A Beautiful Reminder

So my husband and I bought a new car a few weeks ago.   It's the car I have been wanting and hoping for, for about 5 years.    I was waiting for the right timing and after praying over it, felt peace to to go ahead and make the trade from my current car.      I spent hours cleaning the old car, and making it look as shiny and new as possible.   I took everything out of it, and sorted all the paperwork and on Friday evening we went to the dealership.  After a few hours, we we off in our brand new, beautiful, car.  It was exciting.   This car checked all of the boxes for our family, you know?  Like extra seats the fold down in the back, and extra trunk space for the groceries I deliver for my part time job.  It was great and we were thankful.   I have had a few cars over the last 10 years or so, and this one, for me, for some reason, was the most exciting.   I was already picturing this car, as the one we would use to take kids to games, or pick them up from school, go on road trips, or teach my stepson to drive in.   Oh how dreams change as we get older haha....anyway back to the story

So, the next day my stepson had a soccer game.  I was so excited to drive the new car to the game.   We loaded up the camping chairs and soccer gear and headed out.   It was an early one, at least for a Saturday, (I mean who plans games for 9 am on a Saturday?) and we had to be there even earlier so my stepson could change into his uniform.   So at 8:30 we rolled into the parking lot, still drinking our morning coffee, and grabbed our lawn chairs and prepared to watch the kids play, along side dozens of other parents.     After the game, we loaded back into the car, and I started to back out of the spot.   This car has a rear camera which I am still getting use to, but this was only the second time I had used it, so I watched carefully as I pulled out of the spot.    I needed a little more room so I pulled forward slightly, and then preceded to put the car back into reverse to back up a few more feet. Just as I was about to pull forward the rest of the way to leave, we noticed in the rear camera a person backing up....before I could even honk my horn he had rear ended us.    Less than 24 hours after leaving the dealership, we had been hit.   I sat a little stunned for a minute while my husband got out of the car to talk to the other driver and then I pulled into another spot to see the damage.    Everyone was fine.   No injuries, and really, minimal damage.   But my bumper was no longer in it's new, pristine condition and my heart sank as I looked over the new scratches and dents.    I have been in accidents before, but never with a brand new car....and never a car that meant so much.   Somehow I held it together.    We exchanged insurance information, while the other driver apologized and admitted he did not look behind him as he was backing out.    While this didn't fix anything, I knew we would be able to resolve this situation.   But man was I bummed.    As I sit here my husband is researching a collision center for us to take the car too, so hopefully soon she...yes it's a she ;) will be good as new.  

That Sunday (the day after the accident) I was leading worship in the middle school room at our church.   I originally thought I would just keep the news to myself and not make a fuss, but then the Lord reminded me of something.     When we are in these kinds of situations, we have a choice.   A choice of how we are going to respond.   How we are going to handle these moments.     Our reaction is a choice, and we are the only ones who can make that choice.    I prayed, and continue to pray, that the Lord would use this story for good, and for His glory.    But what it led me tp think about, and what I also explained to the kids, is that this is the same kind of opportunity we have during our time worship.   We have a choice.   When His presence comes crashing in, disrupting our comfortable normal....pushing away our comfort zone or squeezing us out of our hiding places, what will our reaction be?   Will we choose to push Him away and stay in our safe place?   Will we choose to walk through the motions, simply standing and singing because it's what is expected, or because our friends are doing it?   Or will we choose to take a step closer, dive a little deeper, let the Holy Spirit have His way?    He already knows what we hide away.   The messy bits, and all the cracks.  But He won't force it on us, we have to choose it....Respond to it.  
When we feel disconnected from His presence, it's not Him, it's us.   We are the ones who drift away, letting our focus turn to ourselves or the things going on around us.  We are the ones who are being pulled in so many different directions that we forget to look up.    But like the song says "When You walk into the room, sickness starts to vanish, every hopeless situation ceases to exist, When You walk into the room, the dead begin to rise, cause there is resurrection life in all You do...." And that is the kind of encounter I want, that is the reaction I want to have in His presence.     So from now on, when I get in my car, or think about that accident, it will forever be a reminder to me to consider my response.     To make a choice.    To engage with the Father and choose His presence.    Who knew an accident could turn into such a beautiful reminder.  

