God hear our prayer through our brother! Pray for our new president, the world economy, and the furthering of the Kingdom of God!"Almighty God, our Father, everything we see, and everything we can't see, exists because of You alone. It all comes from You. It all belongs to You. It all exists for Your glory. History is Your story. "The Scripture tells us, 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one.' And You are the compassionate and merciful One. And You are loving to everyone You have made. "Now today, we rejoice not only in America's peaceful transfer of power for the 44th time, we celebrate a hinge point of history with the inauguration of our first African American president of the United States."We are so grateful to live in this land -- a land of unequaled possibility, where the son of an African immigrant can rise to the highest level of our leadership. And we know today that Dr. King and a great cloud of witnesses are shouting in heaven."Give to our new president, Barack Obama, the wisdom to lead us with humility, the courage to lead us with integrity, the compassion to lead us with generosity. Bless and protect him, his family, Vice President Biden, the cabinet and every one of our freely elected leaders. "Help us, O God, to remember that we are Americans, united not by race or religion or blood, but to our commitment to freedom and justice for all. When we focus on ourselves, when we fight each other, when we forget you, forgive us. When we presume that our greatness and our prosperity is ours alone, forgive us. When we fail to treat our fellow human beings and all the earth with the respect that they deserve, forgive us. "And as we face these difficult days ahead, may we have a new birth of clarity in our aims, responsibility in our actions, humility in our approaches and civility in our attitudes -- even when we differ. "Help us to share, to serve and to seek the common good of all. "May all people of good will today join together to work for a more just, a more healthy and a more prosperous nation and a peaceful planet. "And may we never forget that one day, all nations, and all people, will stand accountable before You. We now commit our new president and his wife, Michelle, and his daughters, Malia and Sasha, into your loving care. "I humbly ask this in the name of the One who changed my life -- Yeshua, Isa, Jesus, [pronounced in Spanish], Jesus -- who taught us to pray:"Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. "Give us this day our daily bread. "And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."

"Freedom to Worship - A blessing?"

I'm reminded how often churches preach this. It's said in prayers. God is thanked often for such a feat as freedom to worship God in a public place.

I don't necessarily think that is a blessing. I look at the persecuted Church and I don't see them as less favored. Being persecuted means I take my faith seriously. It means I love God with all my heart and suffer for Him.

This is a subject that you probably don't want discussed. One of my managers at work is not a Believer. I've felt certain persecutions comming from him. But what is a few verbal insults or some sleezy decision making compared to beatings and ultimately death? I was reminded this week that here in the U.S. people take for granted that freedom is good.

Understand me I'm not advocating we all live in totalitarian societies. Instead I guess the question I pose is "If you knew your faith would be challenged say in your neighborhood would you try more to make a difference?"

Or better yet "How far would you go for Christ?" It is something that I've been dealing with lately. How far would I go. Could I loose a finger for Christ? Could I loose a limb? Could I loose my life? Could I accept being beaten for my faith? The answer is as a child yes. Today I rethink my whole thought process on prioritizing.

Two reasons for this. One I was thinking about the "Jesus Freak" song from back when I was a teenager. The other is I read a testimonial about a 20 year old girl living in Iran.

Jesus Freak reminded me that I shouldn't really care what people think. That I should proclaim the Gospel of Truth. That I should live for Him no matter where I am. I'm praying God will show me when to talk to my classmates about Christ.

The girl from Iran... She smuggled a picture of Jesus into her appartment. She had friends who were beaten for talking about Christ or reading the Bible. I wondered to myself what it would mean to be cut off from my family if they disowned me for my faith in Christ. Something I don't have to worry about comming from a long heritage of Believers... But to put myself in their shoes I realize how small and how limited I have put my faith in Christ.

Oh Lord teach me to have faith like a mustard seed. To know You and be known by You. To face the mountains of life and tell them to move in confidence. Teach me the faith and love of my youth.

Mr(s). Right and Prince Charming - Myth or what?

--I wrote this in May of this year. Consolidating all my posts to this blog.

I often hear these crazy concepts these days - Mr. Right. The Perfect Man. The Perfect Woman. Prince Charming... Terms at least I would consider strange or at least to me a little bit foreign.

I recently looked at a friends dating service website to see what people my age were looking for. Being a guy, I obviously searched for females in their 20's... I was surprised to find the exact same thing on pretty much every profile I found. Here's how it seemed to me:

"Great girl seeking mature man. Loves spending time with me. Wants to build a family with me [optional] Would love someone who makes me laugh, has goals in life [to take care of me], and [basically] will make me happy by full filling all my needs..."

