Recently, I read how human resilience can be compared to salt. Resilience is the “ability to face reality: to deal with and to grow through life’s challenges.” Like salt, which flavors and preserves the quality of food and helps disinfect harmful materials, resiliency in people enhances, protects and detoxifies their quality of life.
More should be said, but for now, the question in my mind is simply this, “How do we develop resiliency?” Abraham is the first story that comes to mind (See Gen. 22:1, 12) followed quickly by James’ thoughts of trials (Jms. 1: 2-8).
Lately Christian has been struggling with the fact that life requires work if we are going to gain the desired results. For example, this year he did not bring home any blue ribbons from his swim meets. Instead, he brought home reminders of the amount of work he actually put into the event. Similar things are happening with school work. Study rewards with better grades while the lack of study has it’s opposite reward. These are difficult lessons to learn when really all one wants is a place to play and some friends to do it with! 
But the ambivalence he feels is real and deep. He may only wish to play instead of swim extra laps or study a bit longer but nor does he wish to lose or receive low grades.
Apparently, resilience can only be developed in the fire. Jesus tells us as much in Mark 9:49 – at some point or another, we all will face fiery moments, trials designed to test our mettle. Yet, this path is neither straight nor pleasant in most cases. We can bet the path to perseverance and resilience will be marked by pain and uncertainty (and always goodness and mercy).
Here’s what the author concludes:
Resiliency includes three core parts which can be described in terms of the New Testament metaphor of salt.
- Perseverance—inner strength to not give up and to benefit from hardship. Having salt in yourselves—Mark 9:50
- People—social support from/as encouraging role models and true friends. Relating graciously with salt—Colossians 4:6
- Purpose—strong sense of meaning in life and/or strong belief in God’s goodness. Being the salt of the earth—Matthew 5:13
More should be said here but I’ll leave this for now. If you wish to explore Kelly’s thoughts on the subject, click here.
Tags: christian life, christian living, missions, soul care
“I love this movement, the Advent Conspiracy movement. I’ve been trying to get my family to do this for the last two years, long before I heard about this. A few years ago, I told my family that i think we should refrain from buying gifts for each other on Christmas, and instead donate the money to charity. My family all thought it was a terrible idea, and even called me a Godless heathen. (In jest, mind you, but still I found it quite ironic).
For the record, I am a former Catholic who drifted comfortably into atheism some ten years ago, although I still celebrate Christmas out of family tradition. Over the years, I became more disgusted with the commercialization of Christmas and realized that it had become a Hallmark Card holiday, having little to do with the core values of Christianity and more to do with retail sales figures all wrapped up in marketable Pagan imagery.
The greatest thing about Christianity to a non-believer like myself is that, even after you strip away the more miraculous elements of the faith, you are left with a central figure in Jesus Christ, who preached love and forgiveness and charity and goodwill to his fellow man. At its best, Christianity is a religion about love and peace and I believe that message is all but lost among far too many of today’s Christians. Anyway, I just want to tell you I think you’re doing a great thing and I hope that more people follow this movement. I’m going to forward this video to everyone I know who celebrates Christmas (including Christians, Catholics, Protestants and even Godless heathens like myself, still bound to the holiday by tradition)”
Keep up the great work!
And Merry Christmas!
Want to know more? Click here
NOTE: More could be said about this person’s take on the core of Christianity at its best. However, I think we would be fools not to listen to her cry for something more. If our redemption does not free us to live at peace with all men and show the love of Christ, which compels us (and causes us to look more like Him in significant ways), then what is our Christianity really all about?
Tags: Christmas, conspiracy
A friend wrote recently expressing some thoughts and feelings I’ve had of late and face in the many Christian leaders I spend time with on a regular basis. She says it well so I’ll not embellish. God help us in our celebration that we not sound redundant in our insistence that His Son is the reason for the season. May we be silenced by a clear vision of Who He is and what He really is about in our here and now – Christmas included (for a good glimpse read Rev. 1: 10-18).
It’s another holiday season. Another year end…
One that was filled with joys and sadness.
And now in the midst of the tinsel, lights and shopping, the holidays can be filled with unrealistic expectations. Even in the joy, old hurts can be revisited and new ones inflicted. A heart can ache from hope deferred… and I find that I have been in that category!
