Christina's Thirteenth - A Photo Journal

What a hoot – Lauren, Kayla, Keyra, Christina

A piano and voice recital was a part of the big day

Pink flamingo cupcakes were on tap for Saturday

And cappuccino punch with cake on Sunday

Three beautifully elegant women of the Harer household

The birthday chair always gets special decoration

With Dad

The informal Christina in her Timberline tee

The Words of Timberline

As Daniel neared completion of high school, we encouraged him to take a year to focus on some solid spiritual formation. “Go to a discipleship school, get involved in a surf ministry, visit missionary friends in China or Africa,” we said. In providence, it turned out to be Timberline Lodge in Colorado. We just attended their concluding ceremonies and came home overwhelmingly happy. Timberline is a place where young people enlarge their boundaries. Let me summarize why in four words – transformation, community, mentors, affirmation.

Transformation – Timberline doesn’t stress academics. It teaches the Bible and stresses transformation. As Dan Thomas said, “We do not have anything to give to the students. We simply expose them to all that they already have in Christ.” This summarizes the transformational focus of this school, discovering the riches of the inheritance they have already received.

Community – There’s just something about 30 students being together 24/7, snowboarding, hanging out at the Rocky Mountain Café or repelling the arches of Utah that creates community. It’s created in these activities and a hundred others like it, but their community is so much more. What we saw was a group of students and staff who are developing the attitude of community. A group of imperfect people with imperfect ways caring for one another. Caring enough to confront trespasses, speak vulnerably, apply grace, admit wrong, love unloveliness, grow steadily. It’s the kind of community I want for my kids…and for myself.

Mentors – “When you go to college look around and find a godly person who can mentor you. Look for someone who is passionately seeking God, someone who prays. It may be the president of the school, or it may be the janitor.” I’ve preached that for a long time. What I didn’t anticipate but what we found was that at Timberline everyone is that kind of mentor. Whether it’s the kitchen assistant, the IT guy, the program director or the wife of the maintenance man, they are all intentionally pursuing God and intentionally mentoring others.

Affirmation – The concluding ceremony was a huge affirmation for the students. I’ve never seen anything like it. Each student came to the platform and was given a special word that summarized their life and strengths – words like freedom, garden, teacher, radiance, Viking, and vase. And then those words were expanded to encourage, affirm and challenge them. It was so powerful. There were so many tears. Diana was crying over students she had never even met. As they walked off that stage they moved forward with a year’s worth of affirmation, mentoring, community, and transformation.

Thanks so much, Timberline! Thanks for the words of Timberline becoming a part of our son’s life. Check out their website at http://www.timberlinelodge.org/

Blessing Our Children

It is our intention to bless our children. By blessing I mean purposefully building into their lives affirmations and experiences, prayers and passages, corrections and inspirations that give them advantages for life. Sometimes that takes the form of thoughtful words and encouragement. At other times it’s making lifestyle choices that will reap benefits years into the future. Many times it’s petitioning the Heavenly Father. At times it’s acknowledging our own short-comings. And sometimes it's trust.

One of the ways we have tried to bless our children over the years is through celebrations. And I don’t mean just a party. Yes, for sure there have been the streamers, the cakes, the birthday chair, the special foods and the friends. But the center piece whether a birthday party or a ceremony has been the words given. Words that build up. Words that are insightful. Words that are meaningful. Usually it goes something like, “Maria what I appreciate about you is…”

Speaking of Maria, she celebrated her 16th birthday this week. Her first among friends in West Virginia since her 10th. What a wonderful daughter we have with all of her unique gifts, abilities and personality. After the Outback steak of her choice and a blooming onion, we came home for ice cream cake and those words. This year we decided to celebrate sweet 16 with sixteen characteristics we appreciate. And in honor of Maria here they are: 1) focused in work 2) kind 3) art talent 4) musical 5) polite 6) witty 7) insightful 8) responsible 9) pleasant 10) accepting 11) beautiful young lady 12) hospitable 13) frugal 14) competitive 15) disciplined 16) godly. Happy Birthday Maria!


Cool and Her Gang

Candy Bouquet (orders being taken)

Girls Being Girls

Dad Gets Things Going in His Fire Starting Hat

The Purity and Promise Ring

The Happy Outback Trio

Leaving the Judging Behind

“Don’t judge a person until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes.” Somehow my critique of others and my criticalness toward them finds a way to dismiss this proverb. I’m sure I am not the only guilty one. We Christians can be the worst. We have many hoops for others to jump through, many expectations for them to meet up to, many extra-biblical regulations for them to follow. And so we judge. And so I judge. In his book The Grace Awakening, Chuck Swindoll reminds us of just how dangerous that can be.

“I will never forget what happened to me several years ago that illustrates how wrong I can be in judging another. I was speaking at a summer Bible conference for a week. Attending the same conference was a couple I had not seen before. We met briefly the first night. Both were friendly and seemed especially glad to be there. I began to notice as the week wore on that the man fell asleep in every one of the meetings. I mean every one. Normally, that doesn’t bother me…I often talk in other people’s sleep! But this time, for some strange reason, it began to bug me. By Wednesday I was irritated. As I mentioned, that has happened to me numerous times…but this guy was out within ten minutes after I started to speak. It made no difference if I spoke in the morning or evening – he slept. By the last meeting on Friday evening (through which he slept, of course), I had become convinced it was she who wanted to be there, not her husband. I sized him up as a fellow who talked one way but lived another. ‘Probably a carnal Christian,’ I mused.

“She stayed after the crowd and her husband had left. She asked if she could speak with me for a few minutes. I figured she wanted to talk about how unhappy she was living with a man who didn’t have the same interest in spiritual things as she had. How wrong I was. She said their being there was his idea. It had been his ‘final wish.’ I didn’t understand. She informed me he had terminal cancer and had only weeks to live. At his request they attended the conference where I was speaking even though the medication he was taking for pain made him sleepy – something that greatly embarrassed him. ‘He loves the Lord,’ she said, ‘and you are his favorite Bible teacher. He wanted to be here to meet you and to hear you, no matter what.’ I was sincerely stunned. She thanked me for the week and left. I stood there, all alone, as deeply rebuked as I have ever been. I had judged my brother, and I was as wrong as I could possibly have been.”

Now there’s something to think about. Seldom if ever do we understand completely the world of another person. That of course isn’t a reason to excuse selfish rebellion, blatant sin or haughtiness toward God. But it is a reminder against a life of gracelessness. I like the way Scotty Smith says it, “A sign you're growing in grace: You don't impute as many bad motives to people who disappoint or disagree with you." For most of us it will take some growth. It will take some graciousness. And it will mean leaving the judging behind.