Whose Side Is He On Anyway!?

Hello All,

We are now almost finished with our second week of school for Renae and we are finding our way to and from much better in the morning. Getting it done entails a good 20 minute head start, but it's well worth the savings on nerves.

One method that I have employed to motivate Renae toward promptness is to offer to play cards with her. Over the Labor Day weekend, she and I both learned how to play "War." If you are not familiar with this game...well, at this point, I envy you...but suffice it to say, you divide the deck into the number of players and you simultaneously put down your top card. High card wins. The point is to get all of your opponent's cards. What happens when you draw the same card? An elaborate little "war" goes on where you put down three additional cards and then re-draw your next available card. Again, high card wins.

It's much easier than I just made it sound and that might account for why I am so bad at this game. "Bad at this game?" Yes, for as easy as it is, I just cannot seem to beat this little girl!

It was uncanny. From the first day she played, I noticed a certain glint in her eye at the prospect of competition. When she won a hand or two those first two days, I chalked it up to beginners luck. Then, she kept winning! It seemed that no matter the deal or the deck she had an abundance of aces to play with.

(It's ironic because in the 4th grade, I was in a play where I portrayed a cheated card player. My line was to say, "There ain't no 5 aces in a deck of cards..." (I did not write it and this was 4th grade!!!!) After I said this line, I was supposed to reach into my holster and discharge my cap gun. (We lived in the hood!) Unfortunately, the cap gun malfunctioned and I was the laughingstock of the 4th grade play!)

No matter what cards were given her, she seemed to have the upper hand the entire time. Believe it or not, I began to think that she was cheating! She's 6, but I wouldn't put it past her for a second! I started shuffling her cards for her with the same results. I even went and bought us a new deck, just in case there is some sophisticated card counting going on! But that proved ineffective as well.

I just can't explain it. That is, until this morning.

We drove to our usual spot and parked. I pulled out the deck and began to shuffle it as she moved to the front seat. She said, smiling with her two front teeth missing, "I'm going to win today."

Calmly, I retorted, "Don't be so confident. I think that this is Daddy's day." I said this with little confidence as I was pretty sure that I was going to lose. I know that I won't be getting an appearance on Oprah with that outlook, nor will the writer of "The Secret" be happy with me, but that is the truth.

Renae could almost smell blood. "I know I am going to win because I prayed about it."

"You prayed about it?"

"Yeah."

Now, I felt like I had to lose. I was desperately thinking of how I could possibly throw the game so that her faith would not be crushed. Heck, who am I kidding: There was no way I was going to win!

I randomized the deck, passed out the cards and played, wondering what the best outcome would be. It did not matter as she yet again destroyed me! It felt like this:

Frank: King! Renae: ACE!

Frank: Jack! Renae: QUEEN!!

Frank: Two! Renae: THREE!

The WHOLE GAME WENT THAT WAY EXACTLY! I could not believe it.

We measured the cards, a way to measure victory when you are out of time, and she won handily. In typical Sanchez fashion, she won, did a dance, gave out a scream of delight and laughed in her victim's face...ah, I miss that feeling...I just dejectedly put the cards back in their place.

Noting my downcast countenance, Renae looked at me and said, in all seriousness, "Daddy, you need to pray. Pray the promises!" Alright, so now I am worried that Renae has embraced the "Name it and claim it" doctrine! Bad theology AND she keeps beating me!? This is inexcusable!

But it led me to wonder: WHOSE SIDE IS GOD ON ANYWAY!? I'm a Pastor after all! Don't I get a little kickback in these occasions? If I pray tomorrow, then who is going to win? Does a win indicate favoritism? How am I supposed to feel if I lose?

These are the questions that plague me as we rapidly approach Friday. I'll keep you posted.

For now, perhaps you will join me in praying that I will win the next war! Yeah, maybe you better not!

Blessings...To Our Friends,
Frank Sanchez

A Word To Mothers

Hello All,

I was at the mechanic shop again this week, which provided me both with reading and conversation time. The conversation was with my very friendly and informative Persian mechanic. I really enjoy talking with and listening to him. In between conversation pieces, I generally read. Lately, I have been reading "The Story of Christianity" by Justo Gonzalez. In it, I came across this story that I have never heard before regarding the early church apologist, Origen. I'll let Justo do the talking:

"Clement's greatest disciple...was Origen. In contrast with Clement, Origen was the son of Christian parents. His father suffered martyrdom during the persecution of Septimus Severus-the same persecution that forced Clement to leave the city. Origen, who was still a young lad, wished to offer himself for martyrdom. But his mother hid his clothes and he was forced to remain at home, where he wrote a treatise on martyrdom addressed to his imprisoned father."
pg. 78

Can you imagine the conversation that morning?

Origen: Well, I'm on my way to give my life for the faith. Have you seen my clothes?

Origen's Mom: Why no honey. Where did you leave them?

O: No, Mom. ALL OF MY CLOTHES are gone!

O M: Well, imagine that! I wonder where they went to... (drifting off guiltily...)

O: Mom!?!? I wanted to be a martyr!

O M: Well dear, I'm sure when you find your clothes, they'll still be looking for willing candidates!

Well, that's one way to keep our kids from getting themselves into trouble!

