Faith
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Training for "Hell"
This blog post comes with a qualifier. Up until about 6 weeks ago, I had not ridden a bike in almost ten years.Therefore, my friend Andrea and I decided it was only normal that we decide to participate in a 100k bike race. I am so thankful to find someone equally as crazy as I am. We talked about it one night and it was like, “You want to do it? Yeah sure. Ok!”We are entering as a team so we both only have to bike 50k. For those of you in the US, that is 31 miles each roughly. 31 miles is not that long of a distance on a bike. I rode 26 the other day. I have been running enough that my legs are in decent shape. Only thing we did not account for was that this distance would be entirely up and down hills. I suppose we should have taken a little more thought into entering a race called “Hell of the Marianas”-the toughest race in Micronesia. I rode the last two miles of my second leg last night. About half way through, I really thought my legs were just going to quit. In the race, by that point, I will already have ridden 13 miles. My legs and I have a lot of work to do. Regardless, we are committed to the goal of finishing the race. Period. We just want to cross the finish line. So with 11 days till the race, I am going to see just how quickly the human body can get into shape!Here is to lots and lots of bike riding in the next week and a half and to the goal of finishing the race! -
To Share or Not to Share?
I have been reading the Gospels and I have started to notice something. A lot of Jesus’ life revolved around food. Whether he was eating with people, feeding people, or talking about food-it consumed a lot of His time. It was part of the community Christ lived in and developed. One of sharing and talking and learning around the idea of food.
Food is an interesting thing. It has this incredible ability to bring together body, soul, and mind through its smells, textures, and designs. There is nothing quite like sharing a meal together. It is a sort of liberating activity in which all groups of people can meet on common ground to enjoy something. I am sure there are far fewer arguments started over food than there are over religion or politics. Yet, so often we do not share our food or our lives with those around us. We keep to ourselves and our habits. We may have dinner with others, but always the same others. I have close friends-I get that. But when does it go from having close friends we enjoy to having an exclusive “group” that you just don’t mess with?This leads me to Thanksgiving. This year I will spend my Thanksgiving on my small island 7000 miles from home. It has proven to be a frustrating event in my life. It shouldn’t be. And I suppose it really just brings to the surface an underlying frustration I have had. Why can’t we just all spend Thanksgiving together? It’s amazing how divided a group of people can get. It happens all the time. No matter where we are, its in our nature to gravitate towards people we get along with. I certainly do it too. Unfortunately, that is not in God’s nature. The more I study and read Christ’s words, the more I find that our divided, segregated groups look very much like the Pharisees Christ so often condemned. They are comprised of like-minded people that generally get along. We tend to snub those who aren’t in our group because, well, its just easier. And for me, realizing I am equally part of the problem, the biggest frustration is how to fix it. How do you get back to a place of inclusion, not seclusion? How do we shift our thinking from comfortable to Godly? How do we love those in our lives that just seem to always rub us the wrong way? How do we stop making excuses? And how do we show the world that we are truly different when we look so much like them?I don’t know the answers. I know something needs to change. I know the system and the rules need to change. And most importantly, I know that I need to change. So I guess that’s where it starts. Perhaps each of us need to step back and evaluate-do we consistently spend time with the same few people or are we constantly inviting others and including those around us? Are we content with comfortable? Are we making excuses? Are we failing to see the people around us as children of God and members or potential members of His family?It is going to be hard. It will be humbling. It may be uncomfortable. It should be normal.You May Also Like
Being Brave Everyday
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Scared? Yes!
So I have done a lot of scary things since moving to Saipan. I mean, aside from moving half-way around the world with zero friends. I jumped off a cliff, have snorkeled and swam more than I ever thought I could, taught students with names I couldn’t pronounce, crashed my bike, ran till my legs hurt, and the list goes on. I have conquered so many fears and had so much fun. I have done all kinds of things out of the ordinary that I have become afraid of the ordinary.
