Post It Note to God

Dear God,

Thanks for giving me a daddy. You knew just what I’d need! In case you need to make daddies for other kids, I thought you might like to know what I like best about the one you sent me:

He knows everything (like how to tie shoes and drive a car)
He is really smart (he can make my mom laugh and get out of trouble)
He is brave (once he killed a snake in the garden)
He has a forgiving heart (for when I mess up)
He is loaded with patience (he probably won’t need it, but just in case...)
He is my friend and plays with me
And he tells me all about You and Your son.

Your friend,
Karen

P.S. I almost left out the best part! A good dad has real strong arms (to catch me when I fall. He says You’re just like that, too.)

Peace Like a River

I attended a funeral yesterday and was struck by the display of grief from those left behind. Namely, a 13 year old son, heartbroken over the loss of his daddy.

I have always been moved by the story of Horatio Spafford and his penning the words to "It Is Well With My Soul" while visiting the watery grave-site of his four daughters who were lost in the Atlantic. My favorite verse of the song is as follows,

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blessed assurance control,
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

How beautiful to think that Christ Himself regards our heartache. There is something in grief that connects us more closely with our Maker. Maybe it is that when our hearts are broken, it makes more room for Him to come in. I don't know.

The Pastor giving the eulogy spoke familiar words, "Thank God for Jesus. We couldn't make it in this world without Him."

As he spoke, my mind drifted to Adam and Eve and what it must have been like for the perfect love they had and were experiencing to be suddenly ripped out, leaving them fraught with insecurity and void. Forever since, mankind has been searching for love and acceptance and meaning and satisfaction. Searching for Eden, really. To know and be known and to love and be loved.

How wonderful that out greatest need was God's greatest desire for us; that we would know Him and love Him and know His great love in return. To me, this is the fragrant melody that Jesus calls out to each of us and when life plunges us below the surface, we hear Him singing into our souls "peace like a river."

God And Pancakes

Two thoughts:

One...
I am growing tiresome of pseudo-intellectual Christian types making Christianity all boil down to an equation of sorts. Systematic this and that - since when is following Jesus and being in love just like math?

And Two...
Just when I think I have God figured out I realize that I don't truly understand Him any more than the pancakes I made for breakfast today understands me... Creator and created - deal...

going Over The Hedge

I went out amongst the throngs of Friday night movie goers to follow Stevie Critics (he's my bro, so I'm obliged) advice to "othercott" The DaVinci Code. Over the Hedge was a most enjoyable film with lots of laugh out loud moments. The main premise was this group of woodland critters who, at the spurring of a racoon, go over the hedge surrounding them into the world of humans. The interactions are hilarious! Bonus was that the theater was PACKED!!! Not so bonus, all of the DVC showings for the night were Sold Out...

Interestingly enough there were a few protestors in front of the theater with big giant signs that read "I LOVE OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST. I REJECT THE DAVINCI CODE" I am always intrigued by protestors, I think passion is a good thing and while it may not be my personal style to protest, I have to hope that it encouraged the faith of the people standing on the corner holding their signs. I'm not sure it did much to sway the crowds from seeing the film, but they were there, expressing themselves and I'm all for it.

It's funny, I can see myself a bit in both the protestors as well as the people making fun of them (sadly) but I think I am learning to appreciate both angles. I was reminded in Mercy Now's latest blog that we are supposed to love on people, pure and simple (although it is rarely either). Jesus won the world by His love, not his disapproval. He was honest and saw people for who they were but didn't make them feel like losers for it, rather, made a point of loving them just because that's what He was about. I'm not saying throw away conviction, not at all, embrace it. But to embrace conviction without grace for others is to embrace the ocean without leaving the shore. it's all idealogy and no reality...

go over the hedge, it's much more exciting there...

Missions Week Idea

I've had an idea rolling around in my brain that I want to throw out to each of you for your consideration. Most of you know that I am going to South Africa in July/August and that I have developed a deep love for the people there. I can't wait to go...

We are targeting the high risk teenagers in impoverished living conditions, I did a bit of research on what their lives are like and come across a few statistics (via http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_South_Africa ). The average Black African household in South Africa makes approximately $1800/annually - yep, annually, or $150/month or $35/week... actually, i think based upon this being an average - this is probably high for some of the areas we have been/will be in.

