It's December 4th.  Exactly three weeks until Christmas.  Is your Christmas shopping list complete? Is your house decorated?  Is your calendar full?  No. No. Yes.  Those are my answers. 

Christmas will be here soon but I do not want to miss this season called Advent.  The first week of Advent has had an emphasis on 'Being Ready' for the (Second) Advent of Christ.  This means living the life of servanthood that Christ has called us too. I have looked around this week for opportunities to serve those around me.  This doesn't mean just throwing money at someone and calling it a day.  I have looked at those people around me that I have come into contact with.  A smile here, an extra hug there.  I have even told someone a joke to initiate a conversation.  Advent is a journey that I want to participate in.   

My to-do list will be there tomorrow. The house lights will get put up eventually. The calendar events will arrive soon enough.  But today I want to focus on serving someone.  Will you join me?  Give an extra hug today.  Buy someone's gas today. Simply love on someone as Christ today. Don't miss the journey. 

We have gone through three days of exciting Sky VBS! Check out some of our pics below!  Hope to see you for the last two nights of Sky VBS. 

The bees have been busy, at LHNAZ, imaging, creating and building the SKY VBS set! Check it out below! Next week when you walk in, you will be walking on clouds.  Sign-up all the kids you know! It starts Monday, June 11, 6:30pm.  See you in the Sky. 

For the past six months PD (Pastor Dave) has been preaching on the 10 Commandments.  Now is as good a time as any to preach these Commandments. This world is crazy. He made it to the Fifth commandment this week,  Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you- Exodus 20:12.  This is the first time that we see a move from commandments about our relationship with God to our relationship with other people.  

This commandment may sound like it is geared more towards children but this commandment is also a call to parents to be, well, parents.  As a parent if we live the first four, God-relationship commandments, then all the other commandments will follow.  For example, if I am following the commandments then I wouldn't disrespect my mama, by murdering my neighbor, because I stole his wife and commit adultery after I lied to her and told her I just wanted her because I coveted her house. That is obviously not a true story, but it conveys the point.  We as parents must be the example. If a child sees their parents crying out to God on a consistent base then they will come to know the name of Jesus.  There is power in the Name of Jesus.

As a parent, we also carry a huge responsibility with our words. We are the first authority in our child's life. Your words carry weight. Words of Love, Words of Affirmation and even Words of Discipline.  As a child grows they will honor and respect a parent who shows a love for God and speaks words of Discipline into their lives.  Sometimes you have to look at your house and ask "Who is running this household?" I only have an 18-month-old but I have already entered into the minefield that is child discipline. No matter how hard discipline is vital to raising a child. We discipline because we love our children and through that discipline they will Honor their Mother and Father (you). 

Do you have any humorous child discipline stories?  Make sure to leave it in the comments below. 

This past weekend we (the youth) took at trip to Southern Nazarene University for the annual Regional Extravaganza. We had teens participate in a variety of events including, quizzing, basketball, flag football and even dodgeball.  We had the opportunity to worship with the band, Bailey, and see performances by OneTimeBlind.  If you have never seen OneTimeBlind, check them out here.  

We also had some fun outings that included riding in a fire truck at Warr Acres Fire Station, drinking the world's best Dr. Pepper at Tim's Drive-in and seeing over 500 types of assorted Sodas at Pop's at Lake Arcadia.  

We all got to know each other a little more on this trip, maybe a little too well.  It was confirmed that boys do truly stink, smell, reek, or any other synonym of smell. Check out some pics from the trip below. 

Dear LHNAZers or Living Hopians,

We want to provide you with a way to keep up with the happenings of Living Hope in an interactive format.  This blog will be dedicated to upcoming events, pictures, pastoral wisdom and other interesting tidbits. 

For instance, make sure you check out the VBS form to get your kids registered and send the link to all your friends. 

Can you tell me who this is?

We as a staff really do want to see you involved in some sort of ministry here at Living Hope.  I (Brock) preached on the importance and responsibility of using our God-given spiritual gifts.  Not sure what those are? Ask me.  I have an assessment (a nice word for test, but this one you cannot fail) that can help you determine your top spiritual gifts.  These giftings aren't meant to be used to impact God's Kingdom.  That can only be done through a commitment to serving from everyone in the Living Hope Community. Pray with us on how God can continue or begin to use you in Living Hope and our surrounding community.

I cannot forget the last interesting tidbit.  As an Okie, I am rather fond of a team named the Thunder and so far this postseason they have run through the Dallas Mavericks and are well on their way through the LA Lakers.  All I can say is watch and enjoy.  Oh and Thunder UP! 

Did you see how I did that?  All types in one post! I managed to get upcoming events, pictures, pastoral wisdom and interesting tidbits.  They will not all look like this but they will be some combination of the four. Let us know how this could best serve you in the comments below.  

Brock Greenhill