Jon Acuff's Blog, page 165

How do you build an awesome shoebox?

We're doing a fun, quick project with Samaritan's Purse. The person who creates the most fantastical shoebox and donates it to Operation Christmas Child will win a big box of awesome. Publishers like Waterbrook Multnomah and tons of musicians and t-shirt companies and many others are jam packing this thing with great prizes. (If you want to get your item in the box and get some love on SCL, email me.)

But how do you build a shoebox? You can find great info here, or watch the quick video below. Please note, when the video talks about wrapping the box, that's where you can get crazily creative to win the giveaway or you can focus on awesome items in the box. The video is also from Australia and has the wrong date in it. You can email a photo of your entry by November 17 to OCCcontests@samaritan.org. And then drop it off at one of these easy locations.

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The Big Box Giveaway!

Last year, readers of Stuff Christians Like raised $60,000 to build two kindergartens with Samaritan's Purse. It was amazing experience and reminded me why our family has supported that organization for years.

This Christmas we're going to do something different.

We're going to do the Stuff Christians Like Big Box Giveaway. (Or SCLBBG)

What's that?

Simple, we're going to hold a contest to see who can come up with the most creative, awesomest, fantastical shoebox with Samaritan's purse. Operation Christmas Child collects shoeboxes full of stuff to give away to kids all over the world every Christmas. They've given away 77 million shoeboxes since 1993. But I told Franklin Graham that Stuff Christians Like readers would create the most creative shoeboxes they've ever seen. (I didn't tell Franklin that personally, I was just being dramatic. But I would tell it to him if we ever played racquetball or ate a pizza together. I would.)

The shoeboxes are distributed to over 100 countries to victims of poverty, war, disease and natural disaster.

To participate, take an empty shoe box and fill it with toys, hygiene items, school supplies, candy and items that are gender and age specific according to the category you select on the packing label. For more info check out this list. (Samaritan's Purse includes a Gospel story booklet with each box. Most shoe box recipients will have an opportunity to enroll in a 12-lesson discipleship course through the local church called The Greatest Journey)

When you've filled and designed and bedazzled the ultimate box, email a photo of it: OCCcontests@samaritan.org

Let's accept entries until November 17 so that you have time to actually drop it off and send it out. My family will also be participating so maybe if you're in Nashville we could all go drop them off together and grab coffee.

The best box is going to win a huge box of awesome stuff from me. CDs, autographed books, clothes etc. (If you've got a book or CD or anything else awesome you want to throw in the box, email me.)

I think it's going to be fun and I'm excited about partnering with Samaritan's Purse again.

For more info or to find a drop off box near you, visit Samaritan's Purse.

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Listening to devil music.

(I didn't grow up listening to what might be classified as "devil music." I grew up on Public Enemy and LL Cool J. (Obviously.) But today, Joe Waller drops by with a great guest post about that infamous music parents the world over classified as "devil music." Enjoy.)

Listening to Devil Music

"Hi. My name is Joe, and I listen to heavy metal music." This simple statement has the power to affect the masses in very dramatic ways. If said around the older crowd at church, I'd expect looks of shock, horror, and maybe even a fainting or heart attack.

If said around a group of friends who view me as the sheltered church kid, then looks of confusion take over as they wonder what's gone wrong in the world to turn me over to the dark side of music. If said around my parents, I see the "I don't understand" shaking of heads as they go back to their Phil Keaggy and Sandi Patty. Yes, this simple confession of interest can yield very different responses. Most of which are opposed to such music.

The confusion stems in part from us not having an agreed upon definition of "devil music." Here are 8 indications that you may in fact be listening to it:

1. The band screams their lyrics.

2. The bad growls their lyrics. (Even worse)

3. They can play their instruments at seemingly inhuman speeds.

4. There are skulls on their album cover.

5. There album cover is pure black.

6. satan actually makes a cameo on their album cover.