Order and Chaos

The older I get the more OCD I become.   I know I know...this is a cliche thing to say these days, but it's honestly true.  Sometimes I literally drive myself nuts with the amount of time I spend thinking about the little things that need doing.   Stuff my husband wouldn't notice in 100 years, stands out to me like a highlighted line in a text book.    I haven't always been this way...I used to ignore dirty floors, or nail holes in the wall.   But I like order, cleanliness and precision.

Recently, This got me thinking about how we were created in the Lord's image.   Genesis 1:27 says it twice, as if to make sure you don't miss it the first time, "So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them."      No two people are the same, and that in and of itself speaks to the tremendous depth, and complexity of our Father, and of the gifts He has poured into each of us.

But the thing that strikes me and continues to amaze me as I think about it more and more, is that God is a God of order and clarity.  It tells us in 1 Corinthians 14:33, that He is a God of peace, not disorder.    He is by His very nature, organized, precise, and intentional.   He created a world with such structure and precision, that we are so deeply engrained with, It's easy to completely miss the Creator evidence all around us.   They are things we take for granted as "normal".  
We know the world is a fallen world, due to sin, and within that there is much chaos, hardship, brokenness, and calamity but...  
                                       His design was perfect.   His design reflects His character.
  He has given us the Grace to recognize and build upon some of these truths for our benefit, enjoyment, and development.   Things like Math, rhythm, Architecture, decorating, cooking... all come back to our God given ability to recognize pattern, structure, function, and plan....that already existed.   Other things like, law, government, schools, even jails....comes back to our God breathed ability and guidance to recognize order, growth, and peace....that already existed.   We did not create these things, we simply saw them around us and developed them into patterns, order, and function.

Think about music.   Rhythm itself, is just patterns.   So what turns it into music?  a melody, maybe some harmony, perhaps an instrument, layered over another.   But how do we even know what music is? Or have the ability to recognize when a note works with another, or a sound fits with another sound?    Even my husband, who does not sing and cannot play an instrument, can recognize a good song when it comes on the radio, or notice when someone sings flat...why?   What we know of as music, was built into the fabric of creation.   We are engrained with these principles by a creator who designed every detail down to the finest detail.  

Even our bodies recognize patterns and rhythms.   How often fo you wake up on a Saturday at the time when your alarm goes off Mon-Fri, even though you don't have too?   Or find yourself getting hungry the same times each day?
In our house, even our dogs have a schedule.   And they except us to follow it each day without exception.   They know what to expect and when to expect it....without a watch or calendar to look at.      I love this about the Lord's design.   I love that it shows the detail and great thought He put into His creation.  And how it speaks to an intelligent designer.  It reminds me of the passage that tells us "Even the rocks will cry out".   His creation speaks to His glory....even if we don't notice it.

As I looked up scripture related to chaos, what I noticed was this.  Who causes chaos in most cases?   We do.

Due to the Original Sin: Genesis 3:6-19
Due to Disobedience: Isaiah 24:5-6
Due to Wickedness: Genesis 6:5-7
Due to Pride: Jeremiah 49:31-32
Due to Hardened Hearts: Ephesians 4:18-19

What is the opposite of chaos?  peace.  And peace comes from the Lord

We are called to live in Peace: John 14:27
We are called to live in order:1 Corinthians 14:40
We are called to walk in obedience: Jonah 3:3
We are called to live in righteousness: Isaiah 32:17-18
We are called to dwell with Him: Psalm 91


Psalm 46:2-6 tells says "Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though the waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.    There is a river who's streams make glad the city of God.  The Holy place where the Most High dwells.  God is within her, she will not fall: God will help her at break of day.   Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall, He lifts His voice, the earth melts."

God is a God of peace and the creator of the universe.   In Romans 1:20 we read "For since the creation of the world, God's invisible qualities- His eternal power and divine nature-Have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.  
If He can build this amazing, complex, intricate world, full of creator evidence, that within it exists things like structure, order, function, and logic, all the while weaving throughout time and space the story of Love, Hope and Redemption, then surely He can keep us, protect us, and guide us today.