Therefore, my focus this month has been wondering if I’ve lost my first love. You know “THE reason for the season”. As a missionary I can get so caught up in the “doing” that I burn out because I’m not taking time to “be”…..at His feet, letting Him speak into my life with words of love, telling me that I don’t have to “do”. I just need to “be” — His.
This time of year God brings me face to face once again with His design for redemption of mankind. His intentions toward me are for a life lived abundantly. His plans for the kingdom ……victorious.
So while I’m trying to remind myself that the season is about my Saviour, I came across “12 prayers for Christmas” by Sandra Higley……and they touched my heart.
My prayer is that they bless you and remind you as they have me.
*Lord, help me to follow the way of love – may your love compel me.
*Restore the joy of Your salvation in me; I want to experience the joy of Your presence.
*Let Your peace rule and guard my heart; give me more of You – You are my peace.
*Enlighten the eyes of my heart so that I may know the hope You called me to.
*Let Your favor rest on me.
*Shine Your light of life on me; help me to walk in it.
*Help me to fear You so that I may walk in your holiness.
*Teach me selflessness; Keep me from self-seeking attitudes that reject truth.
*Make me rich in ways that result in generosity on my part so You will be praised.
*Help me receive Your kingdom, Your Spirit, and Your grace.
*Encourage me to seek Your face with all my heart.
*I ascribe glory to Your name, Lord; I come before You in worship for You are holy.
Tags: Christmas
One of our staff sent this to me. It kinda confirms some of my pet peeves of late. Frankly, I fear the church in America is losing its ball in the weeds. Scripture does not tell us to get bent out of shape over second things. I don’t like what I see and hear from the White House but they do not define my spirituality and nor can they legislate it.
We live in a Buddhist country. Good luck finding much reference to Christ. Retailers here have caught on to the money that can be made this time of year so all we see is purely secular. Yet, because of the sparse nature of life here, Christmas has been stripped to its proper essence in our lives – Christ born to save people from their sins.
Enjoy the article ————————
Christians To Blame For Secular Christmas
by Rachel Campos-Duffy Dec 9th 2009 4:00PM
When the now infamous White House social secretary Desiree Rogers revealed to The New York Times that the Obamas were planning a “non-religious” Christmas for the “people’s house,” she put herself at the center of an entirely different, but no less fiery, controversy — the Christmas wars.
Early this year, during a luncheon with other former social secretaries, Rogers announced that part of the Obamas’ new spirit of inclusiveness (ironically) would exclude references to Christianity during Christmas. Most notably, the Obamas would not be displaying the 18th century White House nativity scene. An Obama official confirmed that there were internal discussions regarding the manger display, but in the end, tradition (along with post-state dinner scandal fatigue) trumped, and the Holy Family was not banned from the East Room after all.
Meanwhile, Dr. James Dobson’s influential conservative Christian organization, Focus on the Family, is promoting StandforChristmas.com, a Web site that helps shoppers rank “Christmas-friendly” retailers (most friendly: Bass Pro Shops; least friendly: American Eagle Outfitters). The site reminds visitors that retailers “want your patronage and your gift-shopping dollars” and then asks, “but do they openly recognize Christmas?”
Sadly, both approaches precisely miss the point of this sacred and beautiful holiday.
It makes zero sense to recruit retailers in this crusade when consumerism is the reason why Christmas has morphed into a hollow shopping ritual that, come January, leaves too many families with debt hangovers and an empty feeling inside. Demanding that store clerks cheerily proclaim “Merry Christmas” as they ring up your power tools and iPod does precious little to put the Christ-child back in Christmas.
To the Obamas and others pushing the ridiculous notion of a “non-religious” Christmas, it would do them well to consider that respect for other people’s faith is not accomplished by hiding your own. If the goal of the White House is to remain neutral about part of our nation’s heritage, Christianity, or, for that matter, about the religious beliefs held by many of its current residents, fine with me. But if that’s the case, then please spare us the tab for the reported 50,000 visitors who will be cocktailed and dined this month in an endless succession of banal and meaningless “holiday” parties.