7. They mention the word "blood" in at least 50% of their songs and it's not preceded by the word, "sanctified" or followed by the phrase, "of forgiveness."

8. The name of the band sounds like something the bad guys in a Steven Segal movie would yell, e.g. "You're going to die!" or "Death from above!"

Indications like the ones above kept many kids like me from going near heavy metal for years. But all hope of finding acceptable "bang-your-head-against-the-wall" music is not lost! For in today's world, we have such a thing as CHRISTIAN SCREAMO MUSIC!!! Finally, the same intensely driving music, but without cursing and pentagrams!

Also, consider the vast number of hymns that could double as metal songs. "There is Power in the Blood," "Are You Washed in the Blood," and "There is a Fountain" are all hymns our parents grew up singing, and they all are about blood and death!

Imagine if Demon Hunter did an album with their trademark screamo-metal sound, but used hymn lyrics. How awesome would that be?! Or, take a look at some of the Christian metal lyrics around today. Some could be used for praise and worship! What if Chris Tomlin took metal lyrics and transformed them into praise and worship songs? While it may never happen, how I'd like to see that day! A day when people of all musical interests could sing (or scream) their praise together! While it would be very strange, what a day that would be.

Did your parents or youth minister ever accuse you of listening to "devil music."

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The rarest church musician of all time.

At a wedding recently I experienced the musical equivalent of a unicorn.

I would have taken pictures but it would have been weird if everyone was turned to look at the bride and I was taking pictures of the organ player. (Organist? Organneer? Not really sure.)

At this point in church music, I kind of assumed that organ players are an endangered species. Similar to how National Geographic will show you a profile of the Snow Leopard with a red dot in Tibet where they inhabit, I expected that Christianity Today would do the same thing with organ players, showing that their natural habitat is the Bible Belt and that there numbers are dwindling.

They have to be right? When is the last time you went to church and they jammed on the organ? And if they did, I promise the Organista was not in their 20s. It's a gentleman's instrument. It's more Reader's Digest and less Teen Vogue. But seeing this 25 year old blasting away on the organ raised a few questions in me.

1. How do you get into the organ? Is there a "gateway instrument" you play first? Like a xylophone, that leads to a pan flute, that eventually leads to an organ?

2. How do you practice if you love the organ? No one has one at home. Do you have to break into church in the middle of the night?

3. Is the Phantom of the Opera your Jimi Hendrix?

4. Does Zondervan publish a "Chris Tomlin songs for the Organ?" Or do you have to compose your own?

5. Who cleans the organs? Please tell me there is some sort of pipe-grinding monkey involved. Or a team of ferrets who wear swiffers on their furry little backs and climb in the pipes.

6. Do you have any rivalries? Like, do organ players hate the tambourine guy?

7. If you go on the road, do you have to fly with an organ? I hate paying for an extra bag when I fly. What's an organ run you, like $18,000 at baggage check in?

8. Is playing the organ kind of like being Highlander? There can only be one player in your town?

9. Do you feel like you don't get enough credit for what you do? I mean your instrument has approximately 87 buttons and 94 pedals. You're not making music, you're landing a plane. That's harder than the three chords 95% of acoustic guitar players learn.

10. If I played the organ, I'd want to be the guy from the Counting Crows. That guy makes their songs so much better with the Hammond organ. Are Hammond players like the Navy Seals of the organ by any chance?

11. Are there enough of you that I'm going to receive a sharply worded letter or worse, an organ pipe in my bed?

So many questions. My head is a awash in intrigue. If we ever hang out and I'm quiet near you, this is they type of thing I'm thinking about.

I'm curious though, what instruments does your church play on Sunday morning?

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Got something cool?

We're announcing a big, crazy, fun thing on Saturday. It will involve giving away a huge "box of awesome." If you've got something awesome like a book, a CD, a t-shirt, coffee, etc. that you want to put in the big box of awesome email me. We'll feature it in a post on Stuff Christians Like and let the 150,000+ awesome folks who read each month know you're awesome for helping out.

