area. Now here is the good news. You don’t have to rassle the problem alone. You have the ultimate tag-team partner just a prayer away. In the legendary “loser leaves town” match between the Shepherd Boy David and the original “Eighth Wonder of the World,” Goliath, David said the following: “You come against me with sword and spear, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty.” 1 Samuel 17:45. My question to you is: will you accept the outstretched hand of your tag team partner? Jesus will come to your rescue…only if you let him.

I have a question for every teacher that is reading this. Why do you insist on punishing students with the sadistic ritual otherwise known as pop quizzes? Do you actually enjoy seeing the panic on your student’s faces? Or is it that you love seeing the smug looks of your teacher’s pets who just can’t wait to display their readiness for your impromptu examinations? That scent you smell right now…. Yeah, it’s called bitterness. I hated pop quizzes. Why you ask? Because I had no time to come down with a sudden case of bubonic plague or any other ailment that would help me postpone the inevitable of showing the world how much I didn’t know on a given subject. I was not what you would call a “model” student. I viewed homework not as being mandatory, but as merely a suggestion. I signed up my freshman year of college (which by the way, were three of the happiest years of my life) for a class called “Music Appreciation” because after all, I did appreciate music. Much to my chagrin the music we “appreciated” was more Van Clyburn than Van Halen. Although it’s been a while since I have donned a mortarboard and tassel, and let me stop right here. If you are over the age of 21 and still have your graduation tassel hanging from your rearview mirror, let me clue you in to something. Based upon my findings, I doubt your institution of higher learning wants your car as a rolling billboard. No offense, but if your car is older than you are, it kind of defeats the purpose….I digress. Even though we may be out of school, life still sends us a pop quiz once in awhile. How did you do on your last one? Me? I failed miserably. Let me set the stage for you. It’s 5pm on a Thursday evening. I and my brood are making our way to the airport for a 7pm flight. Our vehicle, and this is why I can bust on you for taking down the tassel, is a 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan with 160,000 miles (all highway miles…don’t you love when people say that.) Smooth sailing until we get to the best possible place to encounter a hiccup in our chariot’s performance, downtown Atlanta. If you haven’t been through Atlanta in a while let me brief you on the driving conditions. Take 3 million people, 2.8 million of them NASCAR fans and the other 200,000 illegal aliens trying to get out of town, and mix in a healthy dose of road rage, and Voila, there is your Atlanta driving experience. “Big White” as we not so affectionately refer to our van started “talking back” right in the middle of the above described scene, hence, my Pop Quiz. After blaming Wendy for not recommending that we take my car, to which she responded calmly that the reason we had to take Big White was to fit not one, but two sets of golf clubs…ouch, I moved onto preaching a hellfire and brimstone sermon on the incompetence of the American auto worker….my wife is from Michigan…strike two. I searched frantically for the hazards all the while trying to merge onto the exit for the airport…oh; I failed to mention that we were topped out at approx. 40 mph because our transmission was shot. Good times for all involved! As we entered the obstacle course they call the airport, the friendly shuttle bus and taxi drivers would not let me exit to the parking lot. Have you ever seen the movie “European Vacation?” Remember when Clark just couldn’t “get left?” As we circled the airport for the fifth time I finally blew my stack. Strike 3, well, actually strikes 3-30, came when I began to reign down blows onto the horn to show my disgust. I started with a right cross and went into a flurry of jabs. What happened next could only be described as legendary. After a fierce “haymaker” the horn got stuck. Yeah, that’s right. With the hazards blinking, engine smoking, transmission stinking, and horn blowing, we finally entered the parking lot. The only thing shaking more than my fist, were my kids. They had just witnessed Dear Old Dad go “postal.” My son Tanner summed it up best by stating: “Mom…Dad sure doesn’t handle pressure very well, does he?” Pop Quizzes once again got the best of me. We need to heed the words of James 1:2 “Consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” If you haven’t had a pop quiz in a while, get ready. You may want to dust off your text book!

“Tonight’s game ball goes to……” You could hear a pin drop. It’s not often that 9 and 10 year old boys will sit still for anything, but for the coveted “game ball” ceremony, they sat motionless, waiting for the next words out of the coach’s mouth. The boys weren’t the only ones on pins and needles. I mentally went through the game that had just transpired: “Ok, Tanner went 3 for 3 with 4 runs batted in and played some great D; that has to put him in the running…..Oh, and he scored twice. Surely that got the coach’s attention?!?” The coach paused for dramatic effect and then spoke two of the most beautiful words in the world…..”Tanner Peacock!” You would have thought he had just won the most important award in the world….well, he did. It was the most important award in the world……his world. All season long he had hoped to hear his name called, and every time it wasn’t I would walk him back to the car, arm around him, encouraging him to keep working hard and his day would come. I have to admit, that elusive game ball became the most important award in my world as well. I heard a piece of advice years ago that has served me well in parenting: make what is important to them as important to you as that person is to you. Read that again; it’s kind of deep to get at first glance. I’m not saying that you become a “stage Mom” or that you live vicariously through your kids, but get involved! I am amazed at the amount of kids that have to play their games, perform their recitals or sing their concerts in front of other kids’ parents. Where is their mom and dad? Work, play, civic duties? If you are one of those, I have a word for you: Get a different job! Work and money will come again, childhood doesn’t!

