Ma'antikvah

Re-Connecting and Present Reflections

2010-05-08T13:43:00.001-07:00

Hello....To anyone who might take notice:

So, I haven't written anything here for an atrocious amount of time. I started school again last year...which pretty much sucked out all my need to opinionate and articulate my ideas in a public setting. I just switched to talking as much as possible in class. However, I have now finished another semester and have the summer "off." (That in itself is a relative term--I'm going to be just as--if not more--busy than before.)

I feel I should comment on my last post of January 09. I personally have a policy of simultaneously remaining skeptical about politics and politicians in general, while on the other hand, giving most political leaders the benefit of the doubt. Politics are infinitely complex and that's just from the point of view of an outsider. We can't see all the crazy layers beneath the media's one dimensional portrayal of politics and political leaders: layers upon layers of promises, blackmail, tradition, peer pressure, public pressure, family pressure, intricacies of the law, personal agenda, public relations...all of these add up to making politics one of the most complicated and hard to understand arenas in the world.

My point is, how can we really know the true dimensions surrounding a political act or decision? All we can see are a few superficial layers--which may have only been created for our benefit--so that we can rest easy and assume that "we the people" know what is going on.

So, this doesn't mean I don't judge political leaders or decisions. I personally think President Obama has made a lot of stupid, underhanded, and even naive choices. Of course, he's hardly the first president to do so.

I don't necessarily want to get on the naysayer wagon and claim that our country's going to hell in a handbag. I like to look at the present through the lens of history. And in every era of U.S. government, we've had a whole slough of depressed commentators who want nothing more than to convince us common folk that the world is going to end next week because THAT BILL is being passed.

However, being generally moderate and libertarian in my leanings--I find any further intrusion by the government on my independence to be annoying and distasteful. So, I find our present Obama Regime to be extremely irritating in its public personality, and irrational in its decisions. That is my one hundred percent non-professional opinion. I'm not angry at our government, just bemused by its silly goings-on. This, I believe, is also a historically common position to hold, because Washington has always been undeniably silly...I mean, have you read anything about the respected fellows who founded our government? I have to laugh, because it often reads like a soap opera set in middle school. I mention this not to diminish those men's achievements, but to remind us that presidents come and go, and they never leave office without sitting on a handful of whoopee cushions. It's a crazy job, and I'm glad it's not mine.

~Miranda (Randi Jo)...signing on again!

We know little...But we hope much.

2009-01-21T09:56:00.000-08:00

A human being can survive a number of days without food. But can he survive without hope?

On the occasion of the inauguration of our 44th president, I think we all find ourselves dreaming of what the future will hold.

President Obama's slogans, "Yes we Can," and "Change...." Is anybody surprised that what he has to say has so captured the minds and hearts of the U.S.A.?

Those in my generation don't necessarily think about the civil rights movement. But those who for their ideals with passive resistance, principled idealism, hard work, and perseverence through persecution--those people have lived to see something that would have been unthinkable fifty or sixty years ago, a black president of the United States.
Well, my first thought was, "It's about time."

Personally, I tend to lean politically right in my views, although, I'm in that uncomfortable but exciting questioning stage of life. I don't necessarily hold easily defined political beliefs right now. However, I've been involved heavily with running a family business, which means I tend to be capitalist. I don't know if President Obama will institute leftist policies. But I do know that I love his passion for peace and his quest for equality.

I don't know how equipped he is to carry out foreign policy. I do know we could stand to have a better relationship with the rest of the world right now. As it has always been, his job will be to be a bastion of American ideals of truth and justice, while still trying not to tick off every foreign power across the pond.

I know that I want change just like the rest of America...but what sort (if any) change will our new president bring? Skimming over the news reports on the BBC this morning, the pattern was apparent. Almost every foreign power--whether they hope for a change in foreign policy (Russian and Iran) or hope for continued support (Israel)--across the board, everyone seems to say the same thing: "He talks alot about change, but we really don't expect a great difference between Bush's policy and the new president's relations with the world."

So, do I expect change? I do. I hope for it and dread it at the same time. Mostly, I will hold on to the feeling of rightness inside me when Obama was elected (though I voted for McCain), and I will cling to the memory of many tears that I shed watching his inauguration speech. Tears of joy. Joy because of the healing in our country that I already see has come through his presidency. And now, for the first time in a long time I feel hope for our dear country. Bitter waters will begin to run sweet. I believe God is using Barack Obama to bring long-awaited healing to the spirit of our country.

May hope continue to feed our starving souls.

Strong Bloody Soil

2008-12-14T11:34:00.000-08:00

So, I've been wondering, how do people get over--move past--and/or heal from war? My real question is, "Where do you go to hide from war when you walk past ten bombed out buildings every day traveling to work?" War became real to me in a new way this summer when I traveled in Croatia and Bosnia; both countries recovering from a bloody civil war in the 1990's, during and following the breakup of former Communist Yugoslavia. Croatia and Bosnia are part of a larger group of countries known as the Balkan peninsula, including: Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, Bulgaria, Albania, Macedonia, Greece and Romania. This peninsula is the corridor between East and West, where two vastly different cultures and three major religions meet (Catholic and Orthodox Christianity, and Islam). Not surprisingly, I heard someone say that this is some of the bloodiest soil in the world.

Incidentally, while we were backpacking through the Balkans, war broke out only a few countries away in Georgia; a product of another Russian invasion. For the first time in my life, I had a real taste of what people in this part of the world must feel--an unnerving and vulnerable life under the shadow of former empires.

It's kind of funny; In my experience, when you ask a person to point out Slovenia or Croatia on a map, you are often presented with a blank stare. It's not that people are usually uncaring or stupid. But it's been proven again and again that no one wants to pay attention to the Balkans until they are erupting in civil unrest or war.

I guess I just feel for these people...whom I caught a small glimpse of in my journeys. The month I spent in Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia last summer endeared me to the southern Slavs forever. These people are amazingly hospitable and possess a great sense of humor. They don't pay as much attention to personal hygeine as citizens of Western Europe (in my experience). They speak a language which sounds harsh at first--but you soon learn to distinguish between a mother's praise and anger at her child. Trust me, you'll know when the Slavic mother is angry.

The Croatians sport a sunnier demeanor...as befits their seaside landscape; the Dalmatian coast, a long stretch of stony and gorgeous beaches. Croatia has become "the next place to be" as a tourist destination, and although they were hit hard in the last war (literally, many of their cities were bombed extensively), they have rebuilt and seem to have moved towards greater westernization and prosperity.

Bosnia, hit hardest by the last war, is a few steps behind. The violence has ended, but you cannot walk through Mostar, Bosnia, without staring at the crumbling shells of buildings lining each street. Mostar's famous bridge, though destroyed in the last war, has now been rebuilt, and is a rallying point for those who want to heal.

As you move further inland, through soaring emerald mountain cliffs, on a train that may or may not (stress on the may not) have a unlocked bathroom, you finally arrive in Sarajevo, the capitol of Bosnia-Herzegovina. About 400,000 people inhabit this urban center: famed for several reasons. It was the location of the longest seige in recorded history during the Bosnian war. Historically, and amazingly, Jews, Orthodox, Catholics, and Muslims have coexisted peacefully in this city. And it was the site of the assassination that began World War I; the murder of Austro-Hungarian Archduke Franz Ferdinand, by Serbian nationalist, Gavrilo Princip.

A tram system runs through the core of the city, which might be the most efficient way to get around. This happens to be the second city in the world--after San Francisco--to have a fully operational electrical tram system. Immediately you notice the Turkish style buildings and mosques, and every so often feel strange shivers run up and down your spine as the call to prayer rings out through the streets. It is an undeniably beautiful sound, and it means something different here than in the midst of Iran or Saudi Arabia. The Muslims in Bosnia are said to prize independence and critical thinking above fanaticism or uber-literal interpretation of the Quran. Sarajevo sits in a valley and sprawls out over the ascending slopes of the mountain. To reach our hostel, we trekked a cobblestoned hill that seemed never ending (under heavy backpacks), until we began to pass the Muslim memorial graveyards, the legacy of the last war. Twelve thousand people were killed and fifty thousand were wounded in the seige, and it is thought that 85% of these casualities were civilians. Suddenly the walk up the slope didn't seem so horrible. So, how do the Bosnian's move forward, when they must walk past their overflowing graveyards every day? I don't know. Most of the Bosnians I spoke with were hopeful for the future. But these were the people who had jobs...property...prospects.