Press On

About...goodness, 9 or 10 years ago now, I went through a bit of a rough spiritual season.  It wasn't something that happened overnight, but just a gradual distance that I allowed to develop between the Father and I.  I started walking on a path that was not the one I knew in my heart, (but chose to ignore) that He had for me,  making some choices that were not stupendous, I had stopped going to church or reading the word, didn't pray much.....pretty much parked my faith on the back burner.    Looking back now, I can see the Lord's hand all over that season, in His protection, covering, and guidance, even in my choices.   But at the time, though I knew in my heart He was with me, I did not live in that truth.   Around the time I had reached a point that was probably the lowest for me, there were a few circumstances that began to turn the spiritual tide of my heart.    After a short period of time I found myself back in church, involved in a young adults study, digging into the word with an intensity and passion I had never had before and pouring myself out in worship every day for hours at a time.   I fell in love with the Lord in a new way.   A way I had never really known His love in my life....much I imagine, like the prodigal son coming home.   The group of friends who I had grown close to throughout this season (many of whom I am still good friends with now), were all coming out of similar seasons.   We joined together as kindred spirits, all seeking to know this king who had redeemed us.   Desperate for His presence, and  thankful for what He brought us out of.   It was a time of spiritual growth like I have never experienced before.   Still to this day, I look back at that time with such joy and gratitude.  
    A few days ago I was thinking about that season.  About how much I missed those Bible studies, sitting in a living room with a few dozen friends, praying and worshipping, discussing books or passages of scripture.    Encouraging one another and experiencing what I can only describe as an Acts like fellowship.
Since that time we have scattered.   Most of us married, many with kids.   A few of us moved on to work in different ministries, some left to go to another church, some have moved away, a few of us stayed behind where it all began.    But regardless it was a season that has shaped me even to this day.    And at times I think "If I could only go back" or "I wish things were like they were then"
But the Lord reminded me recently,  that while the memories are precious and the season fruitful, it was just that....a season.    And to dwell in the past, no matter how amazing it was, will not help but rather harm me in the present.   Not because we should forget, or because we should not be reminded of His faithfulness to us.   But because if we are looking back at the past, we aren't looking forward toward Him.   That season served its purpose....a great one, and I don't think I would have been adequately prepared for all He has called me to over the last decade had it not been for that sweet time in my life.   I am thankful, but we are called to press on toward the goal to win the prize, not get stuck on mile marker 23.   And maybe that verse is in scripture, partly to act as a reminder for us to keep moving forward regardless of what season we just came out of, or are moving into.    Not to get stuck in a moment in time, good or bad, that has shaped us for better or worse.  But rather to press on, take that next step, move forward trusting...knowing that the Lord will use every moment for His glory.   That He will redeem every tear, and polish every scratch, He will mend the broken heart, or use the victory for the good of the kingdom....but we have to be willing to take the next step.  We have to be willing to move on and let the Lord do the rest.