Thanks!

Side hugs and a gratuitous use of the word awesome,

Jon

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Having 2 Gods.

I am a wuss.

When I was growing up, we watched the movie Jaws. I imagined that the floor was an ocean and that if my feet touched it, that massive shark would bite them. Twenty five years later I still refuse to have my feet on the floor during scary moments. In movie theaters, at home, at friends' houses, I will yank my feet up if a movie grows dark and an "oboe of terror" starts to mournfully play.

I am a wuss, but sometimes this world is legitimately scary.

The Department of Justice recently did a study that showed that 1 out of every 4 girls will be raped before graduating college.

Every day, kids plant landmines online that will not explode until they are older and realize a photo can never, ever be deleted from the Internet.

The only fictional part of movies like "Man on Fire," and "Taken," is the idea that someone is coming to rescue the kidnapped and sex slaved children around the world.

We are hurt and continuing to hurt each other.

And into that world, I am sending my two daughters.

That scares me sometimes. I'm trying to send my two daughters out into the world so full of love that when culture tries to spill them, they will not empty. When faced with temptations or trials or hurts, they will be so sure of who they are, in both our family and our God, that they will not be full of doubt. That they will know that whatever they do, whoever they grow into, the love I gave them as children is the love I will give them as adults.

My fear is that they will think I am two dads, in the same way lots of Christians think there are two gods. (That almost sounded like a reference to the show, "My 2 Dads," but I assure you it was not. Worst show concept. "We were both sleeping with your mom and don't know which one of us is your father. I'm wacky, he's straight laced!")

What do I mean by two gods?

Simply this: Sometimes, we live our lives as if there is a Pre Crucifixion God and an After Crucifixion God.

If you're a Christian, at some point in your life you've been bowled over by the graciousness and wildly unkempt love God had for you Pre Crucifixion. He so greatly desired your presence and your closeness that he sent his only son to the cross to draw your near. Over a period of generations he unfolded a plan that sent his son to the cross and you to his arms. His love was so deep and true that he forsake his own son to open the door to you. There is no greater love.

We are overwhelmed by Pre Crucifixion God. He is amazing and as one author put it, almost wasteful in his love for us he pours it out so generously and lavishly.

And then we start to live life.

Then the weeks and months start to stack up between us and that moment when we first encountered Pre-Crucifixion God. We get some distance between us and that unleashed, unbridled love. And we make some mistakes. We fail. We fall down. And that is when we meet After Crucifixion God.

That is when we find ourselves hiding in the shadows. Like Adam and Eve accepting an apple when they were already given the whole orchard, we choose the small and insignificant and we blow it. In that moment, what do we do?

Do we run back to Pre-Crucifixion God? Do we say to ourselves, "This God of mine, he loved me so much that he sent his son to die for me. Where else could I find love like that? Where could I find forgiveness like that? Look what he did in the past, surely he would love me in the present!"

No, that is usually not what I do. Often, when I fail, I construct a less loving God in my head. He has arbitrary rules and regulations. He is not so loving. He is a God who keeps score and tallies failure. He wants me to earn things. He does not lavish grace. He regulates it. I end up finding an After Crucifixion God. A less loving caricature of the God I used to know.

I end up serving two Gods.

But the truth is, there is only one God.

God was not just loving in the past, he is love.

God was not just forgiving in the past, he is forgiveness.

God was not just gracious in the past, he is grace.

The God who drew you near with the death of his son, is the same God who loves you through the new failures of the new day. That wild love, is still the love he gives.

Because there is only one God.

I hope my daughters will always know that the dad who loved them when they were 3 will love them when they are 33. I hope L.E. and McRae will always know my love for them is not subject to performance or accomplishment. It just is.

And I'm only a dad, a broken human of a dad.

Imagine how the one God feels about you?

