Tez Brooks's Blog: TezBrooks.com, page 8

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Angels All Around Us

This collaboration of stories includes one from Tez and his interesting interaction with an angel.

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Speaking Engagement

I’m very excited to announce I’ll be one of the Keynote speakers and teaching two classes at Blue Lake CWC in April. https://bluelakecwr.com/

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Will I Always Struggle with My Sinful Nature?

I’ve been following Jesus since I was six years old (50 years). Yet it seems I’ve been asking myself the same question for decades, “How long will I have to fight against my former self?”

While it’s true God is transforming us day by day, we won’t truly be perfected until we shed this body and be with the Lord. Like teenagers caught in the frustrating position between shedding the parent-regulated limitations of childhood and the first tastes of adult freedom, Christians too, are stuck between the now and the not yet. Perhaps that’s why my favorite scripture is Philippians 3:12, “I don’t mean to say I am perfect. I haven’t learned all I should even yet, but I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ saved me for and wants me to be” (Living Bible).

A story from my past illustrates it well…

I was stupid. Barely out of my twenties and desperate to sell my car so I could get a newer one, I gave the potential buyer the keys for a test drive. A test drive from which he never returned.

Before he took the keys, he handed me five hundred dollars. That was supposed to make me feel safer about letting him drive away. It worked.

After an hour it was evident I’d been scammed. I filed a police report, but naturally, never heard anything from them. After several months, I wrote it off as a lesson learned.

Three years later, at work, I got a call from law enforcement stating they’d found my car. Confused, I looked out the window of my office and saw my current car safely in the parking lot. After several minutes arguing with the police that they’d called the wrong guy, it hit me.

“Wait, what kind of car are we talking about? Do you mean the white Ford?”

“Yes, Mr. Brooks. You filed a report a few years ago. We found your stolen car when we pulled over an erratic driver. Can you come to the station today and verify it’s yours? He says he bought it fair and square from you.”

I drove to the precinct and they showed me to the rear parking lot. I almost didn’t recognize the old automobile. It had obviously been through a few wrecks. One headlight was missing and the hood had been painted a flat black. Duct tape held the bumper in place. The seats were ripped and the back floorboard covered with beer cans and fast food wrappers. I chuckled.

Officer Willem handed me the license plate. “At first we thought it was a stolen license plate. But when he couldn’t produce a registration we investigated further.”

He escorted me back into the station. “You want to press charges?”

“Yep. He owes me two thousand dollars.”

The cop stopped me. “He says he has the money.”

“He’s got it with him?”

“Yep, more than enough.”

“I’ll press charges—but I want to talk to him now, if I can.”

“Absolutely.”

We continued inside as he took me to a back room where the man was handcuffed. Hair greasy, with a ripped, soiled t-shirt, he looked up at me sheepishly, smelling like marijuana and sadness.

I felt suddenly superior. “So, they caught ya! How’s that Ford running? Looks like you’ve had some good times in that thing. I like the back window made out of plastic bags, nice touch.”

“I’m sorry, mister. I saw an opportunity and I took it. It was wrong.”

“You’re just realizing this? After three years?” I looked down my nose.

Silence.

I held out my hand. “I hear you have my money.”

He handed me twenty, one-hundred-dollar bills. After taking the money I laid into him about the stupidity of crime and importance of being a decent citizen. He quietly nodded.

Then something changed inside me. Something about his demeanor touched me. His eyes showed remorse. Not aggravation for being caught—but sorrow.

The man looked out the window, “I made a stupid decision. I have a family now and I didn’t know how to make it right. I hoped it was so long ago no one cared.”

Officer Willem stood with his arms crossed over his large belly. “This isn’t a bicycle, it’s a car you stole. Mr. Brooks here, is pressing charges so—”

“No, I’m not.”

At that, the man sat up straight and his eyes brightened. “You’re not? Why? I mean, thank you.”

“I guess you caught me on a good day. I’m tired. I’m hungry. And I want my money so I can forget about this—about you.”

“Thank you” he repeated and sighed.

The cop looked at me, confused. “You sure?”

