Bowling

Recently I went to a party in a bowling alley in Phnom Penh.  It was a private space that had two lanes and a karaoke machine.  It was for a Birthday party for a friend.  He had invited the staff from Divine Pizza & Ribs along with friends, and my sister and I. 

All the Guys

The Cambodian staff from Divine had never bowled before, so there were a few of us trying to help them understand how to hold the ball and what to do.  We were focused on the mechanics and how to do it right.  The Cambodians were focused on  trying it and having fun. The same goes for singing Karaoke. I would not choose to sing unless I could sing the song well, but the Cambodians jumped right in and sang their hearts out.  A few were pretty good but a couple were less than proficient but they sure had a good time singing and bowling.  

It made me wonder do I focus on the process too much. In my Christian life I try to do things the right way.  That goes for ministry as well.  Maybe I should step back and just enjoy the experiences I have with Jesus and allow that to drive my sharing about Jesus and how I choose to worship Him.  I am I too caught up in the way it should be done, should we sing hymns, or praise music, should I fast every week, or on special occasions.  I am confident that occasionally I over think the process, and that drags all the fun and enjoyment from the experience.  

I am often excited about what I learn about life from my Cambodian friends.  Their worldview is so different from mine.  I have said repeatedly in the past, if I taught them half of what they have taught me, then my time spent in Cambodia would be successful.  I am convinced that I find joy in the freedom of the experience, instead of getting bogged down in the details.  May your day find fun and pleasure in your walk with Jesus. 

Coming Home

Coming Home

When I left Cambodia 9 months ago, I had lived here for 13 plus years and I could not wait to leave.  This past Saturday I stepped off the plane and was amazed at how excited it was and how much it felt like I was coming home.  

I have not written much in the past months, I think I was just tired, and nothing was sparking my mind to talk about.  It involved much sleep and mindless actives, but my mind in renewed and has been a bit on sensory overload.  

The heat is as oppressive, but I am used to that.  Things have changed, new businesses have opened and old friends have closed their shops and moved into new ventures.  Projects have been completed and new projects started.  It is the way of life, change and progress. 

But underneath it all are friends, smiles and great memories.  It has been a busy week catching up with people and helping Divine get a new foot hold and vision for the future. Jet lag won out the other day, but I am pretty sure the smile has not left my face, since meeting a friend who picked us up at the airport.  

Not slowed by the rain or the heat they days are quickly passing and soon I will be headed back to my apartment in Kansas.  It is a sign of the modern times, jet travel and moving around.  But what I have learned in the past few months, is home is where you have friends, a sense of purpose and want to hang your hat, literally. 

I am a blessed girl, because I can feel at home in Cambodia, Southern California and now Kansas. 

A view of Pike’s Peak

So often in life, I go about my day to day and fail to look up and enjoy the beauty around me.  It is usually in times when I stop and take time to be still and revel in the solitude that I become aware of what is around me.  This week I am at Quaker Ridge Camp - enjoying wonderful fellowship, food and laughter together with my cohort in the Masters of Transformational Leadership.

But the most profound time up to now is the times we meet together in worship.  We meet in a room called the Great Room, and we gather in a semi-circle, which has an unobstructed view of Pike’s Peak.  We have shared scripture, prayed and sung together, but also enjoyed times of silence in the Quaker tradition.

In those times of silence, I have been gazing upon the mountain.  We have many references to mountains in our Christian walk, and through out the scriptures.  But in the last few days I have been reminded of many times where I was metaphorically standing on the mountain top and shouting God’s praises.

As well as when I was literally standing at Uhuru Point on top of Mount Kilimanjaro, a number of years ago.  Uhuru mean Freedom in Swahili.  What I realized in this time of contemplation is that the God I meet and walk with in the valleys, is the one who gives me the freedom to sing his praises on the mountain top. 

My prayer is that this week you, relive some mountain top experiences with God, and sing his praises to anyone who will listen. 

Kindness

Tv and Movies lie to us.

I realized that coming back to the states from a third world country has made me a bit wary about people and their motivations. When you live where you are the target of begging, and any possible scheme to part me from my money, I think cynicism is a common response.

[caption id="attachment_206" align="alignright" width="150"] Kindness begins with me[/caption]

But I find that I am more wary here in the United States, and after pondering it for awhile I think it is because of TV and Movies. All these crime shows, helps me to believe at a subconscious level that everyone is out to get me or at least my money. Basically to live in fear.