I guess you never get over war. Maybe that's not the point. Maybe, when you do manage to live on, without your leg or your arm (I saw quite of few of these people in Sarajevo) or your family member or without a decent economy holding you up--perhaps just the fact that you have survived and have the gumption to keep on surviving means you have won the greatest battle. If that it is true, the people of the Balkans are stronger than anyone realizes. Battles and wars are a way of life in this part of the world.

Deeper Circles of Sin?

2008-10-17T18:49:00.000-07:00

So the question on my heart this week is as follows:

Why, in Church culture, do we champion a hierarchy of sin?

The idea has obviously been around for a while. When I read Dante's Inferno back in high school, it was clear that the greatest sin in his thinking (and arguably the the mind of his culture) was betrayal. In the deepest circle of hell--you will see the greatest backstabbers in history (in the mouth of Satan himself); Judas Iscariot (who betrayed Christ for thirty silver coins), and Brutus and Cassius (who plotted against and led a gang murder against Julius Caesar).

For hundreds of years, especially during the late middle ages and renaissance...it might have seemed that the worst sin was heresy. It was just too bad for you if you didn't happen to agree with every orthodox teaching of the Church (whatever religious domination might be in power at the moment). On both Protestant and Catholic sides of the faith you will find a history of brutal executions--carried out against those who didn't color inside the lines of the accepted faith.

Of course, sin carries with it a certain set of consequences that are enforced by nature--as gravity pulls us down when we step off a cliff. A man who commits incest will find that he has wreaked havoc on dozens of relationships in his life, possibly damaged his family member and victim irreparably, and has reenforced a cycle of guilt and indulgence in his life that may never end. A prideful woman, however, might get by without noticing the results of her sin. She might die and stand before Jesus without ever having known it was an issue. Perhaps she was just as willingly sinful as the man who committed incest.

My question is---when we stand before our Savior--will we be able to pass off our pride as just a little sin? Does a little sin (or for that matter a big sin) really exist? Sin differs in its earthly consequences. Once a child has been murdered, you can't get that child back. Thinking like Jesus, however, requires a paradigm shift. If we were to look in the eyes of that child's murderer, could we honestly, in the Spirit, love him as if he were just another prideful person that we meet every day? Perhaps the best we can do, when we begin, is to say with our Lord, "He who has been forgiven much, loves much."

Somehow, our goal should be to treat the known sex offender with the same love and respect with which we treat our boastful neighbor. And somewhere, in the perspective of heaven, where everything evens out in the end, I can see that the same blood of Christ shed for that murderer--that same blood--was shed for my selfishness, pride, and other "small" sins.

We all--daily--betray Christ for less than thirty pieces of silver.

Struggling in Space

2008-10-15T19:42:00.000-07:00

I see alot of inconsistency in myself lately. I wonder at my ability to swing from being totally passionate about my God and my faith and my interests (family and friends included)---to being apathetic, concerned with matters of simple entertainment, and kind of a loner.
There is more to this the story, of course. Only God really knows how much. I can see that adjusting to my life here since I have returned is an ongoing struggle. In some ways, living in the US is a lot easier. I like having my own bathroom--I really enjoy my own bed that sits in its own room, not surrounded by ten other beds filled with people who may or may not be sleeping. I like eating warm meals.

I do have more time on my hands. This, perhaps is the root of some of my new struggles. All this freedom can be easily wasted. I do need it, however, for some personal restoration following three very difficult years. Perhaps this extra space in my life will be the crucible in which God shapes and defines me over the next year. I saw Him do this with the crazy pressure of full time work and school over the last few years, and then with the sickness last winter. This freedom is a whole new kind of challenge. I do not lack projects and pursuits. Conjuring up the motivation to follow these new rainbows takes a different kind of grit than I've previously had to muster up.
It is here, in this new spaciousness of my life, I truly see some of my faults for what they are. So I am turning back to a foundational prayer.

Our Father in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name,

Your kingdom come,

Your will be done,

On earth as it is in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our debts,

As we also have forgiven our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation,

But deliver us from the evil one.

It is in these days of change, apathy and distractions that I thank God for the prayers He has given us. On all the days I am too busy or too passionless to search the depths of my heart for an original prayer, I pray out of liturgy--prayers that others have spoken already--but express the needs of all of us common people.

And I find that these prayers, spoken a hundred million times, have not lost one ounce of their power to transform the heart. May You not only teach me to pray Lord, but help me remember to pray. It is usually the only way to stoke the coals of my faith into a stronger flame.

Some Photographic Proof of my trip (for all of you skeptics...)

2008-09-21T14:26:00.000-07:00

The Fairy Tale Castle, Neuschwanstein, Bavaria
My German host family :)
Me and the Fam and Notre Dame

The Louvre

Hmm...I'm not sure if I remember where this was...

Bazaar in Sarajevo

Zagreb Cafe

The Glockenspiel Tower, Marienplatz, Munich

The Gate all prisoners walked through to enter Dachau, with the mocking slogan, "Work Brings Freedom."

A slice of Munich

Beautiful Dubrovnik Harbor

What it looks like...one of many bombed out buildings

Famous Bridge rebuilt after the Yugoslavian war in the 90s

Beautiful Door in Mostar

Tasty Turkish Gyros

Yes, that is the Colisseum
Lesce Bled Station, Cold Cold Morning after Long Long Night
Lake Bled, Slovenia
Dubrovnik, Old Town

Dubrovnik, Old Town

Conclusions...

2008-09-21T13:43:00.000-07:00

So, hello to all of you readers. I hope that none of my more serious readers were miffed by the fact that haven't written in about a month and a half. But I'm sure you had much better things on your schedule than noticing my lack of communiques. I had much better things on my schedule than blog time. Since I last wrote, I travelled through Croatia, Bosnia, Germany, Switzerland, and France, and recently arrived back home.

So, a few slices of the last 6 weeks or so:

We spent about three weeks in Croatia, which ended up being our vacation time. We stayed a few days in Split, which is a major harbor town. The old city is sort of built around the remains of Diocletian's palace, a Roman emperor. The remains were never really uninhabited, I guess, so the city just grew up inside and around and nowadays has a really interesting vibe.

We spent two weeks in Dubrovnik, often called the Pearl of the Adriatic...and promptly got lazy. We pretty much did nothing except go to the beach, lie on our beds and read (we found this amazing english bookstore in the old town) and walk around the old walled city of Dubrovnik. The people were so friendly and independent minded, and we really got quite comfortable with their ways of doing life. We stayed for most of our days in a guesthouse, which was really a private double room in a family's house, so we had the use of the kitchen, the bathroom, and an interesting view into a Croatian family's everyday existence.

"Randomly," we were reunited with some Danish girls (whom we had met on a train a few weeks before) on the bridge leading into the old city. They suggested we head to Bosnia for a while, as they had just loved Sarajevo (the capital of Bosnia). So we did.

Bosnia is landlocked, highly Muslim, and still recovering from the war of the 1990s. Everywhere we went we saw these old bombed-out buildings, far from being repaired. The Turkish influence could be seen almost in every building. All the Bosnians (or most) that I met seemed very friendly, and I never once felt threatened by the Muslim influence. We stayed in Mostar and Sarejevo for a total of five days, did lots of shopping the bazaars and sitting in cafes. Bosnia does not have a healthy economy, so we could actually afford to live well for once. The reality of war and the alluring spices of the east seem to categorize my memories of Bosnia.

Kaela left a few days later, flying out of Zagreb, Croatia. I went on to Germany.

Relatives of my uncle Gunter (whom I sailed with) offered to take me in while I saw Munich. They live in a quaint little community on the outskirts of Munich, about 30 minutes from the center by the metro train. The best way to describe Munich is that I could live there for months and months. It had this sunny demeanor, and delightful baroque architecture. I was able to take day trips to see the castles of Neuschwanstein and Linderhof, hiked in the alps with my "cousins" and spent an afternoon at Dachau.

