children

Buddies Make Movie Tickets

13 Jan ’12 By Christopher Hopper 18 Comments

Buddies do things together.

They make tree forts, play basketball, and go swimming in the river.

Buddies help each other, too.

They pull out splinters, fix bike chains, and make movie tickets for each other when their parents are too busy to take them to the real thing.

But when buddies grow up, they become “friends.”

While the term of endearment may change, the need for their nearness doesn’t. Tree forts become cook outs and bike chains become marriage advice. If anything, we need our buddies even more as adults than we did as children.

God never intended us to be solely self-dependent or self-reliant. Nor was our birth family alone supposed to be the end-all solution for companionship; it’s interesting that Jesus himself is alluded to as a “friend” that’s superior in calibre to that of a birth brother (Prov. 18:24).

While I have positive occasional contact with my childhood buddies, most of the men in my life today are products of providence and of choice cultivated over the last ten years or so.

And I am very blessed indeed. We’ve traded peanut butter and jelly for dinning room entrees, BMX bikes for minivans, and Ataris for iPhones. But the genuine care for one another’s health and wellbeing hasn’t changed at all.

Maybe it’s just stronger.

To all the men close to me today: thanks for being my pals. I couldn’t do this without you. Nor would I want to.

If there are buddies in your world who’ve helped you navigate and enjoy the waters of life, make sure to thank them this week. I’m sure you’ll find they’re just as grateful.

Who knows; maybe they’ll even do a real movie with you just for fun. ch:

Filed Under: culture, leadership Tagged With: advice, buddies, childhood, children, counseling, encouragement, friendship, help, marriage, success, support, the movies

Operation Christmas Child Warehouse

1 Dec ’11 By Christopher Hopper 4 Comments

My sister Natalie just sent me pics and video of her and her husband Joe working at the OCC processing plant in North Carolina.

Given how much our church participates in this program every Fall, you’d think I’d know the stats on how many boxes go through this place. All I can tell you is, it’s a lot.

So here’s to the generous people who’ve donated time and money to make this venture what it is to millions of children each year. ch:

Filed Under: #heavenmeetsearth, culture, leadership, pictures Tagged With: children, giving, Joe, Natalie, NC, OCC

Nostalgia

19 Oct ’11 By Christopher Hopper 16 Comments

nos·tal·gia/nä?stalj?/
Noun:
A sentimental longing for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations.

This photo, shot earlier this year in our red room, is stunning to me for two reasons.

The first is the moment it captured. Judah’s back is turned, implying I snuck in unannounced. Which I did. As if we’re spying on a private discovery-jam session. The depth of field, the lighting through the window, and the detailed simplicity all contribute to a well composed image.

The second is that this is a near perfect recreation of me…30-years ago. A different house, a different guitar (also belonging to my mother, as is the one in the shot to his mommy), and a captivating fascination with making an instrument emanate sound through simple touch.

One of the most incredible anomalies that occurs in parenting is the wonder of seeing yourself manifest – most often unannounced and uncultivated – in the lives of your children.

Reproduction isn’t just an act, it’s a process. One that creates legacy.

I can only insist through personal experience that the heavenly Father feels the same way we do. Seeing His own nature, His own character, likes, and habits suddenly appear in His children has got to be thrilling. And rewarding.

And makes Him proud. Simply because we’ve been reproduced. After Him.

The worthwhile questions to ask? “What God-traits of my Father am I exhibiting naturally?” (Because I have His nature now – 2 Peter 1:4). “How and to whom am I helping reproduce after Christ?”

The beauty of seeing myself in Judah is that I’m not looking back. I’m enjoying the moment, and looking ahead.

The danger of nostalgic emotions is letting them dupe you into believing yesterday was better than today. Yesterday could never be better than today because the beauty of the present is hidden within free will; the past has already been decided and is dated. It has neither the power nor the potential of the present.

So choose wisely. Your future nostalgia depends on it. ch:

Filed Under: culture, leadership, music, The Hopper Kids, worship Tagged With: children, guitars, judah, looking ahead, looking back, starting early

Celebrating Good Men

10 Oct ’11 By Christopher Hopper 24 Comments

Negative sells. That’s why we subconsciously think dads are dead beats by default in the news world.

The opposite is true, however, at least in my little corner of the map.

So here’s to highlighting two amazing men that humbly represent manhood to their generation, two men who’ll never make the 6 o’clock news simply for being great: Jason Clement (center) and Nathan Reimer (right).

Men who endeavor to be faithful husbands; who care deeply about the physical and spiritual wellbeing of their wives and children; who work more than their share of long hours in order to be proven good stewards; who are faithful friends, spanning time and distance; and who’ve resolved to point their children toward Jesus by first submitting their own lives before God as living examples of obedience, most often feeling they’ve missed the mark when the Father is thrilled that they’re even trying.