I do not know about you but I do not want to live in fear. Thankfully in the past 2 weeks I have had multiple encounters that have helped to refute this out to get me belief.

My friend Lisa and I went to a wood company to purchase baseboard to put in my condo, and when we got there, we were informed that they only come in 16 foot lengths. Well, the biggest mini-van I have ever seen isn’t close to being able to carry something that is 16 feet long. We were blessed by a wonderful Mexican man who volunteered to take it to my condo. He tied it on his truck, I jumped in and we followed Lisa, and unloaded it right into the garage and he was on his way.

The this past Monday I was out riding Trixie, my Vespa scooter and I locked the keys in the compartment under the seat. A long story short we were not able to break in and could not find the spare key, so I ended up walking it home; nearly 2 ½ miles. Given I did not run into many people walking on this street, but those I did asked if I was out of gas and could they get some for me. I wish that would have been an easy solution. I had an older gentleman stop and offer to put it in his truck, but between us we would not have been able to lift it. Then as I was nearing our street, two guys in a van pulled over. One walked it the remain way to the house and into the garage. My mom and I were blessed.

She asked if they were angels? They both looked a bit perplexed and said, “I don’t think anyone has ever asked me that before.”

I think these experiences helped to break down the idea that all people are greedy, out for themselves and want the worst for me. So, as I am prone to do, I started thinking about how I live out my witness as a Christian. Am I quick to offer help? How am doing at helping people to believed that Christians are different?

Galatians 5:22-23 says, “ 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Then there is the famous quote from A Streetcar Named Desire, “I’ve always depended on the kindness of strangers,”

Am I the kind of stranger that offers kindness? Kindness is a fruit of the spirit how does it play out in my life? I have started to look for opportunities to be kind, giving a stranger the change they need at the register, giving food to a homeless person. Offering work to those who are struggling.

I was blessed and convicted these past two weeks. How do people see Christ in you? Do you see Christ in others?

God's Not Dead

On Good Friday, I was with my sister and niece at the movies watching God’s Not Dead. It was a bit of a juxtapose considering that Good Friday is the remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. I did not know much about it going in, so I was pleasantly surprised.

A college freshman is challenged by his philosophy professor to write on a piece of paper that God is Dead, and sign his name. Everyone else is the class does, but he holds to his conviction as a Christian, he cannot do this. He gets a variety of advice, from just sign the paper, its only a piece of paper,  to drop the class, but almost no one encourages him to accept the challenge. The local pastor asks him how many students are in the class and does he think they will ever set foot in a church.  Maybe this is there time to hear.

Josh (the student) takes the challenge and has 3 - 20 minutes sessions in class to convince his classmates that God’s not dead. He is putting all kinds of time and effort into this as well as prayer time  to the detriment of his other classes.

Based on the title you can probably see where the movie is going, somewhat predictable with a few twists to keep it interesting. However, I would recommend you go and see it for yourself. Support faith based films, so we can see more of them.

It got me thinking about my life and ministry. One of the things I learned as a missionary it that there is no separation between life and being a Christian. God brings me opportunities, that allow me to rise to the occasion and live out my faith. Some of you might think well that's great you are a missionary, isn’t it your job?

Yes and no, we are all called to be missionaries, to share the gospel with the lost world around us. The test lies in my day to day life; is it different so as to create the opening or moment where that conversation can begin or continue.

I thought about this idea all weekend, as I went to Good Friday service and then Easter service, and ultimately to the park with my extended family, which is our tradition. One of the things I realized is that I have a harder time stepping up to meet the opportunity here in the US, then when I lived in Cambodia.

Just Sunday at the park, I missed the opportunity to lead my family in prayer over the food and the day. I just wanted to sit back and enjoy the day, good food, interaction with family members. Even though I prayed for my own food, I missed a huge opening. I’m not perfect, actually far from it, but I do know one thing for sure.

God’s Not Dead.

7 An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess

[caption id="attachment_196" align="alignright" width="150"] An experimental mutiny against excess[/caption]

I am in week 6 of this study, which is a total of 9 weeks, There is an intro and 7 weeks of varying fasts and a wrap up. I have been going through this study with my mom & dad and a very dear friend.  We meet on Thursday mornings for about two hours to discuss the study and then just discuss life in general.  I was most interested in this study, but it has gone far beyond what I expected.