Helga, Franz, Caroline, Simone, Alexander, Andie, Leone, and Manuel--my adopted family truly made Munich a beautiful place for me. They have endless gifts of hospitality (and cooking) and I loved the time we spent talking and laughing together

I travelled from Munich to a tiny village in the Swiss Alps to stay at an international study center known as L'Abri. (More on this in another post). And after a week at L'Abri, I headed off to Paris to meet my mother and siblings.

After a wonderful and surreal reunion, we all took off to spend a day in Paris, trying to see all we could manage. We stood awed at Notre Dame, hit one wing of the Louvre, walked almost all the way to the Arc d' Triumphe (much farther away than it looks from the Louvre) and walked along the Seine until we came to the Eiffel Tower. Paris impressed me with her beauty, she is truly the most beautiful city (a sort of beauty one can taste and breathe) I have seen anywhere. My youngest brother and I were sad to leave.

We lolled about for a week in the south of France (near Canet), spending time with my mother's family and my German family, sitting on the beach, and visiting a gorgeous mediterranean town nearby.

So now I am home. I can't exactly believe it. I went from being somewhat homesick at the beginning of the trip---to receiving some sort of second wind about a month ago---and feeling like I could just go on indefinitely. There are so many places I still want to see. I think that Eastern Europe, the UK, Australia, and Turkey are next on the list.

I'm still in the withdrawal period. I miss being able to jump on the metro and go see a castle whenever I like. I miss some the friends I made on my journey. I miss brodeside (the german sandwiches which somehow seem more exciting than what we eat at home), the sea, and never knowing what to expect from day to day.

But, there are adventures to be found here, I think.

Rome 7/23-7/26

2008-07-28T06:46:00.000-07:00

We spent the last two and half days in rome. The first day and a half my throat felt like it was closing up and ached like crazy. We arrived at our hostel, which was a friendly place and just a short walk from the Vatican. The drawbacks were that Rome is a very noisy city...full of garbage trucks that collect from dumpsters underneath your window at 10pm and the persistant drone of car alarms and sirens from ambulences and police cars.
This all said, I am extremely glad we made it to Rome for a few days. On the third day, my throat felt much better (Thank you Lord!) We met some great girls from Vancouver and went out to pizza with them.
Our first full day in Rome we dragged ourselves out of bed (after a near sleepless night), and bewilderingly set off to see the Vatican. We arrived at St. Peter's (only a few blocks away from our hostel) only to realize that we had forgotten our coverup shirts (because of modesty restrictions) at our hostel. We walked to some information booth to try to get some plans going for the rest of the day, but it was closed, and we ended up going back to the hostel, getting our shirts and making our way back to the Vatican.
We first saw the museum and the Sistine Chapel. The immense degree of work that went into almost every square inch of ceiling and wall blew us away (or would have if the crowd hadn't kept pushing us forward). I was intrigued by the halls painted with maps of various parts of Italy. I loved the Raphael Rooms, especially the most famous painting of Aristotle and Plato. The least noticed and most passed over area were the rooms decorated by modern religious art. I saw perhaps two or three works out of dozens that had any merit. The rest seemed shoddy, shallow, and base compared with the magnificent works of Raphael and Michaelangelo. Most of the work seemed to fall into two categories. Either it was heavy with feeling but deficient in meaning or it was full of symbolism and thought, but so lacking in appearance as to cause headaches if you looked too long. Perhaps I am being too harsh. I know the artists themselves mean well, and kudos to the Vatican for trying to endoorse some modern interpretation of the Christian faith.
The Sistine was very crowded, but the ceiling was filled to bursting. It seems to me on reflection that the images abvove us contained the real humanity, and we were all just desperate shadows trying to receive substance from their vivid lives. St.Peter's was indeed magnificent. We climbed 500 steps to the very crown of the cathedral and viewed the beautiful squares gardens, monuments, and baroque buildings below us. An awe-inspiring sight--one I would wish everyone to see.
We thought that the greatest feature of St.Peter's was not it's detail, but it's attention to simplicity. Nothing was overdone. The Pieta was stunning. I looked and my heart fairly skipped a beat. Tears came as I understood in a new way Christ's suffering and the ponderous grief in Mary's soul. It is enough to say that I could not look upon it and walk away unchanged.
Yesterday we took a tour bus around the city, ending at the Colosseum. I loved the upclose view of something so iconic in our culture and in my faith. For a moment a window opened and I could hear the shouting of the crowds, the roar of the beasts, the scent of blood and sand and sweat, and the fear filling the hearts of the men who had to enter that arena.
Last night we walked from our bus stop to the Spanish steps (where Audrey Hepburn ran into Gregory Peck in Roman Holiday), and they look much wider in the movie, but perhaps it was because of the mass of people sitting on them. Still a great experience. It was the thought that counted. We walked from the steps to Trevi foutain, a beautiful living sculpture, bursting with water and beautiful statues...you could almost swear that they moved every so often. We stayed until the lights came on and the glow basked the monument. We wended our way through the streets through the falling dark and came upon the Parthenon, massive and mysterious.
It was a beautiful end to our Roman Holiday.

Rome to Slovenia 7/28/08

2008-07-28T06:43:00.000-07:00

So, we left Rome on Saturday afternoon, after spending three hours waiting in lines to get a ticket to Slovenia, Lesce/Bled Station, and three hours waiting for our train. Slovenia is not a major destination, and we wanted to do it as cheaply as possible, so we took three different night trains on which you do not sleep....and arrived at Lesce/Bled at 0530 in the morning...where it was raining and very cold.

For a few hours I thought I was going to die of exposure, (not really, but it sure was cold) since the actual train station was closed, but we lived...with the help of our sleeping bags... and waited until about 0800 to find a phone since our hostel said they had a shuttle that could pick us up at the station. But there was no phone outside the train station and the station was closed since it was a Sunday, so we took our packs and walked three kilometers into Bled, and then into the countryside around Bled where our hostel was supposed to be...since we couldn't find a phone anywhere. So we walked for another four kilometers into the country, finally realizing that there was something fishy going on. After asking around...Kaela is very good with the personal connections and crossing language barriers...we found out that our hostel was a good ten kilometers away from Bled, and the proprieter puts an incorrect address on his website and brochures so that people will think they are staying in Bled. By this time, we hadn't slept for about 36 hours and we had walked and stood for hours with our backpacks, so we sat bewildered at the Bled Bus station...realizing that the station was closed on Sundays, and only two bus lines ran on sundays, and that even if we could catch a taxi it would probably cost a fortune to get to our budget hostel...We sat down and asked God for wisdom and tried to write a list of our game plan.1.Eat the money from the stupid hostel! 2.Find a tourist info place3..Find a new hostel in town4.Find a supermarket5.Find an internetTwo irish girls saw our plight and helped us think through our position, telling us they had received help from a man at a tourist information building. We went there and the guy was super nice and he confirmed that they have people running into this problem with this particular hostel almost every day of the week. He called up a hostel in town and in 5 minutes the proprietor drove up...a very jolly sort of man...and drove us to his hostel, where we had a double room for only 19 euros per person, and showers, and wonderful peace and quiet. We showered and ate and slept and thanked God for His deliverence!We really love the area of Bled town and the beautiful lake. It received it's initial tourism back in the early 1900s as a health resort destination. I am not surprised, it is a perfect place to rest up for a few days before making a probably difficult and long trek to Dubrovnik in the south of Croatia.

We have really seen God's provision over and over on our trip so far. Every time that we run into difficulties, He sends people into our path to pick us up and point us in the right direction, sometimes carrying us there. Sidenote...we wanted to take a train to Venice last Saturday from Rome, just to spend a few hours before going to Slovenia, but it was nigh impossible and much more expensive. So, we decided to go "straight" to Bled. I'm very glad we did not extend our trip on purpose! Pray that we find the best and straightest path to get to Rijeka in Croatia, and from there that we can find a ferry. It will probably be a very arduous journey, but from there on for the next few weeks we will only have short trips to make...hallelujah!