If Christians truly desire to bring sacredness and religious significance back to Christmas, then it’s silly to look to retailers or the First Family. Instead, let it begin, as charity does, at home. Families can start by reintroducing the season of Advent and the spirit of reflection and spiritual preparation that once occupied the four weeks leading up to Christmas.
Instead of allowing ourselves to get swept up in the whirlwind of “holiday” parties, useless gift exchanges and harried shopping, we can use those weeks to prepare our hearts and homes in meaningful ways for the Prince of Peace. Make time for family prayer, singing and the lighting of the Advent wreath. Choose cards and decorations that have religious significance.
How many homes have a prominently displayed nativity scene at Christmas time? My guess is not too many. The same goes for Christmas carols. Does your playlist include more Frosty and Santa Baby than Silent Night and Handel’s Messiah? How about keeping those lights on and the tree in the house for the twelve days of Christmas – you know the twelve that follow Christmas day. Or consider caroling or having a Christmas gathering after December 25th? We have only ourselves to blame when we lose these beautiful traditions.
Should Christians be concerned about the secularization of Christmas? Sure they should. I resent school “winter” concerts, “holiday” parades, and the ridiculous fear that prevents people from wishing each other “Merry Christmas!” with total abandon.
But Christmas starts with us. In our hearts. In our homes. And in a very simple decision to reclaim the silence, joy, and quiet simplicity of that first Christmas in Bethlehem when God chose to speak to mankind in the small cry of a newborn baby
Living outside the US brings a whole new set of challenges that raise our awareness of basics (at least what we call basic). Here’s a small list of collected points of gratitude from various friends who travel away from the comforts of home:
1. Electricity. Electricity available all of the time.
2. Refrigerators. Refrigerators that keep things cold and freezers that make ice for cold drinks.
3. Running water to wash hands and do dishes. Water from the tap that is really safe to drink.
4. Hot water. Showers with hot water.
5. Toilets. Toilets that flush. (needing to get a bucket of water to flush the toilet gets old after awhile.)
6. Transportation. Cars to get us from place to place, easily and relatively cheaply. Not having to walk or bike miles every day.
7. Homes. Homes with beds to sleep in. (many of the orphans we meet sleep on a mat on the floor.)
8. Safe and secure neighborhoods. No need to have a night watchman at our house.
9. Education. Free education available for all kids. All kids can go to school starting at age 5. All kids have opportunity to learn to read and write. (of the children’s homes we visit, only the best child from hill tribes are chosen for school in the valley, the rest of the tribal children do not go to school)
10. Banks. Relatively stable prices and a currency that maintains its value. Safe & accessible banking services, not an all cash society.
11. Air conditioning (it gets hot in the jungle).
12. Washing machines and dryers – versus hand washing and line drying and time consuming ironing – imagine drying clothes in rainy season most things sour quickly and that’s normal.
13. Medical Care. Medications always available – over the counter and prescription. Doctors available within minutes.
14. Health Insurance. Where would we be if we had to pay for all of our own medical expenses?
15. Food. Enough food to eat. Food is readily available and we don’t suffer from malnutrition. We have much variety and choice of food. We don’t have to eat the same thing every day.
16. Stores. We can buy just about anything we need locally (and much that we don’t need).
17. Airport security. (We travel into areas where no one has thought about security except to protect their ideology from Western influence)
18. Airlines with daily flights – not weekly. Flights that are (relatively) dependable – you know at least approximately when a flight will arrive and when one will leave (I’ve gotten to the airport in Laos and sat waiting for the ticket counter to open only to discover 2 hours later that the flight had been canceled)
19. Road construction. Roads that are repaired. Roads that are paved and relatively smooth. (despite the annoying traffic back-ups – it is worth it!)
20. Government. Stable government with checks and balances. A government that does seek to serve and help the people (despite its problems.)
21. Postal system that is safe, dependable and works.
22. Jobs – we have work and get paid regularly for that work.
23. Computers. Internet. And the knowledge of how to use them. (Most of the villages outside the larger cities just do not have any government info on computers)
24. Having one good pair of shoes. Having more than 2 or 3 changes of clothing.
25. Resources. We have so much in terms of family, friends, time, money and material resources.
While the U.S. economy has not been good and the stock market has been decreasing rather than rising, God has truly blessed us with much.