So here's my idea. I think it would be cool to live for a week (Sunday - Friday) on the budget of a Black South African - $35. In light of gas prices this does not include gas... immediately, this knocks Starbucks out for me, but here's the catch (there's always a catch) when you want to spend money on something else - be it eating out or going to a movie or buying some clothes or whatever it is and it falls beyond the $35 budget - you put that money aside. At the end of the week - whatever money is put aside you give it to a local mission or charity organization. And DON'T just send a check - go down to the charity or missions office and give your donation to them face to face. Find out what their needs are how you can pray and help them in the future. Make it PERSONAL!!!

I'm thinking May 21 - May 26. Let me know what you think and pass it on...

Pictures of Paris, France & Cape Town, South Africa

Below are a few pictures of my trips to Paris (February) and Cape Town (March/April)...

Paris was SO beautiful. The architecture was a language of its own and I enjoyed wandering the streets and occasionally pausing to look up at the amazing buildings all around me.

Welcome to Cape Town, South Africa!

These boys live in the Barcelona HIVorphanage. They were so cute and loved posing it up for the camera. They live in a Squatter Village in Cape Town - Barcelona. Their village has roughly 5,000 people living in it with an 80% HIV+ rate. The kids are the smallest victims of this awful disease and a sweet Pastor and his wife have started carrying for them.

This girl on the left was found trying to nurse on her mother who had been dead for 2 days from HIV. She is only 3 years old. The girl I am holding is named Gift and when her mother found out that she and her baby were HIV positive, she put her baby girl in a garbage bag and threw her in a dumpster. A neighbor saw this and pulled Gift out of the trash and brought her to the orphanage. She wanted me to hold her the entire time and it broke my heart to leave her behind.

These are a few pictures I took while driving along Chapman's Peak towards the Cape of Good Hope. Cape Town is a beautiful natural landscape with winding mountain roads and ocean dipped cliffs.

The beaches were gorgeous. I saw some monster waves at Muisinberg Beach. The coastline has one of the highest white shark populations in the world. The locals don't seem to mind as there were surfers on every beach. The sailboat picture is right outside the home we stayed in. You can see the faint outline of the other side of the cove behind the sailboat.

Cute kids at a school we visited.

This little girl looks like Buckwheat's sister from the Little Rascals - awesome! Above is a good example of what most Squatter Village homes look like - corrugated metal and aluminum siding pieces nailed onto a basic four wall structure. South Africa is one of the few countries where 1st world and 3rd world conditions are living side by side.

Can You Hear Me?

"Then He returned to His disciples and found them sleeping" Mark 14:37a

Have you ever wondered why the disciples couldn't manage to keep their eyes open while Jesus agonized only steps away? I confess to having judged their actions. I can't help but think, "Come on, guys! You have Jesus, "the" Jesus, and he's done all these super amazing things in front of you and YOU can't even manage to stay awake. He's asked a simple request, ‘watch and pray’, and you can't even do that - pitiful."

On a few occasions growing up I would get the full-name greeting from my mom followed by, "Are you listening to me?" (I learned quickly that the use of my middle name was NOT a good thing). This question was followed up with a slow repeat of whatever it was that I was supposed to be doing or not doing at the time and then a threat of the consequence I would endure if I didn't straighten up. You could judge a lot by the tone of my mom's voice. You still can...

I wonder what Jesus' tone was with His disciples? Was He angry, was He exhausted, was He sad? Whatever the tone, there was one thing their actions displayed, they didn't get it.

I really like that Jesus came back twice to His disciples. He keeps giving them chances to do the right thing. He still does that.

Random, but I once asked God to speak out loud to me. I was in my car, feeling very "in touch" and having a good conversation with the Maker of the Universe about all sorts of things when I was overcome with wanting to hear Him speak. I began to pray, "Please God, I want to hear You! I want to know the pleasure of Your voice! Please, I want to hear you out loud!" A few minutes passed while I listened as hard as I could and nothing happened. Then, out of the blue, I heard God speak, not out loud like I had asked, but in my deepest part of my soul and do you know what He said? "Read your Bible out loud. Then you will hear My voice." I got the point...

Sometimes what we hear and what we hear are two different things. If you are asking God to speak to you, be reminded that He may use an unconventional method to get across His message. Whatever the means though, what a comforting thought that our Savior keeps coming to us with His beautiful words.

Are you listening?