"Here lies the tremendous mystery - that God should be all-powerful, yet refuse to coerce. He summons us to cooperation. We are honoured in being given the opportunity to participate in his good deeds. Remember how He asked for help in performing his miracles : Fill the waterpots, stretch out your hand, distribute the loaves."
Elisabeth Elliot, GATEWAY TO JOY
Photo from Tom Davis and Children's HopeChest January 2009 trip to Swaziland.
ur time, our job, our finances, our hobbies, our possessions --- they must all be assessed and reassessed on a regular basis to ensure that they are not stealing us away from those things that are truly the most important."
Maybe it's because you're spending your time, energy, gifts, and resources on lots and lots of good things but not focusing on the most important things...those few things that you're really supposed to be saving yourself for. I just finished reading SMALL FOOTPRINT, BIG HANDPRINT by Tri Robinson. I'll be sharing many quotes and sections from his book on this blog in the days and weeks to come. For now, here's a beautiful introductory video to it:
...for all those who have left the security and comforts of family and home to pour out their lives for the least of these. Pray that their burdens will be light as they seek to share with those in need about the One who will carry life's burdens for them. Pray that their path will be lit as they seek to share the light of Christ to those living in darkness. Pray that their needs will be met as they seek to tell those in need that He is the ultimate provision. Pray for those who are lonely as they seek to bring love to those who feel so unloved and alone. Pray for those who are weak to know that He carries them as they take the Good News of His transforming grace to those who desperately need His strength.
...we love Grandmommy on her birthday."Lizzie had a sleepover party last night to celebrate her 8th birthday. She
had 3 sweet friends spend the night. There was pizza, blueberry pie, gifts, and
LOTS of giggles well into the night. Some of us are still recovering. Like
Peeka. The girls REALLY liked her."
But who am I and who are my people that we should be able to give as generously
as this? Everything comes from you and we have given you only what comes from
your hand. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people have given to
you. I Chron 29: 14, 17b
.BEST LAID PLANS
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I've heard the old saying many, many times, "the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray"---and man!---did today ever illustrate that for sure! They went so astray that I'm utterly worn out and don't have it in me to even begin to describe the day's events. So for now, I'll just say thanks to all of you who prayed and have sent sweet messages of concern. And for those of you in the dark, just ponder these words....3 inch nail sticking out of a 3 foot board, ambulance ride, and a 5 year old boy.
.
Sigh.....
A month or so ago, I read a book review by Seth Barnes, founder of Adventures in Missions. The description and quotes really connected with me. So when my birthday rolled around a couple of weeks ago and my husband gave me a gift card, I knew right away how I'd spend part of it. So yesterday my oldest daughter picked it up and now it is waiting for me to delve into. I've read the introduction and skimmed through a few sections and it looks to be as good as Seth's review promised it to be.Here's a book that will give you some practical steps to become more radical in your faith: Small Footprint, Big Handprint: How to live simply and love extravagantly by Tri Robinson, pastor of Vineyard Boise Church (a 3000 member church in Boise, Idaho).
Robinson's thesis is that "Most Americans have too much stuff; stuff that often weighs them down and ultimately keeps them from a more simplified, freeing life." He illustrates by relating how his own life got out of control. Everything was on the top shelf of his life's priorities. It was too complex, too busy and too out-of-control. "I realized that the great things that truly gave me joy and the things I deeply desired to invest my life in were being pushed aside for dozens of merely good things."
He defines simple living as "a lifestyle that allows us to focus on the things that are most important to us, such as relationships both inside and outside of our families, without being encumbered by an inordinate amount of responsibilities that demand our attention."
The book dives into some of my favorite themes - the link between spiritual adventure and simplicity, contenting that an adventure with God begins with simplicity. It makes the point that "You can't embark on a treacherous hike with 200 pounds of gear strapped to your back...."
So, radical faith is best expressed when we're living simply, unencumbered by the things of this world.
Robinson links the excess in our lifestyles to a casual faith that renders us ineffective. "Now more than ever," he says, "people who profess to be followers of Jesus must resist casual Christianity in lieu of coming to the aid of a world in decline. Everywhere we look, there are images of a sufferinghumanity just begging for the practical demonstrations of the Gospel."
One simple test of our propensity to excess is to ask, "What do I struggle to let go of?" We are what we can't let go of. One of the greatest tragedies in humanity is for a person to come to the end of his or her life and realize that it was misspent.
Robinson challenges us to look at the snapshot of our life comprised of our time, energy, and money. And then ask ourselves, "What needs to change?"