Some Pictures from the last few weeks...

2008-07-20T06:12:00.000-07:00

At our Cafe in Vathy, Ithaca

Our early morning passage from Reggio to Tropea, Italy, with Sicily in the background
Two of our friends in Ithaca
Ducks in a cafe in Galaxhidi, Greece.
Our final chance to sail with the mainsail...truly a treat since the winds in the mediterranean are anything but ideal for sailing

So, most of the past week we spent sailing our ocean passage from Ithaca (Greece) to Reggio (Italy), working, and staying in a somewhat harsh marina in Tropea, Italy. We leave for Rome in on the 23rd of July.

Ithaca was by far our favorite place so far. We made a lot of connections with the locals, and although the culture shock was very jarring (and took a few subsequent days to sort through), in hindsight it was by far the most fun we've had on our whole trip.

I would like to be able to sort through all the stories and write up the highlights, but it's been an exhausting week and I think I will just share the stories through pictures (which I have many of, so it's all right)...

The Unexpected in Travel

2008-07-08T23:43:00.000-07:00

The strange thing about travelling is that the unexpected is truly unexpected. You can't plan for the things that make travelling worthwhile or difficult. The last week we have passed from Corinth to Galaxhidi (near the ruins of Delphi) to Trizonia (a tiny harbor on a small island) to Patras (the largest harbor in Greece) and then on to the island of Ithaca--the kingdom of the legendary Odysseus.

We spent Kaela's birthday in Trizonia, quietly, with plenty of time to read and swim. We sat down for a few hours in the afternoon drinking beers witha kayaker named Ulrich. He boasted a whitening, bushy beard, and a balding mop of sun-tinted hair. Ulrich means "Viking" in German--and that same spirit of adventure and fearlessness and wandering runs through his blood. He spoke pretty good english sprinkled with German. He was about 60 and stilly spry. He amazed us with his tales of a very odd life. He has kayaked over much of the Mediterranean, even making long sea passages.

Once he raised a donkey from birth in order to travel with this donkey over the mountains of Europe. For most of the donkeys life he did not speak to it--but only touched it and often slept beside it to create perfect trust. He did this for "a joke" and to prove that what once the norm (travelling over the mountains with pack donkeys) was still very possible. His philosophy of life is "Why not?" He was very eccentric and very kind. He cooks all his own food and mostly sleeps on beaches and secluded woods. He is the most minimalistic person I have ever met. He usually works for 6 months in Germany and then takes a year off to travel. We felt priviledged to sit on the boat with him for a few hours, sharing beers, and gleaning from his life.

We spent two days in Patras. It had a large private harbor, but also a large industrial harbor. It smelled like a cesspool when the breeze died down. It was also very loud. But...we had water and electricity and internet. This seemed to atone for the less than stellar lodgings and the crazy anger managment cases we had for harbor masters.

The last few days we have been in Ithaca. The town is beautiful and the rolling hills are covered with pines and cypruses. I spent two of those days with some sort of flu, but last night I finally went into town. We ate Greek pizza and enjoyed pina coladas (my first). People are very friendly here--especially the guys. On our way back from the beach, Kaela and I were stopped by a guy our age in a car who was asking us where we were from and if we wanted to go to coffee. He had a nice face--kind. We had to go back to the boat, so we declined his offer. But yesterday, Kaela met these two 17 year-old boys, an Italian and an Albanian who asked her to go to a cafe and a disco. We ended up meeting them last night (as she felt they were quite harmless) and walked into town with them, had coffee and cokes, and then walked back to the boat. It was kind of hilarious because they spoke almost no english, but only French, Albanian, and Italian (none of which we know). So, Kaela and I spent most of the time talking to each other and winking at each other over the table. We had our drinks at the main plaza in town, and evidently we were raising the two guys reps significantly...going by the looks we received from their various acquantainces. They tried to communicate, but the language barrier was nearly insurmountable. We didn't mind raising their reps--they were gentlemen (if only 17) and I wish we could have actually had a conversation.

We walked back to the boat by ourselves--very amused, and happy to connect with some locals.

It seems you never know how travelling will change you. In my case, I have had so much time to contemplate my life and my direction. What I love and what truly matters to me--what I feel I cannot do without is coming into sharp focus...especially since many of the things I love are absent. But, I prayed over and over before our journey that God would use this time to narrow my plans and the way I look at myself. I would like a stronger direction in life...and God is giving it to me. It is not anything like what I expected. It seems God has more freedom to change my life among the constant change of travel.

In the Footsteps of the Apostles: Thoughts on Evangelism

2008-06-30T04:32:00.000-07:00

We are travelling through Greece right now, and so far have been in several places where Acts has told us Paul preached. We read Acts 17 on Mars Hill, and stood where Paul was brought to the authorities in old Corinth. This trip has already brought me a deep deep thankfullness for what the apostles did. When you walk through these ruins, you can better understand what a blind and lost people that the apostles preached to. The apostles spoke the truth fearlessly upon the very throne of the Enemy, and often were merecilessly punished for it. Whom am I to hesitate to bring up a conversation about Jesus with a friend or relative? I believe we do not have the gumption for several reasons.
1.We do not really love our brothers
2.We are full of pride and fear of man
3.We have not courage because we do not ask
4.Our God is not big enough (in our minds)
God make me full of courage and passion to reach the lost of our age, whether in Jerusalem, Samaria, or the ends of the earth.

6/30/08 Corinth City, Corinth Bay

2008-06-30T03:41:00.000-07:00

Kaela and Randi Jo on the bow of Pacific Bliss, heading through the Corinth Canal
Making our mark for the US of A in Corinth
Kaela and RJ in the Corinth Canal
Kaela enthusiastically trying to describe how high the walls of the canal are to you at home.

Friday we sailed from Aigina to Corinth City. It was necessary, and really a treat to pass through the Corinth Canal. The canal is about three miles long, and is truly a masterpiece of engineering. Steep walls of carven rock lept up on either side of us, and dazzling blue water stretched out before us. We motored into Corinth harbor, and providentially, immediately found a berth. Greek harbors, unlike most harbors around the world, are not built for the cruising trade. Quarters are cramped, and more often than not you are forced to anchor in the bay outside the harbor. This not only means more of a hassle to go into town, but the boat is then fairly unprotected against the fierce mediterranean winds.

We saw the ruins of old Corinth two days ago. It wasn't extremely well preserved, but we saw some beautifully carved statues, and a couple of temples to Apollo (he seemed to be the popular one around here), and, the thing that made the whole trip worth it--the Bema--the plaform where Paul was brought before the authorities in Acts 18. It is mindboggling to stand upon a place that you know Paul stood upon.

You hear a lot about the decandence of Corinth, but now they seem pretty subdued as far as a city goes. Corinth is less touristy than you would expect for such a famous city. We have spent most of our time around the cobblestone pedestrian area a few blocks from the harbor. We are surrounding by higher end shops, cafes, and tavernas. We had pizza one night (which I wasn't crazy about--it almost seemed fried), and gyros--which so far have always been top notch. They had a fiesta two nights ago, and we thought that it might be kind of crazy, but, from the sound of it, it was more of a classical greek opera!

There is a huge multimillion dollar yacht behind us. Just the crew is with it, as the owner only comes every so often. To run the engine and use up gas for just an hour costs 600 euros! When they charter it for a day, it costs 6000-7000 euros for the passengers--just for a day! And get this, the passengers (obviously the terribly rich type) usually don't even arrive until 11am and leave at 5pm! It is owned by a Jordanian family who live in France.
They have been docked here for fourteen days, because of dead fuel injectors (this happened because they received the wrong fuel in Athens). The crew consists of two men in their thirties, both french. The skipper is from Cannes, and the cook is black and from the french caribbean island of Martinique.