I nodded slowly, myself confused.

A young woman holding a newborn in a carrier walked in the door and up to the female officer at the front counter. “I’m here to pick up my husband.”

The thief stood up and turned to Officer Willem, “That’s her. She doesn’t know. I’m ashamed to tell her.”

“You should be.” The cop grabbed the man’s shoulder and shoved him back into the chair. “But hold your horses, Romeo. I got paperwork to do.”

On the way home, I thought about that old Ford. It certainly wasn’t worth much now. Its condition mirrored the man’s life—road weary and bearing the scars of wrong choices. Anger flooded me. When I gave him mercy, I saw gratefulness in his eyes, but I was not happy about my choice. I regretted leaving without punishing him more.

Am I weak? A pushover? Why didn’t I file charges? How’s he ever gonna learn?

It was as if I had a little demon on one shoulder and an angel on the other, taking turns whispering accusations and affirmations. Sadly, I wanted to flick the angel off my shoulder and turn my car around. But I managed to get home.

Still, I struggled for several hours with my choice. Finally, I heard only one influence; a gentle voice in my ear reminding how often God had given me mercy when I deserved the opposite. Ouch!

I had done the right thing for this situation and I needed to embrace that.

The Holy Spirit often works through me like this—giving mercy against my better judgment, showing compassion when it’s not usually part of my nature. I’m thankful when God takes over, because I can be a real jerk when he doesn’t. It’s evidence Jesus indeed lives in me, even when the old me wants to rise and do it my way.

God has promised He’d change us. Ezekiel 36:26 says, “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh” (ESV).

Do you struggle like the rest of us to see lasting change in your life? Do you fail at times to represent what a Christian should act like? Be encouraged. Christ is changing us day by day, perfecting the masterpiece he promised when we first gave our lives over to him. March on, saint! He will finish the work he started (Phil. 1:6).

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YouVersion Reading Plans by Tez

You may already know Tez has several reading plans he’s written for YouVersion daily devotionals on the Bible App. In March he’ll be releasing “Hope for Police Officers” a 7-day plan for cops. More details will follow as the date approaches.

Other reading plans by Tez already available are:

~ Fearlessly Making Disciples (written for Jesus Film Project)

~ Heart of a Champion: An Athlete’s Identity in Christ (written for Jesus Film Project)

~ Hope for Single Fathers

~ Hope for School Teachers

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Activity: Christmas Skip Counting Book

Today’s post was submitted by Jessica Lightle, Community Manager for Education.comIf you have kids in grades K-2, kids learn how to count by twos. In teacher-lingo, this is called “skip counting.” Give your child some practice with even numbers, while creating a cute Christmas keepsake. Plus, get some holiday cards in the bargain. For more creative fun with math, go to Education.comWhat You Need:card stockat least 5 different holiday stampsink pads in holiday colorsmarkerscrayonsstaplerWhat You Do:Staple five cardstock pages into a booklet.Ask your child to select a stamp, press it onto the inkpad, and stamp the selected image twice in the center of the first page. Under your child’s stamps, write words to describe what you see, for example, “Two snowmen.” Then ask your child to use a marker or crayon to write the numeral 2 at the top of the page.Repeat this process with the next stamp, only this time, have your child stamp two objects, then two more beneath it. Ask your child how many items he sees, then write the words beneath the pictures, for example, “Four candy canes.” Your child should write the corresponding numeral, 4, at the top of the page.Continue in this manner, with six objects on the next page, eight on the following, and ten on the last page. Let your child decorate the booklet as he’d like and when it’s complete, read it together. Pause on each page and ask your child to predict which number will come next.Still feeling crafty? Use the stamps and cardstock to create holiday cards. For each card, give your child an even number and challenge him to count it out as fast as he can, using skip counting. Voila! A cute treat to send to relatives, and a nice way to add some creativity to this important math skill.Education.com aims to empower parents, teachers, and homeschoolers to help their children build essential skills and excel. With over 12 million members, Education.com provides educators of all kinds with high-quality learning resources, including worksheets, lesson plans, digital games, an online guided learning platform, and more. 

