Archive for September, 2006

Touch a Life

Published
by
Mike
on September 7, 2006
in General, justice and missional
. 28 Comments

If you get a chance check out “Touch a Life” ministry, which my brother and sister-in-law, Randy and Pam Cope, started to minister to orphans in Cambodia, Vietnam (where my niece and nephew are from), Nicaragua, and Haiti.

Even in their grief over their son’s death in the summer of ‘99, God has made them compassionate advocates for some of “the least among us.” Here’s how they describe it on the website:

Jantsen was our beautiful fifteen year old son. He was atheletic and loved life — living it to the fullest.

He died suddenly of an undetected heart defect. As a family, we were able to use Jantsen’s Memorial Fund to start Touch A Life Ministries. We strongly felt that Jantsen’s legacy needed to be helping children.

Through a series of events which led us to visit Vietnam and Cambodia, we felt God’s calling on our lives to cry out for the children whose voices are not being heard.

God allowed Touch A Life Ministries to be birthed when we allowed Him to show us the great needs of His children who so desperately need us to be Jesus in their lives. We have a passion to share the news of James 1:27 so that we will have a better understanding of intimacies of God’s heart for His people.

Here are the kinds of beliefs that God our Father accepts as pure and without fault.

When widows and children who have no parents are in trouble,

take care of them.

And keep yourselves from being polluted by the world.

~James 1:27

(Update on 2/9/07.)

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After a final brain-storming session with the Zoe worship leaders yesterday, I’m really looking forward to this year’s conference called “Closer.” Lauren Winner, author of Girl Meets God and Real Sex: The Naked Truth about Chastity, and Jeff Walling will be speaking at the leadership conference, while Randy Gill and I will speak for the worship conference. I haven’t yet heard the new Zoe CD to accompany the conference. Can’t wait. You can find more info here.

19 Cent Gas . . . and Wall-Building

Published
by
Mike
on September 6, 2006
in memories and scripture
. 27 Comments

Am I the only one who has paid $.19/gallon for gas? Back when I first got my driver’s license in Missouri, there were occasional gas wars that drove the price of gas down from $.24/gal to $.19/gal.

We were a Ford family (had to do with who did the most advertising in the newspaper where my dad was the publisher), so I drove a Falcon. That was followed by a Maverick.

Yesterday, the range of gas prices I saw in Abilene was from $2.30/gal to $2.64/gal. I decided to go with the $2.30. That’s quite a free fall from the $2.99 of a couple months ago.

The temptation every time gas falls a bit or a new source is discovered (as was reported yesterday) is to forget about the need for conservation. But we all know that over the long haul, that’s essential. There is not an unlimited supply of oil, and we must not be in a situation where our oil dependence dictates foreign policy.

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Yesterday as I read Nehemiah, these insights stuck with me:

First, he was a man on a mission — to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem (about 445 B.C.) — and wasn’t going to be deterred by opposition. Sanballat, the fly in his soup, sent him a letter through an aide that read:

“It is reported among the nations — and Geshem says it is true — that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and therefore you are building the wall. Moreover, according to these reports you are about to become their king and have even appointed prophets to make this proclamation about you in Jerusalem: ‘There is a king in Judah!’ Now this report will get back to the king; so come, let us meet together.”

He sent this reply: “Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head.” He knew they were just trying to discourage him so he wouldn’t complete his task. So Nehemiah prayed, “Now strengthen my hands.”

Second, he was angered by the way the people of privilege were ignoring the needs of the poorer members of the community. He challenged them: “Let us stop charging interest! Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and also the interest you are charging them — one percent of the money, grain, new wine and olive oil.”

And third, when the law of God was interpreted and explained to the people and when they were filled with sorrow, Nehemiah told them not to weep. There’s a time for repentant sorrow, but this was a time of joy. The word of God was being heard and they were being reformed as a community of trust. So he said: “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Published
by
Mike
on September 5, 2006
in Books and General
. 14 Comments

The surprise isn’t so much that Steve Irwin died — jabbed by a stingray — but that he evaded death so many times before. The thrill-seeker seemed to walk as close to the edge as possible: handling poisonous snakes, tackling crocodiles, etc. He was quite an entertainer.

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More from Mark Buchanan’s The Rest of God : Restoring Your Soul by Restoring Sabbath:

“One of the largest obstacles to true Sabbath-keeping is leisure. It is what cultural historian Witold Rybczynski calls ‘waiting for the weekend,’ where we see work as only an extended interlude between our real lives. Leisure is what Sabbath becomes when we no longer know how to sanctify time. Leisure is Sabbath bereft of the sacred. It is a vacation — literally, a vacating, an evacuation. As Rybczynski sees it, leisure has become despotic in our age, enslaving us and exhausting us, demanding from us more than it gives.

“We all know how unsatisfying mere leisure can be. We’ve all known what it’s like to return to the classroom or the workplace after a time spent in revelry or retreat, in high jinks or hibernation: typically, we go back weary and depressed, like jailbirds caught. The time away from work wasn’t time sanctified so much as time stolen, time when we escaped for a short-lived escapade.”

Isn’t the discovery of true Sabbath — genuine, restorative rest — one of our great challenges? Buchanan is right: everyone can just “live for the weekend.” But what does it mean to sanctify time in a way that brings joy, calmness, and levity?

Cheeseburger in Paradise

Published
by
Mike
on September 1, 2006
in food and guacamole
. 53 Comments

Mostly, I’m a healthy eater. Fiber One for breakfast sprinkled with almonds and blueberries. 1% milk with OJ on the side. And usually a chicken or turkey sandwich for lunch. (I’m a Subway regular.)

But there are two exceptions to my healthy eating.

First, I like meat. Real meat. Something that moo-ed or oink-ed in an earlier life. A big, juicy, medium-rare steak so heavily peppered that it almost sneezes. A burger with a hint of pink, lathered with mushrooms and jalapenos. A pork tenderloin that melts in your mouth. Beef fajitas. So go ahead: subtract a couple years from my life. But give me a hunk of red meat.

And second, I like dessert. A chocolate-chip Kudo bar . . . a chunk of dark chocolate . . . a hot brownie . . . a cake from McKay’s . . . cookies right out of the oven . . . a pie (nearly any kind will do — blueberry, peach, apple, cherry, rhubarb, lemon meringue, chocolate meringue, etc.). Just as God is not a respector of persons, I’m not a respector of desserts. Nearly all have something to offer.

Moderation is the key (I keep telling myself). Eat MOSTLY healthy. Work out even when you don’t want to. Guzzle the agua. Wolf down the vegies, fruits, nuts, and whole grains.

Here’s my hope: that if you eat enough guacamole it will offset any damage the red meat and sweets might otherwise cause.

Avocados: the true elixir.