Week 1 was a fast from food.  For all of you thinking I could not possibly fast from food for a week, you could do this.  There were a few options but I chose to limit myself to 7 food items, which were; chicken, eggs, rice, apples, broccoli, cauliflower and yogurt.  The week flew by, I did go out to eat, once at panda express and once to el pollo loco, it was much easier than I thought and with limited choices it was easier to shop and prepare food.

Week 2 was clothing.  Yes, limiting my clothing to 7 items.  I had to modify a bit.  I was speaking at church that week, and going to a play so I used the same outfit.  I have my workout clothes and that was an outfit, because I am working out 4 times a week, and then I chose, 1 pr of capris jeans, yoga pants, a t-shirt, short sleeved sweater and a jacket - yep I rode Trixie my vespa and I need a jacket for that.  Again easier than I thought but required a bit more planning and time with the washer, but since all the items mixed and matched it was 1 load of laundry.

Week 3 - stuff.  I got rid of 7 items a day.  However the goal was to try and give them to someone who could use them.  Not that the goodwill is not a choice, but to be more relational in pairing down and assisting someone who needs help.  I collected some clothing for a person who got a new job and did not have the appropriate clothing.  Then cleared through some of my other things, I have had for quite some time in storage in my attic. It felt good and I have continued to give things away.

Week 4 - Media - I did not find it really difficult to disconnect my screens for a week.  I already take a sabbath rest from the computer.  I spent time writing and reading actual paper books, imagine that.

Right now we are winding up week 5 which is waste - This week, we have been challenged to look at the amount of waste we create, and make some choices that are better for creation care.  You know those reusable bags, that have been in my trunk, well they moved into the car and were used or I did not take a bag.  I have long loved shopping at Thrift stores, and just today I purchased a new shirt and capris, and since I am using the 1 in 1 out rule, I will be getting rid of 2 items in my closet.

We have two weeks to go, which will be spending and stress, I am looking forward to them.  But I wanted to share what I have learned up to this point.

Have you ever watch one of those decorating shows on HGTV?  If you have they always take all the furniture and items out of the room and then decide what to put back in.  Well this experiment has been like that.  Each week as I have undertaken the fast, it frees me to make the choice what to put back in my life, a positive choice, verses removing things from my life which seems negative like I am restricting myself.

This new perspective has been refreshing and invigorating as I am making choices about how I want to live my life.  I am choosing to eat healthier, spend less, give more, develop a capsule wardrobe, and drink more water.  I think I was on autopilot for so long that I did not take the time to really look at my life and make the choices, instead it took a mutiny to challenge me to change.

I hope that you are at a place in your life where you are making the choices to live an abundant life.  Jesus said, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”  Are you?

Transitions and Genesis

Nearly two months ago I transitioned from Cambodia to the United States.  After living outside of the US for 13 years, that means I have been making many adjustments in my day to day life. I am dealing with sticker shock - everything is so expensive, and far from me.  I used to live in an urban setting so I could walk out my gate and there were shops selling necessary items, it was easy.



A couple of weeks ago I listened to a sermon on Genesis 1.  Five times in that chapter it says, “and there was evening, and there was morning.  The preacher was talking about how different the Israelites view a day.  Their day starts in the evening, then they sleep through the night and then there is morning and the rest of the day.  Instead of the typical American view where the day starts in the morning, groggy and caffeinated to shift into go mode.

I have to admit that I stopped listening to him at one point  and started thinking about transition.  That is because all transitions starts with and ending, then the transition and lastly the new beginning. I am here to work on my health, lose some weight and spend some time with God, listening for what’s next.  Is that back to Cambodia, off to a new location or settling back into life in the US.  I will freely admit that I am still in the beginning phases of this transition.

Two months in I feel like the ending is finishing up, and I am entering the transition part.  I have a car, insurance, and am staying with my folks at the moment.  I have been weeding through my stuff and simplifying, by getting rid of things that don’t make sense for this time in my life.  It is hard knowing what to keep and get rid of when the future is fuzzy.

I think this is a personal Genesis for me - the meaning of this word is “the origin or mode of formation of something.”  Yes, this is the formation of the next part of my life no matter what it brings, but the thing I know to be true is that it will become clear as I walk faithfully with God and I am in the place to hear, which unfortunately means waiting for right now.

 

Are you transitioning?  Does it involve waiting faithfully?  How does that make you feel?