A Thousand Times a Day

Happy new year!   It's hard to believe it's already 2018.   Seems like yesterday I had finally gotten use to signing checks with 17 on them, and now it's a whole new year.    This period of time when we reflect on a year over, with a new one lying ahead, is always for me, a time of remembering with sentimentality mixed with sadness, on what has been that will never be again.   Paired along side excitement and anticipation toward the newness, the possibilities and the potential, that a new year brings.   I was thinking a few days ago about all that happened this past year.   So much change, challenge, and growth.    So much business.   So very busy.   And while it was good things mostly, I realized that to some extent it has become a my normal to be busy.  Culturally we have conditioned ourselves that change is good, being busy means you are achieving something, and the quicker we can get things done the better.   Our food has gotten faster, our jobs suck up more hours, our errands can be done online, so that we don't even have to stop what we are doing to go to the store.   This started me thinking about my parents.     They are an older generation.   A generation that grew up without the choices and options we have today.   And my parents, who are by no means behind the times, bare the evidence of this in their lives.   They have lived in the same house for almost 30 years, and they have stayed with the same insurance company throughout this entire span of time.  They have the same phone service (AT&T) they have had since the day my dad brought home his first brick cell phone.  They even have some of the same furniture they had when we moved into the house....and I love it.   Every time I think about it, it fills me with a sense of peace and stability.  now don't get me wrong, there can be benefit to shopping around for a cheaper rate on your home owners insurance, or switching cell phone carriers to the unlimited plan.   But the thing I can't help but think is....it's a mindset.   They aren't trying to constantly change or upgrade everything, comparing themselves with their neighbor's plan or feeling unsatisfied because they have an older car or a less "trendy" landscaping.   they are just happy with what they have.    This mentality is missing I think, from a lot of the current cultural trends and attitudes.    And I think it can affect us spiritually if we aren't careful.   We want a fast food faith.     Memes and one liners fill our social media feeds.  We have church on line or on tv.    And even when we go to a service, we want it to fit within a time frame we have decided is appropriate for a Sunday service.  If it goes to long, or doesn't follow a certain format we expect, we begin to grow impatient.   We want that part of our lives to fit neatly into the portion of time we designate for it.    But here is the thing,  a fast food faith will produce low quality fruit.   We have to make the choice ourselves to take the time with the Lord.   Prioritize Him.   To ask Him what we can do for Him, instead of asking Him to fit into our lives.    Even good things, can be bad things, if they pull us away from His presence.   I am the worst of them all when it comes to this.     I struggle with the idea that it is not only ok, but for our good to stop.   To rest.   To wait on the Lord.  

Brother Lawerence said it best in his book The Practice of the Presence of God

"Whatever we do, even if we are reading the Word or praying, we should stop for a few minutes-as often as possible-to praise God from the depths of our hearts, to enjoy Him there in secret. Since we believe that God is always with us, no matter what we may be doing, why shouldn't we stop for a while to adore Him, to praise Him, to petition Him, to offer Him our hearts, and to thank Him?
What could please God more than for us to leave the cares of the world temporarily in order to worship Him in our spirits? These momentary retreats serve to free us from our selfishness, which can only exist in the world.  In short, we cannot show our loyalty to God more than by renouncing our worldly selves as much as a thousand times a day to enjoy even a single moment with Him.   This doesn't mean we must ignore the duties of the world forever; that would be impossible.  Let prudence be our guide.  However, I do believe that it is a common mistake of Spirit-filled people not to leave the cares of the world periodically to praise God in their spirits and to rest in the peace of His divine presence for a few moments."

I pray that 2018 would be a year of resting in His presence.   Not rushed or hurried.     That our business would be an inconvenience to spending time in His presence, rather than the other way around, and that we would choose to stop a thousand times a day if necessary to be with Him, thank Him, praise Him, and worship Him.  
  

The Humble King

So I'm walking through the store, aisle after aisle, familiar and mundane.   Picking up items for the order I was working, confident I would finish in time and be on my way.  In case I forgot to mention I work for Shipt.   It's a grocery delivery service I have worked for for a little over two years.   So this is no new occurrence for me....in fact I have been in this store so many times I know most of the employees by name and even know the products so well, people ask me where to find things instead of the employees....anyway, I digress...So I am walking through the store and get to the frozen section.    As I get closer to the part of the aisle containing the frozen broccoli I needed for my order, I notice that one of the managers, Tony, is talking to a young man sitting in one of those motorized carts.   I could tell that the conversation was a little tense and as I got closer I realized why.  It was clear that he was neither injured, nor planning to use the cart for its intended purpose.  It was also clear that Tony, despite his role as an authority, and his job keeping the store a safe and pleasant environment, was being blatently disrespected, regardless of his attempts at a calm, rational, resolution.   But rather then asserting the authority he rightfully possessed, or getting angry a the disrespect, he remained calm and stable through the entire confrontation.   I told him later on that it was all I could do not to give the kid a piece of my mind, but that I was very impressed at how he managed to divert the situation without becoming angry, or escalating the situation any further. His steady humility against someone who really had no right or ground to behave the way he did, really shone a light on his character.