Hope that helps you!

Blessings...To Our Friends,
Frank Sanchez

"It Was The First Day Of The First Grade..."

Hello All,

A few days ago, I drove my daughter to school for her first day of first grade. This was not her first day of school, as she has successfully navigated through, count them, 4 different schools and 5 different teachers! One of the schools was in Spain and two of the teachers were on the same campus last year. In an effort to provide some stability, Lela and I decided to hold her in Kindergarten and prayerfully, we'll see that pay off this year.

Going back to the driving part, let me take a moment and complain just a tad. Driving in Ladera, a society based largely on "the round" philosophy of courteous driving, really stinks when you are all going to the same place at the same time! Very frustrating, but I'm going to heaven so that takes care of that!

Now, here's what I wanted to write about. I parked the car and got Renae out as always. We walked to her line on the playground, which is a departure from last year, when I drove her up and a kind old gentleman escorted her to her line. This year, no gentleman and no singular class. The entire school is on the blacktop! Also, it's roughly an hour and some earlier. Add to this that it's the first day, everything is new, and it may just explain what happened next.

You see, Renae just stood there and processed all that she was seeing and the reality of this situation. We had been talking about the first day of school for a good while, so this was no surprise. I just wish that I had some insight into what was happening at this moment. She looked around and around, not saying anything, but thinking a mile a minute.

I spoke a few things to her, but as a parent, you know when things are simply falling on deaf ears.

"Are you ok?"

"Uh-huh."

"Do you want anything?"

"Uh-huh."

"Can I borrow money from your allowance?"

"Uh-huh."

She was in a total zombie state. I couldn't help but wonder if she was thinking about friendships, or assignments or how she would play on this new blacktop with all the "big kids." Maybe she was just overwhelmed, but I wanted to proverbially, yell in her face, across the chasm that separated me from her thoughts, and scream

"THIS DOESN'T DEFINE YOU!"

These people, these grades, these moments are not what makes up a life. These people, with some exceptions, will not be aware of your existence in a few years. By High School, virtually none of these kids, statistically speaking, will have influence in your life. These grades, aside from dictating your entry into another grade, will have little impact upon your life, except for maybe traumatizing you temporarily at the thought of having to repeat a grade. And these moments, that seem so significant now, will be a vague memory of your past, that you will struggle to recall, and then only partially.

Some of you might be thinking that I am anti-education. You would be mistaken. I am pro-education, though I might define that a bit different than you think. I am all about learning what it is that you are passionate about. Let kids go straight to college after they have learned the rudimentary stuff, and let them pick. Are you a musician? These are classes for you. You want to make a life out of creative doylie making? Hey, great! Here's a great business class with a master doylie maker!

"But hey, she's in first grade! Lighten up!"

Yeah, I hear you. But I struggle with moments like these ("I sing out a song...") where my daughter, son, or daughter, might value something other than what Christ thinks about them. Any other institution that competes for that moment or that place of significance, I hope, I pray, will pale in comparison to their Lord and God's place.

Now, before you object, I realize that many of you, found through the vehicle of schooling, God's will and path for your life. Good. And that is the way I want them to appropriate not just school, but any other vehicle in life.

"In this school, I might just be exposed to what God wants me to do in my life."

"In youth group, I hope that God will speak to me through the various events, etc."

"In church, I pray that God will powerfully move me toward His mission for my life."

That is different than:

"This (insert pet institution) defines (success, popularity, wisdom, life) this way. I need to acheive that."

Then again, she was probably just thinking about playing "War" with Daddy, a game she has already beaten me 3 times at since learning it on Monday! Yeah, I'm probably overreacting, but I hope that her confidence, her view of life, her passion and love will all be found in the only place where it can really come from for anyone, in Jesus Christ.

Blessings...To Our Friends,
Frank Sanchez

A Swimming Update...

Hello All,

For those who have been wondering, following the story: I swam the length and width of our pool in Ladera Ranch. I missed my goal by a day or so due to the Labor Day weekend, but I will rely on the technicality that I would have done it in August if it weren't for conflicting schedules.

So there: All of Lela's kids can now swim! No more pool jokes! No more "Aren't you afraid to baptize because you can't swim" jokes. HA!

My next target: Michael Phelps' Records...Yeah, I'll just continue to play the role of the shark while the kids play the part of the dolphins!

Just a few items of note and I'll close this blog...

- Renae started school today. I'll be blogging about that later this week, as I watched her get into school mode.

- I was "memed" by Aimee Walnofer some time ago. My response is on my Facebook, my telling you is an open invitation to friends here on this blog to seek my "friendship" on Facebook. I'll be interested if I can solicit my 100th friend from this blog.

- Last week, I started a blog dedicated to our kids. It's called "Our Parent's Private Library." If you look at our profile, you'll notice it on the blog roll. If you attempt to access it, you will be disappointed, as it can only be read by our kids, but will not be read by them until they are much older. In it, we (Lela will actually be writing there!) write private notes and letters of encouragement to them, documenting our thoughts about them for the future. I don't tell you to make you envious; I tell you because I think that it's a great idea and as a Parent, I have loved writing there. Maybe you will feel the same.

Blessings...To Our Friends,
Frank Sanchez