You are currently browsing the monthly archive for December 2007.
It’s time to pray earnestly for Kenya. Post-election tensions amid reports of widespread election fraud have erupted into tribal war and riots in the Nairobi area. Folks there need our prayer support and the Lord’s protection. Pray that our ambassador and the embassy staff will be able to provide a calming and stabilizing influence among the warring parties. Pray that Kenyan children, especially those in war-ravaged areas, will be protected and rescued. Pray that Justice and Peace will triumph and reign over chaos and violence.
OK Folks, sometimes a person takes such a risk for the Kingdom that it deserves recognition. So, at the risk of offending all those political groupies out here who have already pledged their allegiance to another candidate, I’m posting media coverage about an American presidential candidate’s really awesome, audacious, and otherwise in-your-face message to a church in Texas. The candidate is Mike Huckabee, and here is the coverage of his latest message and video coverage of a previous message. Huckabee is a Baptist preacher, so his messages are a product of his perspective as a believer and minister. Take that perspective into account when you read the coverage. But you gotta admire a candidate who would risk his candidacy to deliver Kingdom messages . . .
May His Presence and Power in our lives soften our hearts, and May we learn to love all God’s people the way that He loves us . . .without condition, prejudice, or contempt…
May you have a joyous, wonder-filled Christmas and a New Year filled with His blessing and promise!
The eyes of the world are focused on Kenya this week. The entire African continent is heating up politically. Kenya is a long way from my mountain, but two friends are living there, as missionaries and teachers. I read Adele’s missionary blog every day. I’ve read both their blogs for regular news of Kenya and African issues since one of them, Linda, landed a teaching position there.
I’ve been thinking lately about how often Jesus expects us to do what is “*not* humanly possible.” For instance, look at Mary and Joseph–two pretty good Jewish kids with “happily ever after” plans, who were drafted by God into a massive “not humanly possible” adventure, just to get the whole salvation ball rolling.
Do you ever wonder what makes a young girl say “yes” to a visitor’s suggestion that she get pregnant out of wedlock, independent of her fiance? What about then having to go tell her family that the whole thing was God’s idea? I mean really . . . The angel didn’t even help her out with any advice for breaking the news to her family, rabbi, or community either. (Well, except for that merciful suggestion to go hide out with her cousin Elizabeth for awhile.) He just gave her mind-shattering news and split. Nice going, Gabriel.
Read the rest of this entry »
PPL finally fixed the transformers that took out the mountain’s power–although it took them from Saturday to Wednesday night to do it. There’s nothing that says “discomfort” like trying to sleep or dress in heatless, waterless, powerless, cold, dark places. OK, I’m whining.
Amazing scenery, dangerous roads, no power, no sound…that pretty much says it all this weekend… Central Pennsylvania got hit with its first major ice storm Saturday. Across the state, whole counties are powerless, waterless, and silent…
The mountain has been dark since Saturday. Sometime during the night, there was a loud boom, the sound of the forest, crackling, then complete darkness and silence.
Have you ever listened to someone relate a conversation you just had with them to someone else and totally mis-state everything you said? Or maybe they put such a lopsided spin on your words that even if the sentiment is buried in there somewhere, you don’t even recognize the link between what you meant and what they’re saying? I think sometimes that Jesus must feel like that too.
Saturday night was special this week. My cousin, her girls, and I went to Christmas Wonderland, the annual Christmas presentation by my faith community, Christian Life Assembly. It was awesome. Every year there is a new story, new players, new sets and costumes, and a new spin on the story of Christmas–Jesus’ birth. This year’s performance was flawlessly directed and produced! Its plot line is the story of a family and child struggling with opening their hearts to the real meaning of Christmas. But the awesome part for me was that the theme of their struggle was “Christmas is all about me.” Read the rest of this entry »
Brother Lawrence lived as a servant in a 17th century monastery–as cook and sandal maker for the community, but he also chose to live, deliberately, in the Presence of his God... This is an awesome reminder during this season when we celebrate the Presence of God in our world, of where our hearts are called to rest…