With Christmas coming, I have been thinking a lot lately about what it meant for Jesus to come down to earth, not just as a man but as a baby.  

Think about this for a minute.    He came as a baby.  A newborn from the womb.    Crying, sleeping, unable to control how he was treated.  Unable to do anything for Himself.  Needing to be fed, cleaned, changed...Unable to protect Himself or anyone else.    And then think about this for a minute.   And He didn't just come to exist in that moment.   He existed before, in heaven with His Father.   Honored, worshiped, loved, with no pain, suffering, or trials.   While I understand as a human some of the beauty in our world, and the wonder of life, I also understand, even in my own life, the pain, hurt, disappointment, trials, we face every day.   And let's call it what it is....His life was not easy.   Even from the beginning He was born in a manger.   Dirty and smelly, unclean, no medical attention or even a proper bed.
 Even on our best days it pails in comparison to the glory He deserved and even on our worst it falls so short of the suffering He endured.   It's hard to fathom.   And while we know He was God and Man, this does not in any way negate or minimize the incredible, unbelievable, extraordinary love and humility that was shown in this act.    As though dying wasn't enough, He gave up literally everything, to come and be helpless.   To come and suffer.   To come as an infant where He may not have even been cognitively aware of who He was for a period of time.   This.     This is why we celebrate Christmas.    Why we celebrate His birth.

Tony showed such humility that day in the store.  He chose to lay down his pride for a total stranger who did not deserve this grace.     And it was a tangible reminder to me of what Christ did for us, on such a huge scale.  He chose humility to the point of complete and total surrender, all so that we could have a way to the Father.    
 I can't help but feel an incredibly deep sense of gratitude toward my king for what He did for us.

Why Do We Worship?

Recently I was asked to speak to the middle school class at my church.    In this precious class there is a worship team made up of mostly middle schoolers with a few of us grown ups.     Our goal as adult leaders, is to grow, encourage, and lead these kids in developing their abilities, strengthening their understanding of worship,  growing as leaders within their class, and building a community.   They are the future leaders of the church.  They are the ones who follow behind us and we do not want to miss the opportunity to pour into them now.    Once every few months we get them together after service and do a bit of a pow wow if you will....(busting out the old verbiage on that one lol).  We feed them, encourage them, and then have them take turns playing through a few different worship songs.   I was asked during this past pow wow (there is is again) to speak to them about what worship means to me.    Now if any of you have been reading my blogs, you probably already have a pretty good idea what I might say.   And at first, my mind went to many of the things I have talked about in past blogs.    But then I stopped and thought, "To really answer this question, I need to answer a question of my own....Why do we worship?"  
So I set out to answer this question for myself.    
I'm sure I have heard sermons on this a time or two in my life, but honestly, I don't know that I have ever asked myself this question with the intention of finding out what the Word says, rather then just inserting my own answers or reflecting on things others have said about the subject.
As I read the Word, and found Biblical reasons for worship (and these are only a fraction of the scriptures I came across on the subject), I realized that these were more then just nice things to share with the middle school kids.   These were scriptures that stood out to me like the roots of a tree.   Our walk, as we grow in the Lord and in the knowledge of His word, grows from this root base, into the trunk, branches and eventually fruit of the tree.   These verses are like the roots of the Worship branches.   I long to hide these in my heart, and meditate on them as a foundation for everything the Lord calls me to.   I hope they encourage you as well.


We worship to glorify His name-We are called to bring Him glory through Worship
1 Chronicles 16:29
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him. Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.

We worship to obey-We are called as the righteous sons and daughters of the Lord to Praise Him in song
Psalm 33:1
Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him.

We worship to give thanks-We are called to reflect on all He has done and with awe, thank Him as an act or worship
Hebrews 12:28
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,

We worship to fight Spiritual battles-We are called to wage war in the heavenly realm, trusting the Lord to fight the battle as we worship
2 Kings 17:39
Rather, worship the LORD your God; it is he who will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies."

