Going back

Yes. I’m going back to India in March 2010! This trip will have a different mission than the last. Here are some details:

• I will be traveling with the Arts Team.
• We are going to the village of Kalavai, in Tamil Nadu, India.
• We will work with construction teams in the morning.
• In the afternoons we will be traveling to concert locations throughout the village edifying a local pastor.

Some things you can do or pray for:

• Each team member needs to raise $3000 quickly.  Pray that we would be able to raise what we need in these challenging times.
• We are working with a Bangalore production company for our equipment.  Pray that it works out smoothly.  It would be much less expensive to rent sound equipment, instruments, etc., than fly ours to India.
• Contribute online by going  here.  If you have a gccwired account you will be asked to login, if not you can easily set up an account.
• Contribute by sending a check to Granger Community Church, 630 E. University Drive, Granger, IN 46530, attention India team.  Put the team member’s name on the subject line or include a note with the check.

I’d love to send you an email or a letter sharing more details about the trip.  If you are interested, leave a comment.  When you do I will be able to email you. 

 

What a dollar can do

Like many, this month is tight for us financially. I’m actually amazed at the clarity it can bring.

This month Caryn and I are keeping track of every dollar we spend. As we each left the car in the parking lot of Panera, I said to her, “You can spend the two dollars today hon.”

As I sat there NOT drinking a hot coffee and NOT eating a delicious bagel with amazing cream cheese, I actually felt a tinge of (don’t laugh)… Sadness.

Why was I sad I couldn’t spend a dollar? I smiled at myself and to God, thanking Him for the renewed focus on what was important.

I think sometimes I can comfort myself with the ability to aquire. It’s a byproduct of growing up in a consumer society I suppose.

Psalm 119.77 says “Comfort me so I can really live.” Read it here: http://read.ly/Ps119.77.msg

I want God to be my source of comfort. Not the temporary version that comes from the aquiring of things.

Maybe in January I’ll have a coffee and bagel with cream cheese.

Lunch discovery

I was just about to bite into my lunch and I noticed something: there was still a leaf attached.

I’ve never eaten a store bought apple that had a leaf attached from the tree. How cool! Then I noticed that under the leaf the apple’s skin was still yellow. You can just see it peeking through in the picture.

Made me think, how do I let the light of God’s Word change me? Do I look different where I keep myself sheltered from it?

I think I’ll enjoy more of the book of John while I eat my lunch.

How about you?

Menial tasks

I was given a menial task a while ago that could take me a while to do.

Days actually.

I don’t do tedious very well. Tedious is my cure for daytime insomnia.

But, as usual, God sees things differently:

- It’s an opportunity to help someone. Gal 6.10

- I can be joyful, pray, and give thanks. 1 Thes 5.16-18

- I can sing in my heart. Eph 5.9

- God’s ways are higher, and smarter, than I think. Is 55.9

 

So as it turns out, my menial task can be an act of worship.

and I LOVE to worship.

Adaptability

So it’s been a while since I’ve blogged.  I figure by now I will likely have a totally new audience.  Life has changed a bit.  New opportunities.  New endeavors.  So I figure… new blog.

I’m going to shift a little in my writing style.  Call it the twitter effect.  I’ve been influenced by Twitter of course, and a few of those I follow, like this guy and this guy. I love blogging. I have missed it.

And I’m back.  I won’t write as long as before, but more than 140  chrs. 

 

Swimming

Ever since I was a kid I’ve loved swimming.  I remember when we got a pool.  I seriously thought there was nothing better in life than being in the water.  I was not destined to be an Olympic swimmer, I just loved being in the water.

There’s that moment on a hot summer day when you stick your foot in the water and (the older you get the more exaggerated the effect) you’re shocked beyond your ability to sustain submergence.  You might say “WOAH!  HOOOOOWEEEEEE that’s cold!” or something like it.  But refreshment calls you, beckons you to get your whole baked self under the surface.  Inch by inch you torture yourself through…um… those “tough spots” (you know what I mean) until you are able to get your head under.

Or maybe you’re like me and you just dive in and get it all over at once.  I still believe this is the best way.  :0)

Eventually it doesn’t feel so shocking to our system.  You know the phrase, “Really! It’s not bad once you get used to it!!”

My kids have been trying to get me in my mom’s unheated pool all week.  I just don’t want to go through the system-shocking part to arrive at the gotten-used to it part.  Yeah.  I’ve gotten older.

But, as usual, God has been using this plunge procrastination I’m practicing to float some things to the surface in my spiritual life.

It has to do with the way I’ve experienced Truth.

For Goodness sake

When I went to India in Dec 08, I became suddenly aware of just how self-oriented we can be as Americans.  I’m not just talking about being selfish, but self-oriented. It seems that if we are unaware of it, underneath the majority of our activities we have ourselves in mind.  We seek friends to add enjoyment to our lives.  We look for a raise to add to our financial status.  We can serve others while being motivated by the good feeling we get when we do it.

Through the rapid process of building intense relationships with these wonderful people, I realized this by contrast.  I saw the hearts of those we lived with and laughed with.  I became aware of how they were more others-oriented than I had ever been.  It seemed that at the bottom of their actions of kindness was a genuinely selfless love for others. I felt like they were better people because of it.

What would Jesus say…

Living with Mr. Perfect

There’s this guy I know, he talks to me almost every day.  Drives me nuts.  If he were a twitter follower, I’d block him.  If he were a facebook friend I’d nix him.  But it’s not that easy.

I have to learn to live with him.

while I’m waiting

We are all waiting for something.  Waiting for the weekend.  Waiting for vacation.  Waiting for a raise. Waiting for our call-back date.

Waiting to have kids.  Waiting for them to go to school. Waiting for the kids to come home.  Waiting for them to go back.

We’re waiting for the day to start.  Waiting for the day to be over.  Waiting for tomorrow.

We’re waiting for things to get easier.  Waiting for things to go back to normal.   Waiting for relief.  Waiting for a break.

Waiting… waiting… waiting…

If we’re not careful, we can let waiting wear away at what should be permanent.  A long season of waiting can carve away at our hearts until we end up with a grand canyon of the soul.

water cooler conversations…

…without the water cooler.

Yeah, we have one here where I work, but this talk wasn’t anywhere near it.