29April2014 That Smile

He was smiling like a kid on his birthday.  I'm not talking little smile here. Not a smirk or a half grin.  This was full blown, use every muscle in your face, beaming smile.  Bright white teeth, gleaming against dark, mahogany skin.  Beautiful!  I was smiling too but choking down tears simultaneously.  I'm certain it wasn't quite the same.

After being separated nearly four years from his family, Abdulmajeed just received confirmation that his wife and two children are coming to America and I was honored to give my dear friend the news.  This is one of the greatest parts of refugee work.  Separation from family probably the greatest source of grief. 

Like many others, my friend had been approved to resettle here.  And so he came, leaving his loved ones in Africa.  Hoping to get established and then bring them over but not knowing it would take so long.  Sending money back across.  Talking weekly on the phone.  Absent for first steps and learning new words and all those things fathers with young ones treasure.  Unable to embrace or protect or comfort his helpmate.  Doing life but not sharing life. 

But this won't last much longer, three more weeks to be exact.  And thus the reason for the smile.  I will never forget that smile. 

22April2014 Quickshot: One in Every Crowd

Our annual Easter Sunday photo took a little turn for the worse thanks to a certain someone...  Love these smiles though!

18April2014 The End

"Then Jesus uttered another loud cry and breathed His last."

 "When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit."

"Then Jesus shouted out again, and He released his spirit.

"Then Jesus shouted, "Father, I entrust My spirit into Your hands!" And with those words He breathed His last." 

You may have reached the end of your rope.  One more breath or maybe one more cry is all you have in you. Smothered by circumstances. Defeated by problems.  Overwhelmed by what you're going through.  Ready to breath your last.  Brother or sister, there is hope!  Notice Jesus' words here.  He wasn't finished BUT the task was complete.  The one thing He was born to do, die bearing the iniquity of the world, had been accomplished.   It's easy to overlook the enormity of the task.  We can't comprehend it.  A life without blemish saturated with the sins of all time....your sins....MY sins....

That part was done BUT He wasn't.  He isn't.  In your hardship, He's still working.  In your troubles, His work isn't complete.  He continues to do His thing.  You're not at the end.  "I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns."  Take a deep breath, my friend.  Keep moving forward.  He's not finished!

17April2014 Quickshot: Boy Meet Baseball

J took a baseball to the face this week. He took it like a champ but is still carrying the evidence.  We tried to tell him that Hollywood folks pay a lot of money for their lips to look this big. 

13April2014 Excuses

Moses is talking with God.  THE GOD!  The God of his father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.  You remember the story.  Moses, while tending his father-in-law's sheep in the wilderness, spotted a bush that though aflame was not consumed by the fire. So he goes over to investigate and comes face-to-face with the LORD.  

In this conversation God reveals who He is and gives Moses the task of representing Him to Pharaoh and advocating for the release of Israel.  What happens in the following verses really endears Moses to me.  He makes excuses:

1. "The people aren't going to believe me."  

2. "Pharaoh won't listen to me."

3. "I'm a terrible public speaker."

Isn't this precisely what we do. Okay, maybe not you but I sure have.  We witness, firsthand, the awesomeness of the One who has called us, yet we look back at ourselves and say, “Huh-uh!  I can’t do it.”  IT IS NOT ABOUT US!  IT’S ABOUT THE ONE DOING THE CALLING!

Recently I've been struggling with a couple choices God has put before us.  In the midst of praying about what to do I have found myself making excuses just like Moses:

1. "They won't accept me."

2. "I won't be effective."

3. "I know who I am and it's not good enough."

God forgive me!  Help me Father to take my eyes off myself and put the focus back on You.  Thank you for not buying my excuses and for placing Your call on my life and our family.  Amen!

 

12April2014 Quickshot: Futbollers

Soccer is A.'s thing!  We believe he had a triple hat-trick this week.  It was hard keeping track.

M is having a blast too.  Although smiling here she's all busy on the pitch.

6April2014 Lent: Sound & Sodas

I've never really done the Lent thing.  Not lint, that stuff that magically appears in the dryer filter after fluffing your towels.  Lent, the solemn observance that some believers make 40 days before Easter usually marked by fasting of some sort, repentance and prayer.  The purpose is to set aside time for reflection on Jesus' suffering, His life, His sacrifice/death, burial and resurrection.

This year my feeble attempt has been to stop drinking sodas (a bad habit picked up when we moved back to the States) and refrain from listening to the radio (something that happens for hours on end as I go from appointment to appointment throughout the week).  Really, giving up a carbonated drink or two hasn't made much of an impact but this whole no music thing has.  It hasn't been the absence of tunes but the injection of silence into my daily life that has made the difference.  

For the last couple weeks I have spent more time talking with God....and listening than I have in a while.  It seems the noise of the day-to-day has been drowning out His often still-small-voice and that gap has been filled with other things, sometimes great things but other things nonetheless. You should try it.  Unplug a bit.  Turn off the K-Love and have a conversation with your Creator.  You'll thank me later.

2April2014 Spring is upon us

Spring is upon us.  Love the beauty all around us...if we take time to do see it.