All Cracked Up

Eggs. Nope, I'm not talking about Easter.

In sign language, there is a sign for eggs. At least I presume that my daughter taught me the correct one. With hands together, the movement looks like one is cracking an egg.

Today, she cracked eggs with me. She had already gotten the carton out of the fridge, opened up the drawer to get a mixing bowl and was ready to go for it.

This time I let her.

Carefully, she tap-tap-tapped the egg on the glass bowl, cracked it open and then put the egg shell away. 7 eggs later, she was done...and there was no mess. Together we mixed them, scrambled them, and fed everybody breakfast.

She knew what she needed to do, and did it successfully.

Yeah, I'm probably overprotective, I always step in and take care of it. I guess she knew how to do it by watching me.

And here I'm the one telling pastors to let people with disabilities step forward and serve, and minister, and be part of the church.

I don't think most churches are against people with disabilties, they are just overprotective. Maybe its time we relax, and let people engage in their gifts. Afterall, they've been watching us.

Together, we can all be cracked up.

Am I getting Younger Yet?

This week has been fun. First, there's Easter -- He is risen indeed. Second, there was no school, yeah! Third, So Cal District Council happened in Anaheim with Mark Batterson and Reggie McNeil. Fourth -- Got the Knotts Berry Annual Pass, and Finally, volunteered to take the youth on a video scavenger hunt.

you see my goal this year has been to get younger... I got a facebook, a my space, and I'm hanging out at youth group.

What does this have to do with disabilities?...I'll get to it.

Our first mistake was to only have a couple video cameras, so it ended up being 20 boys vs 20 girls. The guys all headed into a parking lot to start. Within 30 seconds the LA County Sheriff's were asking what we were doing. (Note to self: Best not to do something in a gang shooting hotspot)

I'm 15-20 years older than anyone else and it's not even my event. My mind flashes a number of scenarios. The youth pastor stated what church we were with and what we were doing. The deputy asked if we knew another deputy... and we did. He sang "bad boys" with us, flipped on his siren and we got it on tape.

But here's my point. We made a deliberate move to integrate the church, welcome youth, welcome people with disabilities, and welcome the neighborhood. We became incarnational and missional, and made our school the same way.

Last year, my school chapels included speakers from 3 major disability organizations. We put together a Habitat for Humanity event in conjunction with the sheriff's. The local Five-Oh, knows that we are the place to send people for help.

This next generation is key for the disability community. The generation of noblesse oblige is gone. The ones that took to heart the messages of JFK and Dr. King are retiring. And the bulk of them don't know what to do with today's young kids.

Yet this is the generation which wants to see real religion, do it, feel it, be it, not only believe in it and be empowered by the Spirit. That's why the CIT program of Special Touch is critical. Because the call of Christian Compassion and the power of the Spirit, when combined are unbeatable.

Oh yeah... the girls did even better than we did and won.