This past Sunday Daybreak met at the Holiday Inn “Holidome” because our normal location was used for a fun raiser by the owners of the Delaplaine. We decided to only have one service, and to have all the children (except nursery and pre-school) join us in the service. As we were setting up, an older woman (who we didn’t know) came and started carrying stuff inside our room. We stopped her and asked if she was looking for another church (I didn’t have the heart to let her carry all our stuff in, and then stop her.) She named the church, and we pointed her in the right direction. That Sunday, there were three different churches all meeting at the same location. There were several other snafus similar to this, but you get the idea.

Among our people there were various responses to this fact. Some were excited that three churches were there; perhaps wanting to see the confusion as various people stumbling into the wrong locations. Some were nervous that somehow, there would be some kind of conflict. Others were just excited about meeting in another location. But why is it that we sometimes see other churches as competition, rather than fellow soldiers who are in the same army, who fight the same enemy, and worship the same God?

There was a church who is beginning a new church in our area, and they were meeting there. They had a fleet of various trailers and huge display signs. Instead of thinking they are competition, perhaps we could learn from them, and them from us. I plan to contact their pastor and sit down over lunch to see how we can work together.

If you are wondering about the other church (there were three, right?) – they never showed. We find ourselves in the middle many churches in our area. Some are thriving and exploding, others are dying – I want Daybreak to be apart of bringing churches together for the purpose of working together to reach people for Christ. The sooner we stop seeing each other as competition the better.

Last Monday my father and I visited Harper’s Ferry, WV. It is about ten minutes from my house and I had never been. What made the day memorable (other than having some much needed “dad-time”) was what you get for six dollars. If you have never been, you pay at toll booth style gate, park your car, check out the welcome center – which was manned by at least two people. You are then given a map and encouraged to get on a bus (which was air conditioned and clean) and driven about two miles to the town. There at Harper’s Ferry is a whole town of displays complete with tour guides taking various school groups around through the town. We were even told we could “audit” the group if we wanted. Plaques and things to read are on every entrance, bench, and pathway.

Let me get to the point. I have a job where I am constantly thinking about cost (I know for example how much the four color folding map we were given would cost). Someone has to pay for the person at the gate to take my money, the campus itself, the bus, gas, upkeep, landscaping, personnel, on and on – and we get all this for six dollars!

Who’s paying for all this? Our elected officials feel that the story of Harper’s Ferry is important enough to spend what has to be hundreds of thousands of dollars to let people know the story.

There is a saying that goes something like, “if we do not know our history, we are condemned to repeat it.” I know it’s not the exact quote – but think about a modified version of the quote, “if we know our history, we can build upon it.” We become a better nation when we and our children know what has happened. John Brown is a hero to some, and a hated person of antiquity for others. But he and his story allow our society to move forward, having learned from him. A society moving forward is worth me paying the six bucks.

Knowing your history helps you to build upon the future, whether it be unmentionable or heroic. Just keep moving forward.

Monday evening was our first parent/teacher conference since our move to Brunswick. The school system sent an info sheet home which included some suggested questions and behavior that would make the meeting go smoothly. I found it humorous that they suggested that you compliment the teacher in some way in order to establish rapport.

I think I know where the origins of this piece of paper came from. Some where in the school’s past there had been a string of bad parent/teacher conferences and the basis of the problem was parents coming to the meeting unprepared, upset, uninformed, hurt feelings, etc… and things did not go well. So an administrator somewhere said, “why don’t we put together a list of suggested questions, comments, and how to “talk” with a teacher about their children.”

I just find it a shame that our society needs someone to tell us how to talk to each other. Whatever happened to courtesy, common respect for each other, or even just love for our neighbor?

Kimberly and I left the meeting encouraged, a list of things to work on with our boys, and a renewed high respect for professional educators.

Yes, we did use the sheet of paper, and we did ask some of their questions – it was helpful.

Caleb and Joshua go to Brunswick Elementary School and have recently been learning about safety issues (police, fire, 911 etc.). Since their grandfather was visiting we thought it would be a great idea if he would come in and give a “safety” presentation. He is the sheriff of Russell County, Alabama and has over 30 years of law enforcement experience. Pop Pop gave an age appropriate talk on safety, and gave out some pencils, rub on tattoos, and plastic sheriff’s stars. Then we all went to lunch in the lunchroom and enjoyed some pizza, pretzels, and some kind of chopped fruit (I couldn’t make out what it was).

By the way, those seats that are built into the table are made much smaller today than they were when I was in Elementary school. All the students were amazingly well behaved and well mannered.

Thank you Nana and Pop Pop for making today a special day in the life of my children.

Daybreak was at the Frederick County In the Street celebration this past Saturday. In the past we spent a ton of money four color slick brochures, did a craft that got the children to come over to the table, and from there we would push the church. This year we decided to just share the gospel through a necklace with various colored beads that circled a small wooden cross. We decided to scrap trying to get people to come to us, we have decided to just focus on going and serving them.

The highlight of the day was to see our young children precisely and effectively sharing the gospel to other children. Sometimes you begin to wonder “are we making a difference?” and God gives you something like this past Saturday. I was very precious be apart of this wonderful event.