Explanation.I have to drive to my race in the morning. We have a car for a few days while a friend is traveling and it just made the most sense for me to drive it to my race since I am on a crunch for time. Literally, scariest thought in the world right now. I hated driving in the states and people here are not the best drivers. And it has been 4 months since I have been behind the wheel of a car! Something I used to do without the blink of eye is now causing literal butterflies in my stomach. I suppose I should laugh about it. 🙂I will let you know how it goes. Perhaps you should up offer an extra prayer for the drivers here! -
It’s That Time of Year
Everyone is gearing up for Christmas. Even on my small little island, the hotels are decorated with Christmas trees and the stores are getting ready for the madness that is Christmas. A few are even advertising Black Friday sales. My Twitter feed, Facebook wall, and e-mail inbox are filling up with ads and articles on Christmas.
I love Christmas. It is by far my favorite time of the year. I love Christmas music, movies, decorations, and all that is Christmas. I love the sights, sounds, and smells. The lights, trees-all of it. I have so many fond memories of Christmas as a kid. Of our traditions, trees, ornaments, presents etc. My parents did all they could to make sure that Christmas in our home was celebrated and was the best it could be. And for that I am so thankful. But as I get older, I find that my views and ideas on Christmas are changing.Being so far away from home during this time of year has given me a new perspective on Christmas and is shaping some of my ideas of Christmas. I have also been immersing myself in as much social justice literature as I can find and becoming an avid reader of blogs and articles relating to poverty, sex trafficking, global health, and what is being done in those areas to eradicate and solve the problems. It has made me realize how much good can be done with a simple shift in focus.I don’t know what Christmas will look like this year. For the first time in my life, I will not be spending it with my biological family. I will not wake up to snow or cold, but to sunshine and the ocean. There will be no trees or decorations and only a few presents. I just realized I didn’t need anything. I have starting making lists and notes and thinking about how I want Christmas to look in the future. My thoughts are still being shaped and will probably somewhat depend on where I am living at that time, but I know that I want to do things differently. I want to shape my Christmas around others and what I can do for them-how I can use my resources to make a difference.My thoughts are a work in progress…but then again, we are all still works in progress. -
You Think-Jenny and Tyler
My favorite new song!You know me so well | each and every part | so much better than i know myself | every layer of my heart | but it’s different with the world | i won’t let anyone come in | can’t let them know about my sin
‘cause what will the think of me | when they finally see | this little girl they know | doesn’t let her bruises show | what will the think of me | when they finally see | this little girl they know | doesn’t let her bruises show |what will they think of me
the pastor speaks | and i hang my head | so low i hope that | they will look at him instead | that man who left his wife and kids | so many years ago | no longer putting on a show | he’s let the congregation know
chorus
and who am i to think that i’m more righteous than the rest | that i might stand a little straighter when You put me to the test | i’m lying when i tell myself i have to be the best | that’s not what they expect
chorus
it’s not what they think | it’s how You think of me is
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2nd Casualty Of The Year
..a bike crash.
I promise I am not normally injury prone and two accidents in four months are not bad odds. I was riding my bike Saturday morning and the roads were slick from rain. I lost my focus for two seconds and my bike slipped off the side of the road and next thing I knew, I was on the ground and the bike was about a half a foot in front of me. I didn’t look..I just made sure I could stand up and got back on my bike. I was only about halfway through my ride so I needed to keep going. I felt ok so I kept going. Awhile later, I looked down to see blood running down my leg, but I had to keep going. I had a swim meet to get to. I finally made it, cleaned it up a little, put a band-aid on it, and finished the morning.Fast forward a few hours, my leg is throbbing and I can’t lay on it so sleeping has been difficult. I am a big baby about this stuff too. But thankfully it could have been worse and I am recovering quickly.Plus, I am sure it won’t be the last crash..it sorta goes with the biking territory. 🙂 -
Welcome To The Neighborhood
Life has been full of ups and downs lately and lots of confusion over what is next. So I decided to start re-reading through the Gospels. (and I found this sweet app for my ipod that will keep track of the plan for me:) )Perhaps another intense study of the life of Christ will shed some insight into what is next. If nothing else, it will be convicting I am sure.
