A Most Unusual Snow Day

Wow.

I guess I was wrong.

It really is possible for kids in Las Vegas to get a Snow Day.

No school.

No kidding.

But the strange thing for us is that at our house, we didn't see any snow at all.

Rain yes.

Snow no.

It all depended on where you were yesterday.

During the show, when the snow really started coming down, it was a blast to chat with folks all over the valley.

Since we're playing all Christmas music right now, SOS provided the soundtrack for many.

But for the record, I only played "Let It Snow" once.

Even though it was requested countless times!

Such an unusual event in Las Vegas should be celebrated.

My boys will always remember that one December in 2008 when it was an officially declared school district approved Snow Day.

And they didn't even see one flake.

Only in Vegas.

A Lean Christmas?

This Christmas many of us are facing extremely tight budgets.

For those who have lost their jobs, it's much worse than that.

It's all about survival.

As trite as it sounds.... this really is an opportunity for God to become even more real in our lives.

As we see him provide, how our faith grows!

Do we really believe that He'll come through?

And could there be a tremendous blessing in store for us this Christmas if we just have eyes to see it?

I found a wonderful article that blessed me so much on crosswalk.com.

Click on this link to read it: http://www.crosswalk.com/11596466/

Be encouraged!

See ya on the radio,

Kurt

Upside Down In A Field

Today I'm thinking about the shepherds and their role in the Christmas story:

Luke 2:8-17 (ESV) 8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. 10 And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger."

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!" 15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child.

Why were the shepherds chosen for to receive the greatest birth announcement in human history?
Why not a king?
A high priest?
The rich?
The famous?
The influential?

In fact, this question takes on added meaning when we realize how shepherds were regarded at the time of Jesus' birth.
It was NOT cool to be a shepherd.
They were looked down on.
Bottom rung of the social ladder.
Sometimes even despised.
And yet they were chosen for a snapshot of glory.

"It's a boy, and He's the Messiah!"

Author Randy Alcorn states it well:

"What an affront to the religious leaders who were so conspicuously absent from the Divine mailing list. Even from birth, Christ moved among the lowly. It was the sinners, not the self-righteous, he came to save (Mark 2:17).
The proud religionists of Christ's day have faded into obscurity, but the shepherd figure is still honored by Christ followers worldwide".

In fact, Jesus calls Himself the "good shepherd":

John 10:11 (ESV) "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep."

The coming of Jesus turned everything upside down.
It's still the same today.

Snow

From the moment my third grader heard about it, he was convinced.

"It'll be a Snow Day, tomorrow Dad. No school!"

It took me back to when I was the kid saying the same exact thing.

One big difference, however.

I lived in Indiana.

Nicolas was born and raised here in Southern Nevada.

A desert rat desperate to see snow AT HIS HOUSE!

Not in the mountains.

At home.

After all, they don't cancel school when it snows in the mountains.

Early this morning, while it was still dark, I looked out the window fully expecting to see snow on the ground.

Nothin'.

I turn on the news.

Oh it's snowing all right.

About 5 miles up the road.

Being the obnoxious Dad I am, I wake Nicolas up.

"Wake up... we're snowed in and school is canceled!!"

He bolts upright in bed.

His eyes are about to pop out of his head.

Some serious optical poptitude going on.

He hops up and looks out the window.

Nothin'.

"Dad!!!!!"

My heart melts.

We turn on the TV and I try to convince him the snow is on the way.

He's not buying it.

As I dropped him off at school, a cold rain mocked us.

A cold rain is a poor replacement for snow.

No matter how old you are.

Just about a half an hour ago, my wife called and said the snow flakes were falling at our house.

Snow loading up the palm trees.

HUGE flakes.

In a few minutes I'll be calling my wife as she arrives to pick up Nicolas from school.

I hope when he comes out he'll see even BIGGER flakes.

Catch a few on his tongue.

And I'll remind him that things in life don't always turn out the way we expect.

Sometimes they turn out better.

