Jun. 8, 2009 - ~Transparency, Discretion and Deception....
Before graduation, during the home school convention, I was able to attend only one seminar. I felt very much led to attend one of the Hamby seminars, so that's the one I chose (see VIDEO piece below). His workshop was filled with about 700 people and all of them were crying. Okay.... laughing and crying because Mark Hamby is absolutely hilarious!
Mark is a straight shooter. He's not rude or cocky. He's honest. Mark had a way of cutting through to everyones heart that day and I am convinced the Holy Spirit is involved. How refreshing it was to hear his honest heart!
After the seminar I made my way to the auditorium to find his booth. Me and everyone else! I'm telling you.....this man ministered that day! He did not minister to the outward man....He ministered to the hearts! God was totally involved!
Anywho....to make a long story short I went to purchase the c.d. from that particular workshop and ended up buying the c.d. set (which is a really good deal btw!). So on the way home Bub and I listened to the first one and LAUGHED so hard! Then for some reason Honey decided he was going to listen to the series during his drive back and forth to work. Long story short....he finished the entire set in one day! Then he came home and popped one of the c.d.'s in for us at dinner that night.
The reason I write all of this is just this morning I read these verses:
"Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them."
Mr. Hamby makes the point that the leader (or leaders) will serve those he/they are leading. He gives an awesome picture in regards to the sheep not being led from behind....being pushed in to doing what the 'Master/Shepherd/Father/Mother' wants them to do. But being led.....gently....sacrificially from the front....they FOLLOW Him.
Mark Hamby gives hilarious illustrations from his own life. He raised sheep for over 7 years I believe. And for the first 7 years his sheep HATED him. Everything was a struggle in regards to his sheep. He said something to the effect of 'you know how difficult it is trying to help someone that doesn't want help'?! That's how his sheep were. He was trying to 'take care' of them and they fought him every step of the way. Meanwhile.....he was having difficulty with his eldest son Jonathan. God was using the sheep to speak in to Marks life about his relationship with his son.
What we appreciate most is the fact that the Hambys share their struggle. They don't just 'touch' on the issues. They are transparent! I think we (as christians) struggle so much with transparency, especially in certain circles. Somewhere along the line we have bought in to a philosophy that is in error. We tell ourselves we have to use discretion and along the way discretion begins to take the form of deception and we do not even realize this!
A while back my husband did a study on this exact thing. He did a word search using the greek and hebrew and in many cases where the bible uses the term discreet, the meaning can be good but often.... bad. Quick examples are: Proverbs 1:4, 2:11, 3:21, 5:2. In looking at the verses it seems these are positive (read them and see). But in looking at the original wording we see them as negative as well (H4209 a plan, usually evil, sometimes good, device (wicked), discretion, intent, witty invention)......etc... (from Strongs).
I'm not going to attempt to do an entire study on the blog and I do think there's a need for true discretion ie: prudence and modesty. But when discretion becomes a tool we use to protect ourselves, or an art in leading others to think a certain way..... that's where it crosses over in to deception. I think Hamby has a handle on this. Better than anyone we've heard so far anyways! By God's grace we'll get out of our religion and in to a live and active relationship with God and our christian family!
For more on Mark's testimony or teaching series click on this link: (we have Life Transforming Seminars vol.1 here at the house)
Mark Hamby/ Lamplighter Publishing
for a look at the slide-show Mark showed to us at the seminar go here: (specifically noting slides 29-35, notes between Mark and his son during church)
Notes between Mark & Jonathan
And here's a very good video excerpt.
Comments
Jun. 8, 2009 - Untitled Comment
Posted by kyhills
Your post was very good. Sounds like the conference was a learning experience. I couldn't get the link to the notes between Mark and Jonathan to work.
Jun. 8, 2009 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Eunice
It was a wonderful time, though I wish I had been able to attend more, especially Mr. Hamby's. Here's an alternative route Pam: http://www.lamplighterpublishing.com/Notes.asp
Copy and paste into your browser and it should bring you to the right page - I hope. The slide show for the seminar I attended (and notes between the two) are with the raise them up, don't beat them down seminar. Just click on the link below raise them up.
Jun. 9, 2009 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Anonymous
I too race to hear Mark Hamby speak at the Homeschool Convention! His story about the sheep and his relationship between him and his son Jonathon brought tears to my ears 4 years ago when I first heard it. The message went straight to my heart and the Lord used it to forever change me concerning my own relationship with my oldest child, who happens to be a boy too, but is instead my beloved 'Joseph'.
I can safely say that we are both strong-willed individuals and that has made for some head-butting moments in our home that I know are not pleasing to the Lord.
The one thing that Mark said 4 years ago when he sopke at FPEA that forever changed me was about how important it is that our children hear the beating of our HEART and not the beating of our voice, and that's when a parent captures their child's own heart.
It was so thankful to hear Mark retell this particular testimony of his again this year. The illustration that the Lord gave him with those sheep of his is just too funny, but also a powerful message that cuts deep to the center of the heart!
Your insight that you wrote about was true to the mark, I agree. For me, it is when a Lord's servant is willing to be transparent about his journey with the Lord including the 'down-sides' that one has faced is when my heart seems to grasps onto the the Lord's favor and sovereignty that he has experienced out of the abundance of God's grace is when I most often receive the message pointing directly to my own life's issues. I walk away rejoicing for him or her knowing how much the Lord truly loves His children! and also humbly blessed to know that the Lord is at work in my own life too.
**Sorry for the LONG comment here, but can you tell that I am so thankful for Mark's testimony and his willingness to share -for it helps people just like me***
Jun. 9, 2009 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Anonymous
ahahaa, lol... brought tears to my 'eyes' is what I meant to say... (not ears)
and I forgot to include my name in the last comment...
thanks, Deanna @
www.mrsmarcum.blogspot.com
Jun. 9, 2009 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Anonymous
ahahaa, lol... brought tears to my 'eyes' is what I meant to say... (not ears)
and I forgot to include my name in the last comment...
thanks, Deanna @
www.mrsmarcum.blogspot.com
Jun. 11, 2009 - a ha ha ha
Posted by Eunice
I caught that too :O)
