Our very first Karen/American was born today, his name is "Eh Ywah Blu Soe" which means "love God, thanks" he was 7lbs 8oz. Tee Tu (father) and Paw Thaw Thaw (mother) are proud and happy for the long delivery to be over. The baby is adorable.
I took Micah and Logan, one of his friends hiking in the hills by our home. This is a shot of them up on one of the hills we climbed. It's a great place to hike and climb and enjoy the cool of the evening. Boys dig rocks, dirt and the possibility of being eaten by a bear...of course the closest thing to a bear was a little dog that came charging at us from the woods...I think his name might have been "biscuit"...
But get me someone to play some music.
While the musician was playing, the Lord’s power came over Elisha.
–2 Kings 3:15
Soren Kierkegaard, the eighteenth century Danish existentialist philosopher and theologian, also believed that identification is the means through which advocates influence people. He specifically addressed the “Christendom” problem-in which many people who live in a “Christian country” believe in Christianity but do not live by it and do not see the contradiction and they live the “illusion” that they are Christians! ...A “direct” approach to such people, Kierkegaard observed, arouses defensiveness and is counterproductive.
So he recommend “indirect” communication approaches that engage peoples imagination, such as through narrative, that “wound from behind” and help people to “discover” truth. He exclaims: "The method must be indirect…All the old military science, all the apologetic and whatever goes with it, serves rather—candidly speaking—to betray the cause of Christianity. At every instant and at every point the tactics must be adapted to a fight which is waged against a conceit, an illusion." (-The Point of View by S. Kierkegaard) (The above was taken from chapter 5 of the book: The Celtic Way Of Evangelism by George Hunter)
In light of the above truth...I have been thinking deeply about story, song, picture, film and basically the medium of arts in connecting with people in our day to day world.
I sat in a parking lot last Saturday night with around 300 people watching Labyrinth. Hundreds of people came out and sat under the stars to watch and listen to a tale about a girl who is growing up and needs to remember that sometimes as a "grown up" she needs to return to childhood. A profound truth that resonates in the hearts of people living to disconnected from their inner selves. I feel a deep challenge to explore more ways to rip off the roof and get people to Jesus in maybe unconventional ways because the "normal" way has been closed off, jammed up and is too crowded. (read Mark 2:1-12 for context).
I was talking to a woman, a sister, a refugee from Liberia the other day. She shared how she worked hard but had little money. I asked why. She said, she works, earns money and when she cashes her check and looks at the left over money and knows that it could feed some of her friends and family back in the refugee camp.
She sends it.
She said...I have no bank account...people are my bank account.
God give us more refugees...to teach us what it means to know you.
Did not your father (King Josiah) eat and drink and do justice and righteousness? Then it was well with him. He plead the case of the afflicted and needy; then it was well with him. Is not that what it means to know me? But your eyes and your heart are intent only upon your own dishonest gain...-Jeremiah 22:15-17
I was awakened by the repetitious cry of some young woman Sunday morning at 5am. She was wandering down the street crying out:
Mommy...Mommy...mommy...momm...mom...mo....m....
What do you do.
I didn't do anything.
Shame on me.
Myanmar is the word used in Burmese language for the country. Even
before the dictators officially (or non-officially depending on who
you ask) changed the name to Myanmar. I think since before the
colonials came, not sure yet, but at any rate before they changed the
name from Burma to Myanmar.
So why doesn't everyone embrace the name? Burma means basically only
the ethnic Burman. So one can understand why the smaller ethnics
don't like this name, but Myanmar is even worse, it basically means
"country of Burmans". I'm not sure yet but it has to do with the
ending of the words that references the Burmans. Bur"MA" and
Myan"Ma". They don't pronounce the "R" or they say it the same way.
So this name Myanmar excludes the smaller ethnics, or worse it
includes them into the Burman empire. It is a name that literally
threatens ethnic cleansing or is a form of ethnic cleansing, or some
kind of genocide by wording.