We’re charged in Titus 1 to be “lovers of good men.” And I’m honored to call them two of my very dearest friends. So glad they could finally meet yesterday.

Negative may sell, but it’s forgotten. Positive leaves legacy. ch:

CELEBRATE A GOOD MAN YOU KNOW. LEAVE A COMMENT ABOUT THEM.

Filed Under: culture, leadership Tagged With: children, dads, examples, fatherhood, Jason Clement, legacy, nathan reimer, role models

The F- Word

5 Oct ’11 By Christopher Hopper 4 Comments

Somalia headlines from September 5th 2011:

Last night I was scraping the unused portion of a can of refried beans into the trash.

The trash.

Which leads me to One.

I’m a subscriber. Because I think there are certain efforts – regardless of your politics – that deserve our attention and our money.

I was first assaulted by the pictures coming out of Somalia a few weeks ago. I even made a file on my desktop of them. Just to berate myself. Intentionally.

Today’s letter from Bono via the one.org mailing list was especially moving. As was the video on the “F- word.”

“Famine is man-made.”

Certainly one of the more powerful branding lines.

Watch the video. Sign the petition.

It’s it worth it for the 30,000 children we can never get back. ch:

Filed Under: culture, leadership Tagged With: aid, Bono, children, death, famine, health, One.org

Made From Scratch

23 Sep ’11 By Christopher Hopper 19 Comments

And then there was a new person.

I love meeting people. All over the world. Some formal introductions with significant long-term ramifications; others simple nods or handshakes, first names only, soon forgotten upon exiting the parking lot.

But it’s another thing to meet a person when no one else has ever met them.

Because that person was made from scratch.

The fact that – in the original intention of it all – God designed human beings to be created out of love is fundamentally grand. What could be simpler? What could be more extravagant?

That God would trust the power of perpetuating the human race to the human race.

And then there was Levi. ch:

Filed Under: culture, The Hopper Kids Tagged With: birth, children, legacy, Levi, the human race

When Succession Becomes Legacy

25 Aug ’11 By Christopher Hopper 11 Comments

On the heels of yesterday’s post about Apple’s attention to detail, came the historic business news that Steve Jobs had resigned as Apple’s CEO in a letter to his Board.

Certainly, Jobs’ hand on the helm did more for Apple than most companies could ever dream of. But I was very curious to read his entire letter, as my father always quoted King Solomon in saying, “It is more important how you leave a place than how you enter it.”

In his letter Jobs is as concise and efficient as expected, soft-spoken and honoring. But there was one section in particular that caught my eye:

As far as my successor goes, I strongly recommend that we execute our succession plan and name Tim Cook as CEO of Apple.

And then it hit me: what’s my succession plan?

The fact is, we’re all going to be fazed out. Terminated. Pink-slipped. Whether in our job or in life, someone – or something – is going to replace us.

The question must be asked then, are we planning for it? Or when it happens, will it catch everyone off guard, including–

(You may not even be able to finish your own sentence).

Good leaders plan for their end, and position replacements accordingly. That’s just good leadership. Because you care about the people and the entities you’re leaving behind. Or else you wouldn’t have risen to that place of stewardship to begin with. (Notice I don’t place Gaddafi in either the leadership or stewardship departments).

Within the first year of our marriage I took out a life insurance policy. Whether I was replaced by another loving husband or not, as a leader I wanted the provisional need felt in my absence to be taken care of. That’s good leadership.

As a Youth Pastor, I know it’s not my call to fill that role forever, so I’m actively preparing the guy that will replace me as I move into my next season of local church leadership.

And as a Christian on the earth, one advancing the Kingdom for God’s glory, I’m training up my children in the ways they should go, believing they will do more, win more, believe more, travel more, love more, live more, and see more for Jesus than I ever could.

In light of those ideas, preparing a succession plan becomes a joy. Because I’m leaving a legacy, not a position.

Is yours in place? ch:

Filed Under: culture, leadership Tagged With: apple, children, Family, insurance, planning, Steve Jobs, succession, thinking ahead, work

SuperCity Kickoff

9 Aug ’11 By Christopher Hopper Leave a Comment

KIDSfest kicked-off last night with record attendance. And it was such an honor to finally be a part of!

Normally during this time frame, Jennifer and I are off somewhere in the world, so we’re never around for New Life’s annual VBS week. But this year we wanted to stay home and support our kids, which means Pastor Leah Woodkirk also wrangled us into leading worship. In truth, it’s something Jennifer and I’ve wanted to do for years, and this time around it just worked. What fun! We even wrote a theme song to go with the all-original curriculum, SuperCity.