I would offer that people often project their desire for fulfillment [that can only be truly filled by God] onto other people. Wiser people than I have suggested that it is safer and more effective to look to other people to relieve our emptiness. In some cases when love is sweet and budding some would think they've found it. Sadly these feelings are misleading. This suggests or reinforces our sinful idea that people might be the answer to our needs...

So we pursue people as an obsession. The love that we desire can only be found in the living God - Jehovah creator of all things, Jesus Christ who atoned for our sins, and the Holy Spirit who moves us.

I guess I was deeply moved by reading in Hosea this week. You know... The guy who married a prostitute. Correction. The guy who God INSTRUCTED to marry a prostitute. Strange. A little perturbing even. But you see it's the clear example of how God loves you and me. You see Hosea's wife was into all kinds of crazy things. Her name was Gomer. She had many lovers and continued even after marriage in her lustful ways. But the story isn't about Gomer's short comings... Instead it is about Hosea's [and by extension God's] faithfulness.

God was saying to Hosea something to the effect "You and I are both going to give our hearts completely to someone who will utterly reject us. We will give all of our hearts, energy, time and money in pursuit of them. By doing this, you, Hosea, will understand my faithful love for you and your people. You see, I, myself am the husband. Your life will be about My love. Your pain will point to My own. And your faithfullness will be a replica of Mine."

It got to the point where Gomer was forced into slavery. I was trying to wrap my mind around this. A slave was a piece of property back then. It was like saying Hosea's wife was worth maybe a meal or a set of clothing. I can't imagine what Gomer went through. She was naked before all her kin. She was exposed. It was finally out. People didn't think she was worth much. But this is the part of the story that really gets me. Hosea bought her back and immediately covered her. He essentially said "I am your and you are mine. I belong to you alone, you belong to me and no other."

Amazing. Case in point. God is the only one who's perfect. God is the only one who can satisfy. The concept of Mr. Right or Prince Charming is just an allusion to a much deeper need - God.

Nobody is perfect on this earth. You will not find satisfaction in another human being. At least not the type your looking for. People will invariably reject you. People will threaten you. People will make you feel ashamed.

Well, that's not exactly great news... But here are three things that complete that thought.

Those who are rejected are accepted and glorified through God's glory. God's acceptance is not begrudging it is full of rejoicing and singing!

Those who are threatened are comforted and glorified through God's glory. Pain will be a part of a greater security in knowing that the creator and savior of the world calls us beloved one.

Those who are ashamed are covered and glorified. No longer hiding from the scrutinizing gaze of others are the gentle eyes of the King of Above All Kings looking lovingly at you through the words of Jesus "Come, Come!"Through God's Holy Spirit God gives His greatest Gift - Himself.

God's love is self-sacrificing. This is our example. This is what we are to become.

The focus isn't on finding that perfect one to love us but instead to love God and through Him love others around us. The answer isn't to love our inner child more or ourselves.

The Answer is to love God completely with all our heart, soul, mind.

Perhaps then loving another person whole heartedly would come easier and result in less divorces?

The calling isn't to allow our simple cup to be filled. You see there isn't enough of us to hold all of God. Our calling is to allow ourselves to be broken and remade into something that will fit into His plan - a specially molded cup designed to overflow into other specially molded cups.So maybe this is more about God than about that special someone. If or when God sees fit to allow my path to cross with such a woman perhaps my prayer isn't that she'll truly love me.

Instead my prayer is that she will love He who loves me. If she madly loves God maybe He can put it into to her heart to accept me for all my short comings, faults, flaws... Because she will see Him in me. And that will make it worthwhile to take a chance at this thing called marriage [which i hear takes a ton of work & patience] in the adventure some would call life.

Life sitting down... or being wheeled around?

--Another post from the past.

So I was injured about 5 months ago. The injury was to my left ankle which swelled up to about the size of a softball. It was a painful experience. That's not really what I'd like to talk about. Instead, I'd like to give a perspective as someone who's been in a wheelchair.

I went to Europe with my Dad in a wheelchair. Crazy? Yes. I learned a lot about the way people treat handicapped people. The trip was great but it gave me a whole new perspective.

First off when your in a wheelchair people often do one of three things: 1) your ignored as people look past you or 2) people feel compassion for you and help 3) people get mad and frustrated for the inconvenience you are to them.