That aside the ethnics don't want anything the dictators have to
offer, much less changing the name of the country. Yes, they would
prefer something other than Burma, but only by democracy, true
inclusion of everyone. It's like someone steals your dog and calls
him "spot" instead of "dot" and then tells you he is better for it,
"don't mess with his name, just give him back and then if you want to
talk about changing his name..."
I love books.
I own a lot of books.
I have spent most of my personal money on reading.
I read a lot on the net but I still buy books.
So I was so thrilled when I saw this book was given to one of my son's friends at a birthday party by another parent. BRAVO!!!! Gave a book as a gift...revolutionary! And a great book as well...go buy it, read it and enjoy the great message and fantastic illustration.
Now that we have a english tutoring group at our church on Thursday nights from 5:30-6:30PM, I see the importance of reading even more. Reading truly is a "KEY" to opportunity in our world.
Reading is a gift...thank you parents for giving something to a child of true value. I was convicted that I didn't think...probably a byproduct of tv/video game/computer culture.
Only 70 percent of American kids now graduate from high school.
70% of Washington's children under the age of five are cared for out of their homes.
Warning!!! Important stats ahead, read slowly and think about the consequences of the fact mentioned:
500,000 children in Washington state live in homes without sufficient economic resources to meet basic needs. Only 59% of Washington state's 4th graders read at a basic level. Among African American and Hispanic children, the figures drop to 39% and 31%, respectively...In 4th grade, three-quarters of Asian and white students met basic reading standards, but only half of African American, Native American, and Hispanic students met those standards. One-third of public school students in Washington State failed to graduate from high school in 2001: only 53% of African Americans graduated, 47% of Native Americans graduated, and 47% of Hispanics graduated.
"Suppose a man has a stubborn, rebellious son who will not obey his father or mother, even though they discipline him....-Deut. 21:18-21
What a way to start a scripture on the wonderful world of parenting:
"Suppose..."
If you know the end of that scripture you know, it's not one you post on the fridge at home. Suppose though...you did have such a child. Parenting is the toughest job around in my opinion...harder than marriage, at least my marriage. Adults are well...adults. Children are unreasoning creatures that wrestle you with underdeveloped brains. Resulting in ample amounts of frustrating moments that can leave you completely exaserbated. I've wanted to put my head in the sand (or stone) and pretend everything is not as it is. How can the very same parents produce such vastly different kids. Raised basically the same and yet... My hope has been hanging with white knuckles on Isaiah 65:22-24:
"No longer will they build houses and others live in them, or plant and others eat. For as the days of a tree, so will be the days of my people; my chosen ones will long enjoy the works of their hands. They will not toil in vain or bear children doomed to misfortune; for they will be a people blessed by the Lord, they and their descendants with them. Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear."
If there is a patron saint of suffering parents...I need to know his or her name.
Great thoughts from a recent speech by Dana Gioia, worth reading the whole speech for sure...here are some snippets:
Marcus Aurelius believed that the course of wisdom consisted of learning to trade easy pleasures for more complex and challenging ones. I worry about a culture that bit by bit trades off the challenging pleasures of art for the easy comforts of entertainment. And that is exactly what is happening—not just in the media, but in our schools and civic life.
Entertainment promises us a predictable pleasure—humor, thrills, emotional titillation, or even the odd delight of being vicariously terrified. It exploits and manipulates who we are rather than challenges us with a vision of who we might become. A child who spends a month mastering Halo or NBA Live on Xbox has not been awakened and transformed the way that child would be spending the time rehearsing a play or learning to draw.
Do you want to watch the world on a screen or live in it so meaningfully that you change it?