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Finding out Justin Bieber is a Christian.

I still remember where I was when OJ Simpson was declared innocent.

I was in the middle of a class at Samford University, in Birmingham, Alabama. I forget my professor's name, but he kind of reminded me of a white haired Jeff Goldblum. When most of us got up from class early to go watch the verdict he made fun of us. I understand his point, but I promise no one is writing a blog today about "I remember where I was when I first discussed the socio-economic conditions of Southern France in the early 1800s."

We watched the verdict in the lobby of our cafeteria. And when he was declared innocent of murdering his wife and her boyfriend, some of the cafeteria workers clapped and proclaimed, "Thank you Jesus! Thank you Jesus!" I remember thinking to myself, "I'm not sure Jesus wants the shout out for that one."

But as little impact as that moment had on my overall life, I do have that moment sealed firmly in my memory. Just like today's, which will probably be as equally dramatic for you as it was for me.

Last night, in Franklin, Tennessee, while walking around my house, I read online that pop singer Justin Bieber is a Christian.

Upon learning that, I immediately thought three things:

1. People are going to Bono him.

In Christian circles, to "Bono" somebody is to use CSI like detective techniques to determine if their faith fits your personal definition of what it actually means to be a Christian. Just like Bono is always called into question and people will say, "He's never actually said out loud 'I'm a Christian,'" Bieber's Christianity will be Sherlocked on blogs the world over.

2. People are going to Britney him.

When I told my friend Justin Bieber is a Christian, he immediately said, "Yeah, I'm sure Britney Spears said the same thing. Every pop star gives God a head nod." I understand that skepticism, but Bieber didn't just give a shout out to God. He said, "I'm a Christian, I believe in God, I believe that Jesus died on a cross for my sins. I believe that I have a relationship and I'm able to talk to him and really, he's the reason I'm here, so I definitely have to remember that." No one casually says, "Jesus died on a cross for my sins." That's way more than a head nod.

3. People are going to think Ludacris is next.

OK, maybe not people, but me anyway. Luda did a song with Bieber. They're friends. Maybe they do another song together. They're sitting in the studio, Justin is drinking a diet Coke, Luda is sippin' on Yak. They start talking about the pressures of the industry. Luda says it's hard to maintain his dirty south street cred while doing appearances on Martha Stewart. Justin shares the gospel. Ten minutes later? Luda is doing a project with NeedtoBreathe. This is going to happen.

I know what you're thinking, "Thank goodness Jon went all serious on election day. This is just the kind of hard hitting content I've come to expect these last two years."

No problem my friend. You're welcome, you're welcome. But all points aside, all silliness aside, I'm excited to see Justin Bieber talk about faith. Just like I'm excited to hear my neighbor talk about faith. Or my dentist. They're all just people. Like me and like you.

I'm curious though, I remember where I was with the OJ verdict. What's an event you will forever have frozen in your memory?

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We are living in a golden age of breakdancing.

I can't believe these 8 year olds. I am blown away. I've never seen pop n' lock like this, at this age. Absolutely ridiculous. Thanks to @jscottmoore for finding this. If you want to smile today, watch the video after the jump:

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The person who starts a coughing chain reaction in church.

A few weeks ago, my 7 year old got sick. If you read my heart wrenching Ray Charles food poisoning tale, then you know what a big deal that is. She hates to throw up like I hate LeBron James trying to make me feel bad for thinking he could have done a better job leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers.

But this time, she was actually pretty good. There were no tears or shouting. She got sick and then laid down on a princess blow up bed that has already been worth its weight in gold. My wife and I complimented her on such a great turnaround from the usual reaction to illness. Later that day though, I pulled my four year old aside and let her know, "You're really great at throwing up too." (Lot of parenting books don't tell you to do that, but then a lot of parenting books don't tell you that one of the hardest parts of being a parent is having the patience to wait until your kids are asleep to pop their old half deflated helium balloons.)