Last night was the big soccer (futeball) game between Germany and Spain, and we had a feeling that we might be able to finagle watching the game on the yacht, if we played our cards right. Turns out we didn't even have to ask. The two guys are really starved for company (being in the same harbor for fourteen days), and they jumped at the chance. So we actually met them for appetizers around 9pm, watched the game from 9:45 to 10:30 (Spain won--Germany just couldn't keep up with their fast moves), and ate dinner (fish and rice--a caribbean recipe I think) and talked until 1am. Actually, the skipper did most of the talking--he is a major extrovert, and the cook is a major introvert (who, incidently, was so much like my brother Isaac in his mannerisms and actions, that I couldn't help but like him best). The skipper kept telling crazy stores with big hand motions and this hilarious french accent...
Skipper Fred: It vas incredeebull!!! (incredible)
Cook Phillipe: Nods his head (really nodding his whole body) with big smile over and over.
I think this routine was repeated about fifty times through out the night.

Today Kaela and I did all the provisioning for the boat at the local supermarket. We feel very accomplished, and amazingly only spent 63 euros.

We are starting to feel more acclimated to the sailing life, but I think it will take a few more weeks before we can come off our guard, knowing that we are less likely to make huge mistakes.

The Cruising Existence seems to be a lot of work interspersed with priceless moments. You can meet people from all over the world easily, as they are often tied up right behind you on the dock. It is truly seeing the world through the back door.

6/26/08 Lavrion to Aigina Bay

2008-06-27T10:57:00.000-07:00

Randi Jo on watch on the way to Aigina

Kaela on watch
A beautiful sunset dinner in Aigina bay
Fishing boats in Lavrion

Our provisioning at the local market...
Kaela tried to tell me not to get too excited...;)LOL
Kaela and my aunt Lois in the market...
Lois and Gunter at the family restaurant.
Eating Gyros..They are amazing...

The last few days we spent in Lavrion, a safe harbor after that crazy ordeal in Porto Rafti. We found a great spot on the main quey immediately. The first night we celebrated a good days work. Lois and Gunter had already been in Lavrion before they sailed to Porto Rafti to change crew. We went to this great family restaurant where Lois and Gunter had been before. We had Kalimari (a type of squid) for supper, and surprisingly, it was very tasty. Lois said it was the best kalimari she'd ever had. We also had a greek salad, and let me tell you, you have not lived until you've eaten a greek salad in Greece. It's basically cut up tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, green peppers and feta cheese, steeped in olive oil dressing. It is never on a bed of lettuce (which is fine with me-as I am not fond of lettuce). We walked back to the boat in the dark, to very attractive bunks. This is one thing about sailing...the hard times are very hard, which serves to make celebration and rest all the more beautiful.
We had a beautiful internet cafe in Lavrion. It really spoiled us. The computers had english software, which made uploading pictures and stories on the internet so much easier. The hostess was cheery and very helpful, and the coffee was quite tasty.
The purpose of our stay in Lavrion was first to get the anchor chain stripper fixed. We expected to have to wait at least three or four days at the least. But Gunter found a great connection, a sharp Greek named Marcus, and he led us to the experts. Consequently, a job we thought might take anywhere from 3 days to a week ended up taking 2 hours!
I spent most of our time in Lavrion recovering from a case of bad sunburn. Thank God, it was a nice place to relax.
Today we sailed three or four hours to the island of Aigina. We are anchored right outside of Aigina town, a beautiful and quaint mediterranean port. All of us women are entranced by the beauty of the waterfront, and we were a bit disappointed when we found we couldn't go ashore.
Yet, it is mysterious and untouchable in the sunset and twilight, and it is imprinted in my memory as an ideal.

6/23/08 Porto Rafti-to Lavrion

2008-06-27T10:53:00.000-07:00

Well, due to God’s providence, we had an idyllic first and second day on Pacific Bliss. This day was ideal in another fashion. Yesterday we wanted to leave Porto Rafti to go to Lavrion and find a mechanic for the windless. The only problem? Leaving. The pressure on the anchor by the meltemis (without a working motored pulley) made our longed-for exit impossible. We almost cast out an extra anchor to take pressure off the chain. But, providentially, two Frenchman (one a diver) in a nearby boat offered their assistance. Now we waited for a lull that would last a few hours. Yesterday, it didn’t come.

An act of God was to free us from our plight. The Meltemi suddenly died down, and in its place came a strange wind from the southwest. It swiveled us all the way around several times and blew us to the far edges of our anchor radius. Suddenly, all hands came alive on deck as we saw ourselves colliding into a small red powerboat. Quickly, we moved the portable fenders to protect the boat. We were confused, as this should not have happened. Gunter realized that the swivel action on the anchor chain had freed our anchor, and so we were drifting…and this was good. Our moment had come. The two Frenchmen, swarthy and muscled (which was what we needed) came over, one in a dinghy and the other in snorkeling gear. He dove and found the position of our anchor and Gunter took up the difficult task of pulling in our anchor, link by link. Soon, we could see two partial causes of the pressure on our anchor. Two ancient anchors (from Greco-Roman times) had lodged in our chain. With the aid of leverage from ropes and knives, they removed the anchors. Our chain was free! We pulled it in quickly and set off before anything else could go wrong, leaving, as Lois put it, the “graveyard of ancient anchors,” happily in our wake.

In retrospect, I was glad to be able to understand the worst and the best of the sailing life so quickly. Lois repeated an old saying that sailing is nine parts boredom and one part sheer terror. I can understand it after today. I have to say, some of the best feelings in the world are leaving a anchorage and safely docking at the new harbor!

6/22/08 Sunday in Porto Rafti

2008-06-27T10:52:00.001-07:00

Me in the Salon of Pacific Bliss, my aunt Lois is at the fridge in the background.
The Mainsail of Pacific Bliss
A view from the front (bow) of the catamaran.
Me in the salon again..that is where we spend much of our time.

Nothing, O LORD, compares with You.
Your understanding stretches out to the heavens
To the farthest expanses of being.
The nations rise, conquer, and fall in a moment of Your mind.

I am sitting here on the boat, surrounded by history in the sea and on land, contemplating Your expanses. I look at the hills and the town around us—and I wonder how many peoples have come to this place, conquered, fell and were consumed by another nation. How many people remember the existence of half of these nations?

6/21/08 Saturday in Athens and Porto Rafti

2008-06-27T10:48:00.000-07:00

A simple, yet beautiful dinner on our balcony in Athens.
A very old yet amazingly detailed woman...Mycenaen I think
Some goddess, not sure which exactly.
As Kaela calls it, the man pottery (a desperate ploy to get men to use dishware)
Waiting on the dock at Porto Rafti

Today we arose early and trekked up to the National Archeological Museum, about 6 blocks from our hostel. If I hadn’t been so exhausted, I could have appreciated it more. At the same time, it was a very clear progression of cultures mapped out from room to room. The statues were beautiful. I think my favorite styles were the bronze statues of a horseman and a woman, and also the statues of women in the Herculaneum style. We also saw some beautiful murals excavated from the volcanic island of Thera.

The Egyptian rooms affected me strongly—too strongly. I felt as if a cold hand reached up and clenched around my heart. Seeing the way I react now (and the various stages I have gone through in the past—from obsession with their culture to trying to create space between it and me) I often think many of my ancestors were Egyptian. I do believe that memories and feeling can pass down the generations. As I looked around the halls, gazing at the figurines and mummies, I finally realized the extent of the darkness they lived in. They planned their lives around all kinds of magic and spells—and it only led them deeper into despair. I repented for their sins and asked God to redeem our generational line—bringing light out of darkness. The Exodus has always been one of my favorite stories in the Bible. Now it has new meaning for me and I can praise all the more with Miriam when she says,
“Sing to the LORD,
For He is highly exalted,
The horse and its rider
He has hurled into the sea.” Exodus 15:21

After spending a few hours at the museum, we found a bus terminal, and again, God sent us to the right place at the right time, for just as we arrived, a bus was leaving for Porto Rafti. The Athens ports are very dirty, so Lois and Gunter decided to anchor in Porto Rafti, which is on the opposite side of the peninsula from Athens. Lois and Gunter had the only catamaran in the harbor, so they were easy to spot. We soon connected and spent the rest of the day getting re-acquainted and relaxing in the cool breezes. This day has been beautiful--perfect, really. We spent the evening talking and drinking wine, until the sun went down. There it seems, the sailor's energy begins to wain.