Tags: Gratitude, Thanksgiving
This came via my email box from my Dad. Seen it before so don’t quite know the origin. Good for a smile.
I’ve been piled up with travel and board meeting prep so I’m a bit behind in my writing. I hope to get back into the rhythm of it again soon.
___________________________________________
Finally, answers to my health questions.
Q: Doctor, I’ve heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life. Is this true?
A: Heart only good for so many beats, and that’s it… Don’t waste on exercise. Everything wear out eventually. Speed up heart not make live longer; that like say you can extend life of car by driving faster. Want live longer? Take nap.
Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?
A: You must grasp logistical efficiencies. What does cow eat? Hay and corn. What are these? Vegetables. So, steak nothing more than efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to system. Need grain? Eat chicken. Beef also good source of field grass (green leafy vegetable). And pork chop can give 100% recommended daily allowance of vegetable products.
Q How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?
A: If you have body and you have fat, ratio is one to one. If you have two bodies, ratio is two to one, etc.
Q: What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program?
A: Cannot think of single one, sorry. My philosophy: No Pain…Good!
Q: Aren’t fried foods bad for you?
A: YOU NOT LISTENING!!! …. Foods fried in vegetable oil. How getting more vegetables be bad for you?
Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle?
A: Definitely not! When you exercise muscle, it get bigger. You should only do sit-ups if want bigger stomach.
Q: Is chocolate bad for me?
A: You crazy? HELLO… Cocoa beans! Vegetable!!! Cocoa beans best feel-good food around!
Q: Is swimming good for your figure?
A: If swimming good for figure, explain whales to me.
Q: Is getting in-shape important for my lifestyle?
A: Hey! ‘Round’ is shape!
Well, I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had about food and diets.
AND…..
For those of you who watch what you eat, here’s the final word on nutrition and health. It’s a relief to know the truth after all those conflicting nutritional studies:
1. The Japanese eat very little fat
And suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
2. The Mexicans eat a lot of fat
And suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
3. The Chinese drink very little red wine
And suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
4. The Italians drink a lot of red wine
And suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
5. The Germans drink a lot of beers and eat lots of sausages and fats
And suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
CONCLUSION
Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you.
Tags: humor
In preparation for teaching out of Ephesians this weekend in House Church, I did some poking around on the internet about how to tell the difference between a genuine Gucci bag and a fake one. Interesting stuff. Most of it common sense.
Check the stitching, there should be no loose threads. They only use leather – never plastic. While some fake bags have serial number tags inside the bag, the real ones include the Gucci logo. Basically, every web site I read indicated that the proof was in the detail, the small and seemingly insignificant. But in the end, some even admitted that even then, fakes are difficult to spot unless you are and experienced shopper.
But what about us? How can we tell whether you and I are the real deal, genuine, grade A Christian? Is it in the way we act? What about how we talk? Or, maybe we look a certain way that let’s people know we are Christian. I attended a Christian University that advertised themselves as being “distinctively Christian”. What they meant is that the young ladies attending their school wore only dresses that did not come above the knee and the young men wore military style haircuts and no facial hair. They also meant that we rarely struggled in life but were happy with the joy of the Lord. And to top things off, most truly Christian discussions revolved around spiritual things – mostly doctrinal discussions. I know, I know; one of my Profs from Seminary asked me how I survived! I’ve changed a bit since those days.
According to Ephesians 1:13-14, the Spirit’s presence in our lives, His ’seal’, is what marks us as the genuine article. The word implies a guarantee of genuineness and it also implies “ownership” and it means we are ’secure’. This is cool stuff. Packed into one word we get the picture of God’s ownership, protection and mark. But what I’m having trouble coming up with is an external answer to my question: “What does a Christian look like and how can we discern whether a person is the genuine article?” I think it includes the way we act, talk and maybe even look. But how? Are there measurable means of identifying a Christian without getting ridiculous in our definition (short hair for men, etc.) or even oppressive in our “discernment”? NOTE: You realize, of course, I have some ideas on the matter… But I am not going to the wall with them.
I would like to hear your thoughts on the matter. I’m needing something tangible for the kids Saturday night. I’ll let the adults figure it out for themselves.