1 Corinthians 13 Christmas Style

Okay... so we're deep into the Christmas season.
Have you lost your focus yet?
Even with the best of intentions... it can happen.

I want to share a piece from Sharon Jaynes here on the blog today.
Sharon has been a guest on our Total Impact segment before, and I love her take on life.
Reading this really helps!
Enjoy.

1 Corinthians 13 Christmas Style ©By Sharon Jaynes-Proverbs 31 Ministries

If I decorate my house perfectly with lovely plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights, and shiny glass balls, but do not show love to my family - I’m just another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals, and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family - I’m just another cook.

If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home, and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family - It profits me nothing.

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties, and sing in the choir’s cantata but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug the child.

Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband.

Love is kind, though harried and tired.

Love doesn’t envy another home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.
Love doesn’t yell at the kids to get out of the way.

Love doesn’t give only to those who are able to give in return, but rejoices in giving to those who can’t.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.

Love never fails.

Video games will break; pearl necklaces will be lost; golf clubs will rust. But giving the gift of love will endure.

The Right Thing Isn't Always Easy To Do

I don't know when I first got the idea that obeying God would mean a smooth road ahead.
Have you ever fallen into that trap?
It's taken me quite a long time to see it as a trap, in fact.

The more I spend time reading God's Word, the Bible, the more I see how God works.
Not that I have Him figured out.
Or that I can predict what He will do next.
Far from it!
But I do see reality mixed with the supernatural.
Where faith meets real life.

Many times doing what God calls us to do is exceptionally hard.
Jesus said...
John 16:33 ".... In the world you will have trouble. But take heart; I have overcome the world."

Even Jesus..the Holy, perfect Son of God... faced major trouble when He came to this earth.
They tortured Him and nailed Him to the Cross.
If I'm truly a Christ follower why should I expect a smoother road than He had?

The more closely I follow, the more the journey should resemble His.
And so in an imperfect, stumbling way I do follow.

Tradition indicates all of the disciples were killed for their faith, with the exception of John.
But he was severely tortured.

The apostle Paul faced beatings, stonings, whippings, time in rancid jails, etc.
There was a lot of "etc." in his life.

Church history clearly shows us that those who attempt to live Godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

I'm not looking for persecution.
But it's inevitable.
How much better to understand this before the heat gets turned up.

Maybe you have a choice to make today.
You can choose God's way, or another option.
Either way it's not going to be easy.

But the question is... which choice will please the Lord the most?
He'll honor your desire to do the right thing for the right reason.
You'll have peace in the storm.
His Presence in the darkness.
And His blessing when "this too shall pass".

Nick Saint Premieres This Week

Tomorrow at Canyon Ridge Christian Church here in Las Vegas, a musical for the whole family begins its run: Nick Saint.


It's a family show filled with good music and much Christmas Spirit.

The good folks at Canyon Ridge are hoping this production will bless many people.

Especially those who don't know Jesus Christ.

The show will appeal to anyone.

It's a wonderful opportunity to invite friends and family to church without inviting them to.. well.... church.

A wholesome, non-threatening atmosphere and a chance to enjoy live theatre.

Maybe they'll drop their guard a bit and eventually attend a worship service in the days around Christmas.

God can work in many ways.

Remember those mysterious ways we talk so much about?!

There are 4 performances: Thursday at 7pm, Friday at 7pm, and Sunday at 3 & 7pm.
Tickets are $14.

But if you have kids.. come early.

They've got a Christmas carnival set up outside of the auditorium.

And hey.. every child is a winner!!!

For a look at the heart of the production join us for our Total Impact segment tonight.

It airs at 6:25pm Pacific time.

Rory Johnston, the writer of musical, is our guest.

He also happens to be the Creative Arts Director at Canyon Ridge.

You can listen online at: http://www.sosradio.net/


Also, check out the show's official website: http://www.nicksaintmusical.com/

This is not only a lot of fun, but a tangible way to begin "planting seeds" in someone's life.

Someone who may be searching for some-thing this Christmas season.

A gift that lasts forever.