We found out that their time at Porto Rafti had already been eventful, as they had been struggling against the northeast winds called meltemis, which are fitful and often very strong. In the early hours of the previous morning, they had awakened to a bump. They went up top and found themselves colliding with another anchored boat. This shouldn’t have happened, but somehow the meltemi had turned their boat around enough so that the anchor came loose. As they tried to crank up the anchor, they found another ancient looking anchor had attached to their chain. Gunter had to dive down and straighten everything out.

In this whole process, the windless (the motored pulley that cranks the anchor chain into the boat) broke. We seem now to be in a safe position, with a ninety degree swing circle between us and the other boats. The problem on the horizon is how to crank up our anchor again in these strong and fitful winds (which creates a great pressure on the chain) without the help of a motor. We, of course, are safe in the boat (which is built like a tank), and realizing more and more our safety in God’s sovereign plan.

Pictures from the Acropolis!

2008-06-24T02:45:00.000-07:00

Randi Jo and Aphrodite

Kaela and Aphrodite

On the steps of Mars/Areopagus Hill

Summer 2008...

2008-06-24T02:22:00.000-07:00

Many of you know that I will be traveling (most of the time with my friend Kaela) throughout Europe, starting in Athens in June and ending in Canet, France in September. I will be sailing the first six weeks, and backpacking the final six. We are sailing with my Aunt Lois and my Uncle Gunter on their beautiful catamaran, the Pacific Bliss. This is their final season of sailing around the world (a trip that has taken eight years) on a circumnavigation that has taken them through the Panama canal, Pacific islands, Australia, Malaysia, Thailand, Egypt, Israel, and Turkey to name just a few places. We feel incredibly priviledged to journey with them for a few weeks. The are in their sixties and seventies (although you wouldn't know it to look at them) and are stores of incredible knowledge and committment. They are tired this season, and glad it will soon be ending. I hope we can infuse a little joy and energy into their final trek.
After we leave the boat, we will go to Rome, Venice, the Julian Alps, Croatia (where Kaela will leave) and then I will go on to stay with Gunter's sister in Munich for a week. Another five days will be spent at L'Abri in the mountains of Switzerland, a meeting place for young people all around the world where they can come and learn, experience living a community lifestyle, and discuss things that matter. It was started by Francis Schaeffer (I think in the 60s) who was a giant in Christian history for his contributions to Christian worldview study, and his advocation to meet the culture head on, instead of retreating into a tiny fundamentalist bubble (as so many leaders were advocating at the time).
I will meet my family (my mother and siblings) in Paris in September, traveling to the south of France with them to stay for over a week.
I will hopefully be writing regularly on this site, and pray that we can figure out how to upload pictures. I pray all of you have a wonderful and blessed summer!

6/20/08 Athens

2008-06-24T01:46:00.000-07:00

This is our first morning in Athens. The last few days have been really tough, as I have never tried to pack for a trip like this before! 3 months is a long time. Now we are here, and even though I woke up in the middle of the night (jet lag didn't help) with a severe bout of homesickness, the worst seems to have passed. Where God is, that is my home, and this is carrying me through.

God has already worked wonders for us. On our flight to Athens from Amsterdam, I sat next to a 33 year old guy from Albania who had lived in Athens for the last 15 years. When we got off the plane, he became our knight in shining armor, the perfect gentleman. He walked us through currency exchange, our first trip on the metro (the city train) and rode two stops past his own in order to walk us to the very street our hostel was on. Kaela and I couldn't have been more delighted--even if we had been somewhat awake. :)

Later:

It was hard to know what to expect of the Acropolis. It is such an icon, and I thought it was bound to disappoint. It really didn't. It was very hot, and we didn't bring enough water, and as they do not sell water inside the complex, we had to scrounge for water-fountains. the first major sight was the Pantheon (the highest visible building with all the columns). It was covered with scaffolding, however, since apparently the building is always in repair (which seems strange since I never saw any scaffolding on the pictures of the Pantheon). But it was still worth seeing, and the adjoining temple of Athena (I believe) was very beautiful.

Walking down from the Pantheon, we came upon Mars Hill/Areopagus Hill upon which Paul spoke his famous sermon to the Athenians in Acts 17. The Athenians wanted to know more about the strange ideas Paul was preaching.

"All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas. Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: 'Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: To an Unknown God. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.

The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And He is not served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He Himself fives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us..."

We read the entire chapter aloud on the hill. It was sobering and inspiring and charged with echoes from the past. I could almost hear Paul's voice, and it was clear to me as never before exactly the authority and courage Paul had to speak about the one true God and one true philosophy before all these giant thinkers, and amidst this sea of empty knowledge. In fact, I realized that this emptiness was what gave his words power. We prayed that such authority in evangelism would pass onto our shoulders. I walked down the hill reluctant to leave such a place of powerful peace--peace that still existed after two thousand years--and slip down into the sea of emptiness again. Yet no hill is a true island of truth--no matter what happened there. It is God who makes us who believe islands of truth for wayfarer tossed about on every breaker of new philosophy.

I walked away, changed in my heart. May God change others through me.

The rest of the acropolis was interesting, but forgettable except a beautiful 3rd or 4th century church. We left soon, and spent the afternoon in cafes and the flea market. We ended the evening early, drinking a bottle of wine on our porch, listening to the sounds of the city and serenading one another. :)

We are tired, but very excited for what is coming tomorrow.

Essential Joy

2008-06-04T04:33:00.000-07:00

I am currently reading a book by John Piper, Desiring God, which has become his definitive work, and appropriately, the very core of his theology and walk. He advocates that Christian hedonism (man delighting in God as the ultimate joy, and the only joy he needs) is not only suggested by God but that it is the essence of conversion to Christ and following Christ.

This book (along with corresponding teaching at New Attitude) has already been life changing, and in fact I am realizing how much of my life what I believed has been upside down. The verses that really sum up this theology is found in Psalm 37:3-4:

Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart.

Strangely enough, I was rarely taught this verse in church except in the teachings about purity and relationships and marriage. This was often the conclusion a writer or speaker came to when they faced the realities of broken relationships, abortions, STDs, and for some people, lonely extended singleness. Apparently all of this could be avoided by the above verse admonishing us to delight in the LORD--and He would give us the desires of our hearts.

My heart has always inclined towards this teaching--even as our culture and even much of the church does not pursue this truth. I always felt that this verse was far more important that anyone had ever made clear to me. But in God's sovereign timing, He spoke this truth so loudly that I could no longer ignore it.

If Christian hedonism becomes the goal of my life, what will it mean to me?

1. God is Everything, so He is all I need.

2. When temptations confront me, I do not turn away because of duty, but because greater pleasures are available to me in the form of God.

3. I need to fight for joy, because if I do not delight in God, not only do I defame God, but there will be a gaping hole in my soul that I will try to fill with lesser things. And this is sin: that I do not recognize God for the Ultimate and Everything that He is, so I pursue base pleasures (no matter how "good" they are in the eyes of everyone) in place of God.

Lord, may I awaken each morning, and fall asleep each night in the knowledge that I have access to the Ultimate Joy, and the Ultimate Relationship. May my faith not be duty--but the earnest seeking after Joy.

Convicted of the Call

2008-06-02T17:14:00.000-07:00

"What am I doing with myself?"
I've been asking myself this question over and over the last week. Over Memorial weekend I had the priviledge to travel with Fusion (the 20s to 30s group I attend at New Hope church) to Kentucky for the New Attitude Conference. A good name for a greater experience. The great thing about NA was the solidity of the truth spoken was a passionate solidity. The overarching theme was a return to (or perhaps an awakening of) a delight in Scripture.

My heart was convicted over and over again of my frailty of thought and deed. I have been lamenting this fact for months, but this conference did more than bring me to my knees in humble confession. It was as though God ripped apart this veil of dark clouds that had hung before my eyes. What were these clouds?
1.Looking at my relationship with God as a duty--not a joy. (When did that happen?)
2.Looking at myself as though I was a slave--when I am a daughter with a great inheritance.
3.Dependence on people for my comfort and support instead of the All-Sovereign, All-Knowing, All-Loving God of the Universe. Man, if He can't be my everything, than nothing will.
4.Looking at my future as if it were my own--I see that it is not enough that I every so often promise to follow Him. I must consecrate every day to His service.