When I told McRae she was good at throwing up, she looked me dead in the eye and immediately replied:

"I'm the champion of puking."

Then she walked away. Like a wide receiver tossing the ball casually to the referee after scoring a touchdown, she didn't do a celebration dance. She acted like she'd been there before. This wasn't her first vomit rodeo. (Which would make a great punk band name by the way. You can have that one for free.)

Regardless of if you have kids or not, you have to know that right now, we're all on the precipice of get sick season. Our friends in Australia are probably just coming out of theirs, but here in the states, we're entering cold days and flu season. And standing on the edge of that, I have but one thing to say:

Please don't be the person who starts a coughing chain reaction in church.

I've been this person. You get a tickle that grows into a tiny cough that grows into a whoop. A literal whoop! And then everyone around you starts coughing too. It's infectious, like seeing someone yawn. And I don't want any of us to be this person. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

1. You will not be able to will yourself into not coughing.

I think my body giggles when I try to mentally control my coughing fit. I feel like my mind is the corporate Gabe character in the TV show the Office. He's yelling at all the employees and saying, "Come on guys, seriously, stop coughing." But my body just laughs and keeps coughing regardless of what my mind says. You can't "outthink" a cough.

2. You are not in a cone of silence.

Sometimes coughing people refuse to leave the service because they think they are in a cone of silence and no one else can hear them. They think they have done such a great job suppressing the sound that not even the person next to them is aware of what they are doing. Let me clear up that misunderstanding. We're aware. Your cheeks are unfortunately not acoustic noise cancelling Bose headphones. They simply don't possess the same circumaural design. If anything, your mouth is the perfect acoustic chamber, designed to amplify and strengthen any sound you make. Like coughing in church.

3. Menthol is not up to the task.

You've got a full body, 140 pounds of force cough going. You're shaking and destroying Kleenex like owning a Pappion destroys man cards. So you go to your pocket and pull out a menthol cough drop weighing approximately .10 ounces. Yeah, that ought to do the trick. Problem averted. But not really. Put your faith in Jesus and pray that cough will stop. Don't think for a second a single menthol will handle it. (Unless it's a fisherman's friend cough drop. Those things are the color of old garbage but they bring the thunder.)

If you've had part of your lung removed or are seriously under the weather, please don't write angry comments. Even though people who have had partial lung removal surgery constitute a small portion of the Stuff Christians Like audience, I want to take care of them too. But if you've got a tickle, a tiny cough you plan to chain reaction to the entire congregation, please, go get a drink of water.

Has this ever happened to you?

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Feeling bad that you didn't blog about Halloween.

It's now an official Christian blogging rule that you have to write a post about Halloween. There are really only 3 options:

1. I hate Halloween.

This approach needs little explanation and is actually on the decline. In years gone by, a phrase I say to sound fancy and a smidge British, I got a few emails every fall about how horrible this pseudo holiday is. Now, not a peep.

2. We love Halloween!

Take that first one and reverse. Now add Good n' Fruity, which is like the delicious version of Good n' Plenty. (Worst candy ever. It's like the reverse of candy. It's candy punishment.) In these posts you basically just talk about how awesome candy and Halloween and costumes are.

3. Christian hybrid Halloween.

It's not Halloween, it's not. Is it held in October? Yes. Do kids get candy? Yes. Do kids dress up? Yes. Are there pumpkins involved? Yes. But it's not Halloween, it's a "Fall Festival."

I'm not sure where I fall in that mix. I was in Mexico this whole week teaching business leaders about social media. Maybe if I was back home I would have written a longer series of candy corn flavored posts. (How great are those candy corn style pumpkins? I love those.)

I don't know how I feel about Halloween, but I have two little mermaids at home waiting for me and I'll be happy we get to walk around our neighborhood and ask people for candy that is not a Good n' Plenty.

What do you think about Halloween?

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