Have you ever noticed how quick we are to console someone else who is in a tough spot and tell him that, “it’s building character,” or “look at it as a growing experience”? Why is it that we can’t take our own advice? The same reason that it’s just “minor surgery” when it’s on you but “major surgery” when it’s on me! If you’re like me, you spend the majority of your prayer time asking God to change your circumstances, and if you build a little character in the process then that’s just gravy. Have you ever considered that God may be just fine with your circumstances? In fact, he could have put them there for your benefit. God knows that growth is not an automatic process. We don’t just wake up one day a mature Christian. It is by going through and growing through the very circumstances that we are asking him to take away. Quick question: How many years do you want your child to spend in the first grade? Approximately? About………One! You see, that’s why we make the desks so small, so your child won’t fit at age 23. Remember what Brother James said: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2-4

I know that when I am in the midst of a storm, I pray for God to stop the wind and the waves. Could it be that God actually sent the storm for my benefit? Think back to a biblical story many of us are familiar with. Jesus had just finished feeding the five thousand and wanted a little time to himself, rightfully so. You try feeding five thousand! So he put his disciples on a boat and sent them on ahead to the next village, directly into the path of a storm. After the disciples had battled the elements for hours, the Lord made his entrance. He walked to them…on water. After making sure it was in fact Jesus, (and who else could it have been?) Peter jumped out of the boat to join him. Have you ever thought about this? Jesus could have done the water walking test at any time. After all, Peter was a fisherman, and they spent a lot of time on the water. Why did he choose to do it during a storm? Why not choose a sunny day, when the sea was as smooth as glass? Because he knew that when the water is still and the sun is shining, anyone can keep his eyes on him; the true test is when the waves are crashing around us. The next storm you face, what will you focus on? The crashing waves or the coming King? The choice is yours.

A couple of weeks ago our church had “commitment” Sunday. We are beginning a new building campaign and on “commitment” Sunday families from all “walks of life,” walked forward with pledge cards indicating the financial commitments they are making toward the campaign. It was a very moving experience. To watch an elderly woman in a wheelchair go forward with her pledge and place it at the altar is certainly humbling and convicting. To think that she may not even be alive when the final bricks are put in place truly shows sacrificial giving. Another thing about the service stood out to me. The first family to go forward was our “first family.” Our senior pastor and his family brought their pledge forward, and in that moment he went from being the spokesperson for the project to a committed participant in it. I have heard it said that “the best leaders are what they want their organizations to become.” Too often is the case where a leader stands before us and exhorts us to live a certain way, work a certain way, be committed to a cause that they themselves aren’t even committed to. It’s the old “ham and eggs” question. The next time you sit down to eat ham and eggs, think about the chicken and the pig. The chicken was involved, the pig was committed! What are you committed to? Who are you committed to? Are we simply involved or do we have “skin in the game.” You may sit there and say, “But no one is following my example, why do I have to be committed to anything?” If any of the following apply to you, then your example does count. Are you married, a parent, an employer, an employee, breathing, alive? If any of those characteristics are true of you, then it does matter what your example is. People are watching! They are watching to see if your words match your walk. For instance, you constantly tell your kids to always tell the truth, no matter what. The phone rings, your child answers it, it’s a tele-marketer from the local Lion’s club selling light bulbs that will last for the next 100 years. What do you do? Let’s see if this is close; you tell your child the following “Tell them I am not here.” To which your child relays to the caller, “my Dad said to tell you he is not here.” Here is something to consider, when you teach your children to lie for you, you have just taught them to lie to you!

Here is a quick test; when you commit to something do you instantly look for the “out” clause? Are you like a former co-worker of mine who told me “I am with you through thick and thin. When it gets thick, I’m thinnin’ out!” The only thing easy about commitments is breaking them. Why not seek help from someone who has always kept his commitments? God’s word says the following: II Chronicles 16:9 “The eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” God isn’t looking for the “cool” or the “cash-cows,” he wants the committed.

So, the question is: will you commit to him, or are you just too chicken?