We’ve survived the first week of school and are about to close out the second. 
Life here is beginning to settle into the new family rhythm. Jille gets to play after school while Christian is either in swim team or cranking out 5th grade home work. Right now we are not too happy about the work load (we actually have to read every day! Can you imagine!!!) The joys of growing up…
At any rate, we are slowly assessing how the year may unfold. The difficult thing about deciding when we are available and when we are not is that crisis never happens on schedule. We can plan for the various seminars and mentoring meetings we’ve been asked to do, but we simply cannot plan for bends in the road. So, we hold our family rhythm with an open hand, commit it to the Lord and plunge forward.
The days ahead
We are purposefully keeping the schedule open until October as we enter this new stage of life. While both kids are in school, the new changes seem to require a bit more attention and support after school right now. I’m schedules to be in Singapore from the 22nd or October until the 25th. In fact, we all get to go. We are beign intorduced to some folks that may be interested in supporting us. As well, I meet with the Director of the Singapore Center for Global Missions. They are interested to discuss how Ministry Essentials can partner with them in the soul care of pastors and missionaries. I also have my normal mentoring trips to Cambodia and Laos sometime early in November.
January is the big month. During the seemingly quiet moments, Jeanni and I will be preparing for 30 pastors and their wives to descend upon us here in Chiang Mai on the 4th of January. They have been asking us for a few years now to pour into their lives. So, this year, they decided to come to us since we’ve not been able to get to them. This event has also sparked another International Pastor’s Association to ask if we would consider providing something similar for them as well. So, we are preparing, writing and praying about how best to pour into these men and women.
After the pastor’s group leaves, the rest of Asia comes to Chiang Mai for various conferences in which we play various roles. Jeanni is the keynote speaker for one group and I’ve been asked to give the morning devotions. Jeanni is also the main speaker for the Chiang Mai women’s retreat (they did not want me for some reason). 
Something I’m praying about is offering to be pulpit supply for a local International congregation without a pastor right now. I miss teaching. Yet, I don’t want to misuse the gift of time I’ve been given now that my days are no longer punctuated with child care after lunch.
Just a word about our summer… We enjoyed the conference we attended to our refreshment. It was deeply needed. Our kids wanted to sit on the front row (something I don’t do if I can help it), so there I was right in the thick of things. I think I cried through worship every day. It felt good to bathe in something I did not have to sustain through my own leadership. **NOTE: the directors of this conference have asked us to return as spiritual directors for next year’s conference. Add this to your prayer list. The only thing stopping us is finances.
The time with our staff was also deeply refreshing. That kind of mutual encouragement and undergirding goes a long way. I also came away from our board meetings encouraged and stimulated by the potential that lay ahead.
Thanks for joining us in this wild journey of faith. Your companionship though often unseen over the miles, strengthens us to remain faithful to his call in our lives.
Tags: family rhythm, news
Spoke with someone today who recently had surgery. He said it was routine. Cutting up a person hardly seems routine, not to mention being the one under the knife.
At one point in our conversation, he began to chuckle. “What is it?” I asked. “Oh, I finally figured out what the call button was for.” Now, this man is no stranger to hospitals. He used to be a pastor and chaplain. “What do you mean, ‘you just figured it out?’”
“I was able to witness to every staff person on that floor. The head nurse was already a Christian so when he came in a second time I asked if another could visit since I had something to say. Before long, I could hear them in the hall saying to each other, ‘It’s your turn, I’ve already spoken with him today’.”
This may not be your style, he’s in his 70’s, which probably gives him some latitude. The part of his story that caught my attention was the discussion he overheard at 3 am one night. They were actually complaining that they would miss the Bible study started at the head nurse’s house just to talk about the things this man had brought up in their lives. I thought he would be dismissed, especially in this cynical, Christian suspicious world. But not these nurses. They wanted to know more and took him seriously enough to start a Bible study.
God never ceases to amaze me. My friend was recovering from surgery but he never lost sight of what he is about in this world – drawing others to a deeper intimacy with Christ (pre-evangelistically, evangelistically or even in discipleship). I like that.
Call buttons… Now I know what they are really there for.
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