My hat is off to Leah and her staff for putting on a truly memorable and life-changeing event for our children. Now more than ever, as a father, I appreciate their hard work: Evangeline was at the kitchen table this morning memorizing scripture – using her iPhone to record my voice. That’s not cheating, is it? ch:

Filed Under: production, The Hopper Kids, worship Tagged With: children, KIDSfest, scripture, SuperCity, VBS

Wall Art

8 Jan ’11 By Christopher Hopper 19 Comments

Did you ever have a class that frustrated you in school? How about a particular teacher? Maybe their view on things differed from yours. Or maybe their treatment of a certain subject or student really got on your nerves.

If you’re like me, those memories have lingered with you.

One of my most frustrating seasons during high school was in art class. Now mind you, I loved art. And I really had a soft spot for all of my art teachers. Even the crazies. (I know you had a few, too). But it wasn’t art class itself that bothered me. It was subjective versus objective analysis that did.

I was a late bloomer in math. But once I bloomed, I was a straight “A” student. Unusual for a right-brained kid. And when the teacher graded the tests, a problem was either solved correctly, or it wasn’t. But in art, the grading seemed very subjective. I remember getting incredibly frustrated when my teacher would give one student a fabulous mark on a piece that I thought was “all right,” while the student who produced something truly exceptional was handed a “C.”

What?!

That’s because art, in its most simple form, is subjective.

Yeah, I know a particular teaching (and resulting assignment) can focus on a specific rule or technique. Rule of thirds. Pointillism. Contrast. Minimalism. But at the end of the day, art, unlike math, has no right answers. It simply is. And so the very notion that a teacher could pass or fail a student by what simply is drove me bonkers. Later on I would learn that my art teachers graded very much like God does, but not nearly as well.

Most of us want God to grade life like math. Right or wrong. Pass or fail. Black or white. I want God to be fair. For bad people to get what they deserve, and good people more so. The only problem is that God is not fair.

But He is just.

Justice is doing the right thing for the right person at the right time. And the only person who ever knows that perfectly is the Holy Spirit. The inherent human problem with administering justice, unlike the Holy Spirit, is that we’re not very good at delivering it. Because we never have all the information all the time, now matter how much we think we do. But God always does.

The wall art hanging around my house is a perfect example of this.

The crumpled, ripped, and drooled on papers lining the refrigerator doors and walls of my house would last about 5 seconds under the scrutiny of any art museum curator. “Cute” is about all I’d get. That’s fair. But it’s not just. Because the museum curator has no idea that they were made by my kids, and as a result, have incredible intrinsic value. To me.

Regardless of what the world perceives, from your motives to your efforts to your productivity, they will always have limited information. Always. There is an all-seeing God, however, who doesn’t miss a beat. He sees it all, and He knows you. You’re offering Him your time, your talent, your treasure. From your marriage to your attitude with your boss, He knows. And trust me, whatever you’re offering to Him, no matter what the world’s standards are, it means the world to Him.

And it’s hanging on His fridge right now. ch:

Filed Under: culture, hopper clan, leadership Tagged With: children, grades, objective, subjective, wall art

Switzerland: Day 2

18 Sep ’10 By Christopher Hopper 4 Comments

To finish off day 2, I was treated to an incredible lunch at a secluded restaurant tucked in the valley of two mountain ranges. Check out my food post to see some incredible pics of Swiss cuisine.

Following the meal, I was taken back to the venue to preach a message on Romans 12 and what it means to prophesy according to our faith and not human reasoning (one produces words of life, the other produces pronouncements of judgement).

The service continued with even more worship, moving on into the night’s evening meeting. But I was to be taken to another part of the city to minister to the children. And what fun we had! While I love the adults, I sometimes feel much of my music is more child-like. What can I say?–I like hand motions. After sharing a small message with them, I had them draw pictures of how they could share Jesus with their friends; the results were so moving.

Finally, my driver (Stephane) and I stopped at Chez Alex for my favorite kebab in Switzerland! Not only was the food incredible, but we were able to reconnect with some of the staff who not only remembered me from last time, but insisted I watch a video on his phone while he prepared my kebab. I was so touched he had kept the video on his phone all the way from January! Finally, he treated us to some Turkish Mint Tea…on the house. ch:

christopher hopper in switzerland yverdon day 2

Filed Under: culture, news Tagged With: children, conference, kebab, switzerland

5 Miles for a Dream

13 Aug ’10 By Christopher Hopper 9 Comments

Michelle Salisbury was an incredible girl in our church who died in a car accident on October 5^th 2009 at 21 years old.

Her greatest dream?

Get married and have children.

So we’re dedicating our entire children’s wing to her, LIFEtown, at New Life Christian Church as a memorial.

I’m looking for friends to help sponsor me, Jenny, and the kids for the Michelle Salisbury Memorial Walk on August 21^st. I’m asking for pledges between $1-$5 per mile (total $5 to $25 for the entire walk). Obviously more is appreciated, but I’m trying to make it feasible for as many people as possible.