I guess next I should give a little background... I've been seriously injured in my life. So this was a first... It happened playing ultimate frisby and a guy fell on me. I was unable to put any weight on my left leg for almost a month. The trip in Europe - I was in Spain for a few days. Only used the metro in Madrid as we had missionary friends in Barcelona. The rest of the time we, thankfully, were on a cruise of the Mediterranean Sea.

Europe isn't exactly handicap friendly. In Spain where we did most of the travel on foot (or in my case on 2 wheels ;-) people were very nice. I got numerous offers in the subway to assist me. It's strange the subway there has lots of steps. I've heard that Europeans weren't very nice to foreigners... I guess being handicapped made me more human than if I had just been a lost tourist.

Whatever the case I appreciated not being ignored. One time a man who must have been 70 years old asked if he could assist me. I almost laughed at him but was very appreciative of his concern. I would generally thank people and hop up myself. What I saw one time was a person in a wheelchair actually being carried by some Spaniards up and down stairs. There were 3 people carrying a guy in a wheelchair. Was an interesting site. You see I would get up from the chair and use my good leg to hop up the stairs. Dad would carry the wheelchair. But got to see the palace in Madrid and the museum as well.

Now back to my observation. The first observation was people would generally react by ignoring me. I guess I felt somewhat hurt by that. Many would not make eye contact... It was as if I wasn't there. That was very different. Especially when there's 10 people crowded in a little elevator. It's really sad not to be able to do basic things such as get up to get a glass of water or grab a plate in a buffet line.

The next observation are those who feel compassion and help. Now a majority of times at least on the cruise it was those payed to help who had compassion. I don't know what it is about money but the guests like I said for the most part ignored me. This as I wheeled myself around or my father pushed the wheelchair. On land people were sensitive somewhat to my situation. A couple gave up their seats on a bus at the front so I could extent my leg. It was a nice gesture.

The last observation was the group who actually got upset at me for being in a wheelchair. A British couple actually said something like "I can't believe they allow people in wheelchairs on this ship." Wow. An American lady turned to her daughter while passing me and said loudly "That really sucks!" while pointing at me. You see Dad and I were talking in Portuguese so I guess she assumed I couldn't understand her... I almost turned to her and said "No I really enjoy not being able to walk." or something.

-----x--------x-----

So what is the point of this experience? Well I for one am determined not to ignore those who are handicapped. I guess I tried to be nice before but it wasn't a consistent thing. Next time you see a handicap person smile at them. Acknowledge them. A simple hello will brighten their day!

What is the deeper meaning in all this? What is the truth that is desperately reaching out to us? Christ told us to love the unlovable. My question to you when you deal with people is do you ignore them if they're not in the "in crowd."? Do you look the other way when you a see a need you could easily fulfill? Do you get mad at people for their circumstances? Or do you show compassion? When Christ died he suffered unimaginable pain. His death made the possibility of completion in our lives.

Are you compassionate? Am I compassionate? Do I pray for those who are hurting? Do I love those who are hateful? Do I pray for those who do me wrong? Life is one big test. Are you satisfied with barely passing by? Are you passing through? Or are you passionate about people? Are you passionate about loving God?

Shirking - what does it mean?

To shirk

–verb (used with object)
1. to evade (work, duty, responsibility, etc.). –verb (used without object)
2. to evade work, duty, etc. –noun
3. a shirker.

1633, "to practice fraud or trickery," also a noun (1639, now obs.) "a disreputable parasite," perhaps from Ger. schurke "scoundrel, rogue, knave, villain" (see shark). Sense of "evade one's work or duty" first recorded 1785, originally in slang.

www.dictionary.com


So what does it mean? What does it apply to? Well shirkers are those who are in a group but do not perform according to group norms. They are basically the slackers. It's a term that has become reborn in the twenty first century. Today people want to get payed to do nothing. People often want credit or take credit for group projects where they contribute little or nothing. As an example in my group project for a class a guy shirked as the rest of us did the majority of the work for the group for a good twenty minutes before he was confronted. The project at hand was to classify data data. There were five group members. Two were assigned to categorize data. One person was assigned to quantify and group the data. I was assigned to enter the data into an excel sheet. Soon we assigned him a project. The bigger the group the easier it is to shirk. A classmate said many people were shirking in a group project that a professor assigned that involved seventeen people. Please, a little common sense would be great.

Shirking is becoming the plague of the 21st century. Beware.