We worship to lay down our crowns-We are called to humility.  To lower ourselves so that He can be lifted high
Revelation 4:10-11
the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11“Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”

We worship in Spirit and in Truth-We are called as children of God to worship not in flesh and blood but in Spirit and truth.   It's not about our gifts, but rather how we use them.
John 4:23-24
23“But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. 24“God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” 

We worship with a pure heart-We are not called to walk through motions or duplicate an experience.  We are called to invite His presence, glorify His name, and allow Him to move, regardless of what it looks like, what it sounds like, or what we have seen before.  To lay down our agenda and simply use the tools we have been given to praise Him.
Isaiah 29:13
The Lord says: "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught.

Eternal Legacy

We tell our kids that what feels good isn’t always what is good for you.  That in fact sometimes it is those very things that can cause us harm.   We discipline them to show them right from wrong and the reality of consequences because we love them and we want them to grow up to be strong, wise, and good.   We understand that life is not easy and that it takes work to live a healthy productive life.   And yet...when it comes to our faith, so often we choose the easy path.   The one that doesn’t push us to far outside of our comfort zone.   Or make us look bad in front of our friends or our boss.   The one that keeps us in our safe bubble of security in salvation without any cost.    We seek out that sermon that makes us feel good.  Or avoid that church because the pastor is too challenging.   Or maybe stop participating in the Bible study because it’s too hard to get homework done and kids to bed and make time for the word.  So often it’s those subtle moment to moment decisions that slowly eek away at our purpose, our focus.  They pull us down to this world, and keep our focus horizontal, rather than vertical.  It’s not even that those things are bad.   Working, sports, church events...But the question becomes, what is the legacy that we want to leave for our kids?    When we are gone, what do we want them to remember? To emulate? Do we want them to remember that we lived a long healthy life with money, possessions, travels, lots of friends?   That we worked hard, aimed for earthly happiness?   Or do we want them to have the legacy of a family that lived with honor, integrity and truth regardless of the circumstances, or the consequences.  That we gave generously, prayed fiercely, obeyed relentlessly, and followed courageously the prompting of the Holy Spirit in our lives.      In John chapter 9 there is the story of a blind man who Is healed by Jesus.  The Pharisees were not sure what to think of this man Jesus, and were trying to find out what had happened and if it was indeed a miracle or trickery.   They called for the blind man and inquired about the healing.   He claims in verse 17 that “Jesus is a prophet”.   Still unsatisfied that this event was a miracle they called for his parents.    In verse 19 we see that they ask his parents “Is this the one you say was born blind?  How is it that now he can see?”   We read on in Verses 20-25

 “We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind.  But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know.  Ask him.  He is of age; he will speak for himself” His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue.   That is why his parents said “He is of age, ask him”.  A second time they summoned the man who had been blind.  “Give glory to God by telling the truth,” they said.  “We know this man is a sinner.”  He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not I don’t know.  One thing I do know.  I was blind and now I see!”   

As I read this passage I was amazed at a few things.   First of all, this man has just received site after being blind all his life but his parents were so afraid of the Jewish leaders that they threw him completely under the bus the minute they were brought into the picture.  Their fear drives their actions and forces their son to defend himself alone.   And rather than allowing him the joy of being healed, he is forced to be questioned while his parents deny him their support.     He boldly states his thoughts but all that gets him is ridicule and eventually we read in verse 34 that they throw him out of the synagogue.   Now we know that as followers of Christ there will be times of ridicule and persecution...but I can’t help but wonder what would have happened If his parents had had his back.  Or even more, had gone before him and taken the brunt of the questioning and ridicule.     Our kids have and will face challenges and difficulties probably even beyond anything we have ever or will ever face.   The world is growing more and more against the things of the Kingdom of God and increasingly falling into darkness.   If we do not take a stand now to be parents who fight for our kids.  Stand up for them, and choose to leave a legacy of faith, then they will be left to defend themselves.   They will be left to answer for their faith against a world that wants to find any reason to throw a stone.   It is time to get out of our comfort zone and take a stand against the enemy for our children.   Let's create a legacy of more then earthly value.   An eternal legacy.  Something they can stand upon, to build their own foundation.  To go before them and show them the way.