Jesus, Messiah, The Great I AM -- who am I to ignore and forget your Presence?

What am I doing with myself? At NA, John Piper spoke about the contrast between Erasmus and his contemporary William Tyndale. Erasmus was popular, witty and brilliant. He had the respect of academia. He also translated the New Testament into Greek. Yet, his musings upon scripture are weak and hollow when compared to the man he inspired, William Tyndale.

WT knew eight languages, and had within him a burning desire to give the Scripture, the very Word of God to the common man. Before this, nearly all available scripture was in the form of the Latin Vulgate, a translation hundreds and hundreds of years old, that almost no one outside of the priestood could understand.

WT took the Erasmus' translation of the NT into Greek and translated it into English. It became the first printed English copy of Scripture. Tyndale's followers smuggled pieces of this new translation across all of England.

Ten years after Tyndale finished his translation of the NT, he was hung and burnt at the stake for heresy--the translation of God's word into a common and "vulgar" tongue. He left behind him a legacy that has transformed, dare I say it, billions of lives. About 70 years later, King James I of England authorized a version of the Bible that was the most beloved and used version for the next 300 years. Nine tenths of this translation is Tyndale's exact wording. And the exact rendition of Greek into English doesn't come out naturally beautiful and honorable. Do you recognize these pearls?
*Let there be light
*Am I my brother's keeper?
*Shepherds abiding with their flocks at night
*Our Father, who art in heaven
*The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak
*I fought the good fight...
These are a few examples out of countless others...the words of a man who influenced the english language more than anyone--next to Shakespeare.

Not only language did Tyndale influence unforgettably, but his translation broke the vice-like grip of the Catholic church in England. And as he once proclaimed, the boy at the plow would have a chance to know more of the scriptures than the priesthood ever had.

I look at Tyndale's life, and
1. I am mortified at the way I spend much of my time
2. I wish I knew eight languages :)
3. My God has been too small. I did not expect enough from Him. He can do the unthinkable and bring down the unshakable through those who, in Piper's words are "ferociously single-minded."
4. I may have to pay an unthinkable price if God is to use me as a coal to stoke a fire beneath the nations.

O my God, what might You do with me?

Question of the Week

2008-05-01T09:13:00.000-07:00

What does following Christ really mean?

This statement is overused and rarely carried out.

If following Christ is for us, what is the radical conclusion?

What is the common conclusion?

Are there a few prerequisites to following Christ?

Questions of the Week

2008-04-15T19:44:00.000-07:00

Destiny and Fate. Are they the same "force?" Do they even exist? Do they exist for you personally?

Question of the Week

2008-04-01T19:13:00.001-07:00

Is it right for a person who claims to be a Christian to support the death penalty?

http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/12282007/profile.html

Think about it, watch the video on the above link, and give me your reasons why or why not...

Future Horizons

2008-03-17T08:37:00.000-07:00

I see that God is once again extending my horizons. This is not necessarily a comfortable process. Those of you who may know me, it's more than obvious that I like to plan. I like a neat row of ducks to sit and be cataloged and available when I need them. However, it seems that sometimed these ducks have a way of disappearing... sometimes wandering off never to be seen again... sometimes returning with four webbed feet...and often they grow up and fly away.

I can rightly say that God is teaching me not to hold on to my plans so tightly. The best laid plans of mice and men... can't hold a candle to the story my Author is writing for me. If my plans had gone through, I would be leaving for Israel two weeks from now, not to return for five months. Those plans fell through a few months ago. I was slightly devastated. "What will I do now?" ran endlessly through my thoughts. Now that I've arrived in March, I can understand why God wanted home to be my destination. He hadn't prepared me yet.

There is joy when plans succeed. I'm reasonably sure that this summer I will be sailing in the Mediterranean and travelling to Croatia and Switzerland and France. This all with the added bonus of travelling with a close friend for two months. Of course I am in full research mode for these travels. Hanging over me, however, is the hope to spend next year in a Reconciliation DTS based in Belfast, Ireland. My heart wants to hope for this wildly, even though I know that the more I desire it, the worse a no will be. But I need to prepare like it is going to happen, even if everything falls through at the last minute.

Putting my plans in perspective is helpful. First, I know that if God closes a door, He always opens a window. Second, in the span of my future, working another year (not what I want to do) is not a big deal. Third, hindsight is perfect. I look back on my plans coming out of high school. I wanted to work one year, and then go to school. Then I decided take massage classes at night school while working. This made it necessary for me to work two years in order to finish my massage degree. And since the quarters of my school overlapped with the fall term of four year colleges, starting on a B.A. was out of the question. Sometimes it's hard to see people my age who have experienced college and are close to graduating with a B.A. But I know that the timing wasn't right for me. God sorted through a lot of personal issues and stumbling blocks in my life the last three years. He still has a lot of work to do. But I see the reasons why I was supposed to grow closer to home instead of away. I do not regret the decisions I made. I was certain then as I am certain now that God is leading me, and He is not content that I walk down a mediocre path.

I know that it is essential that I have a focus and a purpose for whatever I start. I went to massage school because I was led to do it, not because I have a passion for massage. I like it, I'm good at it, but I don't want that to be my future. My biggest problem is that I love so many things. My passions lie from history to literature to acting and film to counseling to missions and global interests. Most people would love to have as many passions as I have--but it makes decisions difficult! I surprised a lot of people who know me by deciding against immediate college after high school. For the past year or so I have been leaning more and more towards missions and global interests, so it seems logical to train with YWAM.

I have to believe that God would not be so cruel as to give me passions that are diametrically opposed with one another. It seems impossible to love cinema when you are on the mission field, but it wouldn't be too much for God to use my love and knowledge of film in ministry somehow.

I guess my question to all my readers is this, "Do we have to settle on one angle--one plan for the rest of our lives?" And "How is possible for anyone, much less a young adult in college to decide on the path their lives are going to take until they die?"

All I keep hearing from God is "Keep your options open." "Be ready for anything." This is hard for a person who likes her categorized ducks and well laid plans. It's all beyond my ability to know or comprehend my future even at the close range of a few weeks from today. The ground feels so shaky some days. I find that I must be reminded in the middle of my decision-making that God has my best interests at heart. Period. And that is comforting.

"For no matter how many promises God has made, they are 'Yes' in Christ. And so through Him the 'Amen' is spoken by us to the glory of God. Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set His seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come." 2 Corinthians 1:20-22

God Is Not Silent

2008-03-04T19:59:00.000-08:00

"Aslan is on the Move."
Do you remember that magical line from the Chronicles of Narnia? In a land covered in snow, a place where it was always winter and never Christmas, Asland began to move. Songbirds awakened and tested out their voices, rivers became full with melting ice, and green grass pushed out of the hard ground to breathe the joyful spring air.

I read this, and I want Aslan to Move. I know I am not the only one who dreams of an Awakening in our country...and around the world.

What about the so-named 400 years of silence between the Old Testament and the New? I used to wonder as a kid what this really meant. Did God completely shut down the revelation? I am no theologian, but several things I know to be true.

1. God is never silent.
God is always speaking. He speaks through the natural realms (Psalm 19:1-4) And if we chose to look, we would see Him everywhere.
"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--His eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." (Romans 1:20)
I do not know objectively whether or not God audibly spoke to men during the "400 years of silence," but I find it impossible to believe that His revelation was absent.

2. God does not alter.
God is still drawing men and women close to Him. He is still raising up leaders and governments, and overthrowing leaders and governments. I see many Christians assume that because of the work of Christ, God no longer concerns Himself with nations and world events. But, He is and always will be Sovereign. Perhaps, if we ask for clarity of sight, we may see His hand in the world more clearly.
"He changes times and seasons, He sets up kings and deposes them." (Daniel 2:21)

3. God is in essence: Love.
"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God. And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him."
(1 John 3:1)
"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth." (1 John 3:16-18)

God calls us to love by our actions because He loves by His actions.