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SPIRITUAL TRAINING: Being Intentional, Not Rigid at Christmas

How does your morning start on Christmas Day?

As a parent, do you have plans or do you let the day carry you as it may? I’ve found I need to strike a balance between spontaneity and intentional planning. 

If you are a single parent, chances are you may have to share holidays with an ex-spouse. Blended families have even more adjustments. So being purposeful is important, especially if you only get Christmas with your kids half the day….or worse, every other year.

But strategy has its downsides and sometimes being less organized can be quite relaxing and fun.

I tend to lean more toward planned and intentional activities with my kids on and around Christmas. Rather than reading the Christmas story from scripture on the morning of, together we read verses from the birth of Christ in bite-sized portions throughout the month. This keeps our minds on Him continually.

Then on Christmas Day, I wake the kids to a favorite Christmas song and we dig into our stockings first. Afterward, we hand out presents and watch each person in turn, open their gifts.

But what about those parents who can’t have a perfectly planned morning? What about families who open gifts on Christmas Eve? Or those who have kids with special needs? Christmas isn’t the same for every family, nor does it have to be.

If you have limited time with the kids or you wake up to find Johnny has the flu, being flexible is the key. Don’t lose heart if your child isn’t patient enough to listen to the entire story of Mary and Joseph. If your ex shows up early and you’re not done opening gifts, learn to go with the flow. 

Each kid is different and each year is different. There are things out of our control and we must learn to trust God when our plans have to be altered.

In the end, God is bigger than any plans I might have and I’ve learned to trust him. Nothing catches him by surprise. He is bigger than any plans that go awry.

Relax, trust God and have fun.

Yes, we must be intentional about honoring Christ during this holiday. But whether or not Christmas ends up being about Jesus or the presents this year, I have to remind myself, the kids will remember most the atmosphere in the house.

So when things don’t go as planned, I can either emit peace or turmoil during this season. A peaceful spirit eventually makes room for Christ–but rigid control never welcomes Jesus into the mix.

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Helping Your Kids Enjoy the Holidays With Only One Parent

NOTE: Today’s post was written by guest blogger and single mom, Alex Hall.  The holidays have arrived, and normally your kids would be delirious with excitement, chatting about the presents they hope to receive and upcoming holiday parties they plan to attend.  But this year is different. You’re recently single, and the holidays will never be the same again. Whether due to a death or divorce, the entire family is still grieving. Suddenly everything seems uncertain and strange. How can you help your children move past the pain so they can fully embrace the holidays? Here are 4 easy tips to help.  Don’t Celebrate at Warp-Speed You may think that since your kids are sad, you need to shower them with expensive gifts and go to every holiday event in your community. That’s not necessary or even helpful.  Instead of focusing on material things and constantly being on the go, take time to slow down. Your children will appreciate that you’re focused on their happiness.  They don’t need a mountain of gifts to realize you still love them. Be patient with your children, your family and yourself. Celebrating the holidays after a tragedy is confusing and tainted with sorrow. Keep things simple so you and your family can enjoy the holidays without getting overwhelmed.   Make New Traditions For years, your family has celebrated the holidays with certain family traditions. To help with the grieving process, ask your children if they want to change some of the holiday traditions.  Maybe you can celebrate at a grandparent’s house, take the kids to a movie or stay in your pajamas all day. Do you always make a special breakfast? Go out to eat this year.  If your divorced and the ex-spouse has the kids for Thanksgiving Day, consider celebrating with the kids the Saturday before Thanksgiving. Your kids may eventually enjoy celebrating the same holiday twice.   Do Fun Holiday Activities Find fun holiday activities your kids will enjoy. Watch classic holiday movies as you cuddle together in front of the fireplace. Make snow angels, go ice skating, or whip up some hot cocoa and homemade cookies.  These activities may seem simple, but your kids will enjoy spending quality time with you and it may help ease the blues of not having both parents present.  Volunteer  Sometimes you can deflect your own grief if you spend time helping others. This is also true for your children.  Try volunteering at a soup kitchen, participating in a toy drive or visiting a nursing home to spend time with elderly people who may be lonely during the holidays. Seeing the joy that giving brings will boost your children’s self-esteem and increase your own joy during the holiday season. Celebrating the holidays after a death or divorce isn’t just painful for you–it’s painful for your children. This is the time to reassure them that they’re still safe and loved.  It’s a time to create new holiday traditions as well as learn to explore creative ways of celebrating cherished holidays. While these weeks may be bittersweet, if you focus on making the celebrations simple but heartfelt, you can help your children deal with their grief and embrace the delight of the holidays. Now it’s your turn. What ways have you survived the holidays alone? Share your suggestions with us in the comments.  GUEST BIO: Alexis Hall is a single mom to three kids. She created SingleParent.info to provide support and advice for the many families out there with only one parent in the household. She works as an in-home health nurse. When she isn’t working or spending time with her kids, she enjoys running and hiking and is currently training for a triathlon.      