If you’re willing to contribute, please make a comment below, and I’ll email you privately with instructions. Then pass this on to all your friends; I’d like to get a few hundred sponsors personally.

Thanks for considering investing in her legacy! You all are the best bloggies a guy could ask for. ch:

Filed Under: culture Tagged With: car accident, children, memorial walk, michelle salisbury

5 Things I’ve Learned About God Since Becoming a Dad

27 Feb ’10 By admin 12 Comments

boy-1

In the months and years since the birth of my kids, I have been inspired by a few truths about fatherhood that all have one thing in common – they are all attributes of MY father in HEAVEN. I’m sure there are many more than these, but for now, I’d like to list just 5 things that I have learned about God since becoming a dad.5

1. God Really, Really Loves Us!

The only words I can use to compare my life before and after the birth of my first child are these: “Drastically different!” From the moment my little girl was born, everything changed. I’m not talking about the physical changes or the late nights or the non-stop supply of spit rags & dirty clothes…I’m talking about inside me. Everything within me had changed. I was a different person. I was given a new identity. I was a father and I knew only one thing: I LOVE MY DAUGHTER! If I, a broken, damaged, forgetful and insensitive guy could love something as much as I love my little girl, HOW MUCH MORE would God, our own Father in Heaven, love us?!

2. God Really, Really Loves Us!

I’m sorry, did I just repeat myself? Looks like I did. Don’t skip over this! You think this is not important? I’ll say it another way. If you get this point wrong, you will misinterpret everything else that God does in your life! What’s worse, if we don’t understand how great our heavenly father’s love for us is, not only will we will misinterpret Him, but we will misrepresent him to everyone we meet!

3. God Loves To See Us Smile

When I said that I changed when I became a dad, I wasn’t kidding. I started acting weird. I started making strange noises. I started spending my hard-earned cash on the craziest things. Why? Because I found an addiction. I was addicted to the happiness of my kids! I would do anything (and I mean ANYTHING!) to make them smile and my wife was no better. We would buy them gifts for no reason, clothes they wouldn’t fit into for another 6 months, flowers that would create an endless trail of petals around the house and more for no other reason than to see that smile! I discovered the source of God’s need for extravagance.

4. God Wants To Include Us In His Lifestyle

Something my wife and I agreed on when she became pregnant was that we did not want our lifestyle to finish. Adapt and change, yes. End, no! So we modified our hobbies to include our kids. We were, and still are, avid hikers, so we donned our child-carrying backpacks and chose some easier trails but all so we could include them in our passions. Ever joined someone on something they are passionate about? Pretty soon, you become passionate about it. It’s the same with our kids and it’s the same with God. When we join God in His passions, his heart becomes our heart and what is important to him, becomes important to us

5. God Protects His Kids!

If my first thought when I saw my daughter on as she was born was, “I’m in love!” my second thought was this: “Touch her, and you’re dead!”

I once heard a story from some old friends of mine (now married) of the first time ‘the girl’ brought ‘the boy’ home to meet ‘the parents’. The boyfriend was met at the door by her dad. As he looked at him, my friend saw that he was holding bullet in his hand and was slowly tossing it up in the air and catching it again. This went on for an eternity before finally the father tossed it over to the boy and said these words: “If you mess with my daughter and the next one is coming a whole lot quicker!”

If I am sure of nothing else in my life right now, I know this…I will defend my kids to the death. I will hurt, crush, kill and destroy anything that comes against them and I won’t feel bad doing it. I think when God said, “Vengeance is mine…” he had just that in mind.

I know we can easily look around you and find ways to convince ourselves that some of these points aren’t true. Usually, that starts when we haven’t gotten the first two points down deep. If that’s the case, I’d like to encourage you to start a conversation with your Father in heaven, wipe the slate clean if you need to, and start from the beginning. Jesus said of Himself, “My Father and I are one.” Notice that He didn’t say, “I only represent my Father’s ‘good’ side.” How often do we view the Father as a vengeful judge just waiting to unleash fury all the while we have poor Jesus is standing in front of us pleading him His Father to stop? That’s simply not what Jesus said.

So find the points that affect you the most and ask Him what He thinks about them. Then, ask Him what he thinks about you. Trust me, if you’re listening to the Father (and not something else), it’ll line up.

__________________

About the Author

Brad Crabtree is an executive pastor at DaySpring Church, Sydney, Australia. He is married to Amber and is father of 3 awesome kids. The best way to his heart is through an excellent cup of coffee or a solid trek through a jungle somewhere…preferably, both at the same time!

twitter.com/bcrab)

Filed Under: culture Tagged With: children, God, guest blogger, love