And through this knowledge, I am filled with hope. God is a God of word and deed. He is a God of Action. I think we need to pray that God will bring a Western Church steeped in apathy to its knees in understanding of His Purpose.

And may You then bring us to our feet.

Barack Hussein Obama: What Does He Believe?

2008-02-20T15:40:00.000-08:00

A lot of rumors have been circulating about Barack Obama in these past months. Some say he is a Muslim. The Obama campaign claims he was never a practicing Muslim. Some say he was once a Muslim, and cite his own statements regarding his present faith, "'Let's make clear what the facts are: I am a Christian. I have been sworn in with a Bible. I pledge allegiance [to the American flag] and lead the pledge of allegiance sometimes in the United States Senate when I'm presiding.'"

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/us_elections/article3194740.ece

Others have asked the worthy question, "Why should we care if Obama was once a Muslim? He is a Christian now." Twenty years ago, Obama became a member of Trinity United Church of Christ (TUCC) in Chicago. On the trail of his campaign, he has been seen regularly attending church services. His own statements about his faith and his faith if/when he achieves presidency can be read here: Barack Obama Goes to Church, Talks About His Faith Amid Internet Muslim Rumors, http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,317031,00.html
The following links are a good example of how Obama claims his beliefs will direct his presidency:
http://www.barackobama.com/issues/faith/
http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1358313999/bclid933143286/bctid1209568851
http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1358313999/bclid933143286/bctid1416909230

If you read/watched the previous links, you have good idea of what Obama claims to believe. One prevailing Internet theory says, "he's lying." That wouldn't be a surprise, considering the well-known reputation of politicians. But the theorists believe that he is lying not out of a common lack of principal, but because as a Muslim, the Qu'ran would sanction falsehood towards infidels. Infidel would include every person who is not Muslim.
So where did the all the buzz start? Two forwarded emails began circulating widely in January 2007. The gist of the emails is as follows: Barack Obama was born to a practicing Muslim father who, after Barack was two years of age, divorced his wife and moved back to Kenya. Barack's mother then married a practicing Muslim from Indonesia and moved to his home country. Barack then attended a radical Muslim school known as a madrassa, where he was regularly taught fundamentalist islamic beliefs. See the links below to see both emails and an examination of the facts: Netlore Archive: Email rumor alleges that U.S. presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama is a loyal Muslim who has lied about his religious background, including his claim to being a devout Christian
http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl_barack_obama_muslim.htm

Later, the school was found to be a public school where children of Hindu, Muslim, and Christian faiths attended. Each child received two hours a week of religious education in the faith they chose. Barack attended the school as a Muslim, and later, attended two years in a Catholic school where his enrollment form cited him as being of Muslim faith. This form has been under controversy, as it has been shown to have several errors.
CNN debunks false report about Obama http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/01/22/obama.madrassa/

The real problem seems to be that Obama denied that he was once a practicing Muslim. But it is reported that he was an "irregularly practicing Muslim." The best boiled down account (that I found) of the different stories and the bottom line of the controversy can be found below:
http://www.danielpipes.org/article/5354

What should we take from all this?
In my opinion, Obama is most likely what he says he is, a Christian. What kind of Christian, it is hard to say. We cannot see into another person's heart and judge the depth of their faith. Sometimes we can get a good idea of the tenets of another's faith if we look at what their church or denomination believes:
http://www.tucc.org/about.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Church_of_Christ
Or perhaps what a person's pastor stands for:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremiah_Wright
Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr. has been pastoring TUCC for the past 36 years. Objections to Obama's connection to Dr. Wright include his known support of the Nation of Islam and his anti-Zionist sentiments:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremiah_Wright
This has likely caused some separation between Obama and Wright because of the democratic reliance on the Jewish vote.

All in all, if Obama is voted in, we will be looking at possible repercussions from the Islamic world (since, according to the Qu'ran, as a Christian who was born a Muslim it is required that he be executed as an apostate). Is it possible that he really is a Muslim? Yes. Is it possible that he is a Christian who may convert back to Islam and/or begin to champion Muslim beliefs or Sharia law? Yes. Is it possible that he may bring some new measure of healing and unity to this country as the first African American president? Yes. Should these possibilites influence our vote? Of course. We should definitely go to the polls with our eyes open. We should also take into account his democratic/socialistic politics. Even with these possibilites in mind, is he better than a McCain who is receiving the support of reluctant Republicans?

We should go to the polls as Christians, and vote as we feel God is leading. I would find it nigh impossible to vote a president in who championed socialistic politics. But I need to always remember that God is sovereign over the nations. He always has been and He always will. Those who are frightened of a Islamic or Socialistic coup should remember the verse from Daniel 4, ironically a speech from a barbaric dictator, Nebuchadnezzar, king of the world-dominating Babylon:
"At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified Him who lives forever.
His dominion is an eternal dominion;
His kingdom endures from generation to generation.
All the peoples of the earth
are regarded as nothing.
He does as He pleased with the powers of heaven
and the peoples of the earth.
No one can hold back His hand
Or say to Him: 'What have You done?'"

What is our responsibility? We pray, we research, we pray, we vote, we pray.

"Examine Thyself"

2008-02-19T11:44:00.000-08:00

Nothing drives a barrier between people more than judgment, especially incorrect judgment. Of this, we are all guilty. Judgment is really the inability or refusal to concede that another point of view might exist. It is labeling somone according to our own limited knowledge or prejudices.
We all know how this works. We've seen classic examples of misunderstandings and judgment play out in our relationships. There is nothing quite as damaging on a relational level. It's no different on a large scale. Just because we heard something about the country across the pond from a "reliable source," all we really have is a piece of partial or garbled information in our hands.
There is a great need for every human to think twice about believing what he has not seen with his eyes. I'm not saying that should hesitate to believe a new Prime Minister has been elected in England without seeing him for ourselves...but when we hear a slice of "info" that seems to present a people, groups, or nations in a better or worse light--it's time to chew before we swallow.
A good way to do this is to jot down a list of the first 10-15 facts/historical events/knowledge that comes to mind about a specific people group. This list is the lense you look through when you see a person or a culture. For example: I have heard a lot of overly-generalized statements about Native Americans. So let's examine the judgment in the list of words that come to mind (in order).
Drinking
Casinos
Reservations
The Great Spirit
Cowboys and Indians
The Dakotas/Sioux
General Custer
French/Indian War
Dancing with Wolves
Scalping/Abductions
Geronimo
Cliff Dwellings
I look at this list and I am hardly proud of myself. When I am speaking about NAs, most people would think me to be "unprejudiced," but what do I know about the present day Native American--what they think, what they believe, what they love and hate and hope for? I am ignorant in the most important matters! So yes, I have judged the Native American people. As I am writing I also remember the one guy I know who happens to be NA. He is a tattoo artist, he doesn't live on a reservation, he has a chunky 14 month old boy who has one of the biggest smiles I have ever seen. I have no idea what he thinks about his cultural/racial history--if he even thinks about it at all.
Should we examine our beliefs about every culture? Without doubt. Belief leads to action. Perhaps, after we have thought through our "knowledge" about a person or culture, we will step out of our media bubble, search for truth and new relationships, and live out our ideal of human brotherhood.

What is Left to Say?

2008-02-13T20:00:00.000-08:00

We've heard the many-faceted rantings about the middle east, about racial issues, about the future of family in the twenty-first century. Why add another voice to the noise?
1. It is the nature of humanity to feel restless until our opinions have been heard.
2. To participate in the grand tradition and right of free speech that our forefathers championed.
3. With all the rantings and ramblings and arguements and very loud opinions, we have yet to see real answers, and even worse, while we scramble to be heard, we miss the real moving of God's Spirit. We are so stuck in our comfy media bubble and our own erroneous judgements that we cannnot even begin to make peace between people. Before reconciliation can happen, God must give us new eyes, that we may see His vision for the world.
"So from now on, we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though once we regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation! The old has gone, the new has come. All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And He has committed us to the ministry of reconciliation." (2 Corinthians 5:16-19)
Limited though my knowledge is, I will share in this blog what I feel is part of God's vision.

Coming Soon!

2008-02-06T12:20:00.001-08:00