Sweetie, Santa is EVIL!

I did it. I had the talk with my daughter, the TALK! It was difficult, calculated and well a bit overwhelming. At age five my wife and I thought it was vital that we have this conversation. I told her that Santa was a figment of a capitalist agenda and that the jolly old man was evil. I told her to look closely at his white beard, his cherry red nose and the big bag of gifts that he lugged around for children – clearly it is obvious that old Kris Kringle is a mean evil man. How else would you explain flying reindeers and an over weight dude breaking into houses through a chimney? If that wasn’t enough, I told my daughter to cover her ears every time she heard that cultic chant, “ho – ho – ho!” It could save her soul from the wicked Christmas “spirit.”

If you believe anything I just wrote, you are extremely gullible and we defintely need to hang cause we would have a blast! However, I do think this is a worthy discussion. How do we explain a cultural icon like Santa Clause to our children? How do we preserve the integrity of our faith, the scriptures and the honest relationships we have with our kids?  How do we do this without being a total killjoy or ruin a young and sprouting imagination?

From the beginning my wife and I decided to maintain the joyful and fun holiday spirit, encourage our daughter’s imagination yet include the historical reality and spiritual implication of the CHRISTmas story. So far I think it’s working, she hasn’t runaway or anything.  In fact she even bought me a gift.

Check out this article, “What we tell our kids about Santa” by Mark Driscoll. He does a far better job explaining all this than I do.

Merry CHRISTmas!!

Video blog “Encouragement for your Faith Walk” + A little Rap

Here is a devotional I recorded with our video guy Nic for our students at the Warehouse. It’s an encouragement for their “Faithwalk” inspired by Gal. 2:20. At the end of the video I bring out one of my hidden raps from years ago. I hope it encourages your walk.

Join us at the Warehouse on Sunday Nights at 5:30pm, visit for more info: www.familystuf.me

In the Studio

One of my students found this old video of me in the studio recording a song titled “Blackhole.”  Honestly its been years.  I have not thought much of my previous life but after watching this video I could not help but smile and reminisce a bit.  Enjoy, however you are not allowed to poke fun of me ever.