So I started today with chapter one of Matthew, Luke, and John. I decided to read them in The Message and ESV. I like the way the Message says things sometimes…it just puts in terms that are sometime easier to understand and way more convicting. The thought that hit me today comes from John 1:14. The Message puts it like this, “The Word became flesh and blood , and moved into the neighborhood.” God, the creator of the world, became flesh and moved in next door. Can you imagine that? Waking up to find out your new neighbor was God in the flesh. He didn’t come as a king or ruler or superstar. He came as a neighbor, and a poor one at that. Yet, His goal was to restore us to fellowship with God and to cover our lives with His blood so that we may someday be His bride. But what really hit me was this-how many people knew at first that He was God? Or was He just their neighbor? And if we are made in the image of Christ, then we have Christ as our neighbor even today. Yet, how often do we actually treat our neighbors like they are made in the image of Christ? How often to we love them as Christ loves us? How often do we go out of our way to include others, bless others, care for others, give to others, and ultimately, show others how much the love of Christ has impacted us?Certainly I am far from perfect in this area and it is a daily struggle. But I do not want my life to be a reason for anyone to turn away from the gospel of Christ. From the love and acceptance that is only found in Him. Does that make this life messy? You bet! It means loving your worst enemies and irritating co-workers and family and strangers you meet on the street.So, He moved into the neighborhood. Our neighborhood. And left for us an example of how to live. So will you start treating your neighbors as if they were made in the image of Christ? Will you let life get a little messy and uncomfortable? I am sure going to work hard on it!You May Also Like
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21 Day Habit
One of my friends and I have been doing a study called “21 Day Habit.” It’s been really good. Everyday I get an e-mail with verses and a challenge around a certain point. Today’s topic was peace. It seems that each of these days has been just the challenge I needed that day. Today’s challenge was to identify your “disturbers of peace.” I sat back and thought about how little peace I have had lately. It seems that lately just about everything has been frustrating and made me anxious and lacking peace. As I reading through the verses, I came across this verse..
“He will keep in perfect peace all those who trust in Him..” Isaiah 26:3Talk about a wake-up call. Most of my “disturbers of peace” come directly from a lack of trust in my God and Savior. For some reason, I feel that my plan for my life is better and that He is taking too long to reveal the next step. Trust is something I have struggled with most of my life anyways, but today I realized that this battle will never be won until I just take the step to give God everything. To once and for all trust that He has a plan and that His plan is good. Today, I can have peace even though I have no idea what tomorrow may bring or next week or next year. It’s not about that. It’s about trusting in Him.What about you-what are your “disturbers of peace”? How can you start living more peacefully today?You May Also Like
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Don’t forget me..
I think sometimes the hardest thing about going away is not actually the leaving, but the fact that it generally seems as if everyone else is going on with life and has forgotten all about you. Perhaps a lot of the loneliness that comes with being gone is not really loneliness, but actually a longing for someone back home to remember. It’s like the soul is saying, “Please don’t forget me!” Yes, I moved to the other side of the world, but with technology keeping in touch is easier than ever! And it doesn’t cost any more to send letters and e-mails are free! So as you get ready to send out Christmas cards or if you get some spare time, don’t forget to add me to your list! I think of all of you often and I miss you so very much. It’s hard to realize that life must go one with or without you..but that fact is multiplying when you feel that no one notices your absence.
Thank goodness my family has been the most amazing source of encouragement and comfort in this and they have definitely not forgotten about me!So perhaps this a request..or a plea..or simply a girl living in paradise missing her home. Regardless of what it is, please remember me as you head into the holidays! I will be thinking of all of you and while I miss you all, I am so much enjoying my life in Saipan! Thanks for being so encouraging and supportive. You are the best! -
Christmas is coming..
..it’s never too early to start thinking about gifts.
I have decided that other than a few things I am going to bring back from Bali, I am buying gifts from Food for the Hungry.http://www.fh.org/give/catalogYou can purchase things that will drastically change people’s lives and give them hope and a future.What a better way to spend your Christmas budget!