 

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How To Make An Advent Calendar Your Kids Love

I hate to see Advent Calendars in grocery stores that hold no meaning except to provide a countdown and a piece of candy for children. Often the calendar has no reference to Christ or anything remotely spiritual. It’s nothing more than a box of chocolate with cartoon characters on it.

Years ago I decided to buy an empty wooden Advent Calendar with little drawers that had numbers on them. Oh sure, when the kids were little some of them contained candy or tiny toys. But most were filled with scriptures to help them reflect and prepare for Christmas.

As they began to get older, I had to get creative in finding ways to keep their attention so they continued looking forward to opening the calendar drawers each day. They are teens now and they still love doing the Advent because I change what’s in the drawers each year. They never know what they will find. It could be a scripture passage from the birth of Christ, some money, a riddle, a challenge to perform an act of kindness–who knows?

My goal is to create a sense of wonder, waiting, and reflection on the coming of Christ to Earth. But I don’t get uptight if that doesn’t happen every day. Sometimes it’s just plain old-fashioned fun. And that’s ok. I don’t want to get so hung up on making every day a serious, reverent lesson that it loses its joy for the kids. 
Try to spark your own creative ideas. Here are some ways to change up your calendar and keep it interesting for older kids:

Do the advent each day after dinner as a family. Make it an event for all. Not just one person opening the calendar door/drawer by themselves.Use higher quality chocolate. As people mature, cheap candy isn’t as appealing. Place it randomly, not every day.Every other day, only include a typed scripture from the Christmas story. Use full passages of several verses. The kids are older and can read more than they used to.  Ask them questions about what they read. Make it a family discussion. I prefer to put the passages in chronological order so that by Dec 25th they will have read the entire account from Luke or another gospel. If you include money as a surprise, don’t get crazy. $1 is sufficient. It’s not about the amount, it’s about sparking a conversation regarding the greatest gift of all.Type up the lyrics to a Christmas song but mix up the words. They must try to guess it.Include a deep question in one day like “Imagine you are an angel hearing God’s plan to send Jesus to Earth for mankind. How would you feel?” OR “What kind of emotions do you think Mary’s parents felt when they first realized Mary was pregnant?”Write the word EMMANUEL on a piece of paper and challenge your teen to see how many words they can make from those letters in three minutes.Throw in a small gadget here and there (keychain, bookmark, nail polish, a Chick-fil-A coupon). Make sure it fits in the space so they can’t see it until they open the container or door for that day.Use your printer to print out tiny photos from significant memories from the past year. Ask your teen to share what that means to them and how they saw Christ in that event.

Be creative and think outside the box. There are no hard-set rules. It’s not a time to strive to turn every day into an opportunity for rigid religious training. Nor is it a time to reflect on Santa and parties. It is an “Advent Calendar” after all. For us, a balanced time of spiritual reflection and fun is what works best. I found when I trust the Lord, he can turn any of those advent days into a God moment. Even a candy cane can spark a spiritual conversation.

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Have You Downloaded the YouVersion Devotionals App?

Check out one of several devotional reading plans written by Tez

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