The bottom line of a life lived well is that your life reflects uniqueness in Christ rather than just blending in with everyone else. Robinson's challenges you to ask yourself, "Do my time, energy, and money reflect my passion and commitment to Christ?"
For 'tis green, green, green, where the ruined towers are gray,
And it's green, green, green, all the happy night and day;
Green of leaf and green of sod, green of ivy on the wall,
And the blessed Irish shamrock with the fairest green of all.
~Mary Elizabeth Blake
And in our family, it's green, green, green in our breakfast oatmeal.
...green frosting that is!
.
Yesterday was our St. Patrick's Day party and in preparation, my two youngest girls helped me make shamrock cookies. We all had a good time baking together...they especially enjoyed the homemade green icing made of lots of SUGAR! Don't worry, the cookies were NOT from scratch. Good ole refrigerated store-bought dough. Didn't want y'all to think I'd gone all uber-baker on you or something.
A little over 20 years ago, I packed suitcases, a trunk, and two carry-ons and headed off to Swaziland to live for two years as a Southern Baptist Journeyman Missionary. In the two decades since my first time to go there and my trip last year, a lot has changed...though one thing remains constant...my big hair. I've shared on here scads of photos from the recent trip, I thought it would be fun to post ones from back then.
My main areas of ministry in Swaziland were doing teacher training and curriculum enrichment at Mbabane International Baptist Church. I also taught Sunday School & helped with Children's Church.
Because of cultural reasons, many of the church's youth group activities were divided by gender so I was the primary leader for the youth girls under the overall youth leader and boys' leader who was another Journeyman, Andrew McKneely from Texas.
Maureen Enderby was a pal from Scotland. She was a stay-at-home-wife so had lots of time to minister in the community. One way she blessed me was to help cut out the seemingly endless game pieces for the preschool.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of living in Swaziland was learning about the culture. Two of my friends, John Bedor and Denise Bouchard (now Gregson) were part of a wedding party. Swazi weddings are FUN! And they last a long, long time. They really are events that you want to be asked to attend. I didn't know the bride and groom well at all, but in honor of John and Denise, my friend Dee Harbath (now Kriz) and I were invited. We rode there dressed to the nines complete with high heels and hats on a very crowded public bus surrounded by boxes of beer bottles. 
The first several days that I was in Swaziland, the Baptist Mission arranged for me to go out in a rural area and stay with an American Campus Crusade single missionary. Denise, who I mentioned earlier, became one of my dearest friends as a result. Her very humble, tiny home was nestled up on the top of a beautiful mountain at an agricultural training center that Campus Crusade partnered with. 
Roadtrips were taken to Kruger Park, to visit friends, or to Johannesburg for big city life and a chance to wear bluejeans. Meals were shared at the Swazi Plaza restaurant or picked up at Kowloon's Chinese Carry Out, not to mention feasts we fixed ourselves like the time John Bedor (another American missionary) and Andrew made homemade pizzas. 
Here we are hanging out at the Flemings home. Ben and Cheryl--- along with their 3 children, Benjamin, Rebecca, and Amanda--- were amazing missionaries also with Campus Crusade. Their beautiful marriage did a lot to get me ready for one day being a wife and Ben was actually the one who helped me to decide that "yeah, I can marry someone who is not a Baptist preacher!" In the picture above with me are Denise in pink, John Bedor in the tie (a William and Mary College grad), and Dave Matthews who was with Overseas Crusade and I think is now a missionary with Calvary Chapel in The Philippines...though I'm not positive on that count. Denise and her family are missionaries with TransWorld Radio living on Guam.
Another dear friend was Margie Hynd, seen above holding my elephant puppet sent to me by my dad to use in my ministry. Margie was unique for many reasons but one very special one was that she was a citizen of Swaziland. She was in fact a dual-citizen also being a Scottish citizen. She had been born and raised in Swaziland and was in fact the 3rd generation of her family to live there. Her grandfather, Dr. David Hynd, was a medical missionary who came to Swaziland in the first quarter of the 1900's. He later became royal physician to the king and delivered many princes and princesses. Margie's father, Dr. Samuel Hynd, carried on the family tradition also working as a medical missionary in Swaziland and subsequently became the royal physician as time went on. 
The stamp below is of Dr. David Hynd. He was greatly loved and respected during his lifetime. In the photo of me with Margie you can see me pulling a Christmas cracker.
You can see on this page me just goofing off...even missionary girls wanna have fun sometimes...and then another photo with Laura, a Journeyman from Botswana. 
"Did I tell you about the yard sale?" my friend asked me the other day while I was out of town for my work. I told her no. The story she proceeded to tell me was nothing short of inspirational.