Speaking of the education system and how it's there to: "...create complete human beings capable of leading successful and productive lives in a free society...This is not happening now in American schools. Even if you forget the larger catastrophe that only 70 percent of American kids now graduate from high school, what are we to make of a public education system whose highest goal seems to be producing minimally competent entry-level workers?...To compete successfully, this country needs continued creativity, ingenuity, and innovation....Even if you (college grads) spent most of your free time watching Grey's Anatomy, playing Guitar Hero, or Facebooking your friends, those important endeavors were balanced by courses and conversations about literature, politics, technology, and ideas.
There are some truths about life that can be expressed only as stories, or songs, or images.
-Dana Gioia, American poet and Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, delivered the commencement address at Stanford in June.
Full speech here: http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2007/june20/gradtrans-062007.html
I think I am going to purchase a few gnomes...because I can.
See it in action here:
http://www.brotron.com/main/main.html
You can buy one here:
http://www.wetanz.com/holics/index.php?itemid=13&catid=4
"When you become a Christian, Jesus will invade your life and make you into somebody he can use to change the world. Through you, he will challenge racism. Through you, Jesus will attack sexism, poverty, and militarism. That was never taught to me when I was growing up. I never heard that I could be an instrument that God could use to change the world. All I was told was that being a Christian meant I would go to heaven when I died. I was never told that the primary reason Jesus saved me was to make me into somebody whom he could use to change the world into the kind of world he willed for it to be when he created it." - Tony Campolo
Planting and growing a church is tough work....way more work than I ever dreamed. It's the kind of work that transforms you...kind of like the physical change a desk worker would have if he started landscaping. The work breaks you down and builds you up. You learn a lot and you have to unlearn more than you know. You come to realize that you are going to have to become someone bigger and deeper than you currently are to survive. You will have to grow.
Like a mad scientist who dares to work towards creating new life...you find out that life never turns out the way you thought it would. And if you are not careful the very thing that you helped create can end up trying to kill you. Unleashing life is dangerous. Like raising kids...they start out cute and cuddly and end up confronting, demanding and naively independent....for a season, God willing. Where did that little one go that adored you so???
Such is the path of life....and church planting.
Your needed for life and than you somehow become a barrier to life.
It reminds me of this quote:
Jurgen Moltmann put it this way: "If Christianity is to become aware of what it is, we must abandon the pastoral church which takes care of people, which is the usual form of the Western church. Instead, we have to call to life a Christian community church. Either we set about this church reform by ourselves, or it will be forced on us by the loss of church members."
Such is the challenge of pastoring...of being used to mother life into being.
You really do have to be somewhat of a madman to engage in it.
"We have children in our church that will grow up thinking that it is perfectly normal to be part of a church where there are people from literally around the world—together."
I read that quote somewhere and I am thankful it is true for our church too...and I think it's a good thing.
Relocating and starting a church in a more racially diverse part of town has it's challenges. Merging refugees into a growing church has it's strains and pains. But seeing a body developing that is multicultural is sweet fruit indeed. Knowing your children's view of life will be more colored, more rich, expanded and diverse is satisfying. As I sat watching my son Micah playing "Go Fish" with four other kids that barely speak english, I found myself thankful for the stretch. As they were laughing and learning, I realized my son was learning too. Not everyone is crazy about having to stretch or even deal with anyone who is different than they are outwardly. But as you get to know the "stranger" you realize that we are all pretty much the same.
That is a gift worth receiving.
We spent the afternoon the other day at our favorite little cove that we go to on Coeur D Alene lake in Idaho. The water was delicious! I find the water restorative to my soulHere the boys were trying to catch a fish that was hiding under the log.
This is an except from a Karen young man's blog that is currently living in a refuggee camp on the Burma/Thailand border:
I lived with my family again for one year. In 1997, the Burmese troops came to our village and destroyed, burned our houses and barns, killed every people they found. When they came and tried to kill us, we had to flee into the jungle. No escape when found. Our life was like wild animals. They killed all old man and children as well as our animals when they found them. They destroyed all of our belongings in the village. I could not live here together with my family anymore. Many people had to flee to border and entered the camps. Some people love their forefather-given homeland very much so they did not move to other places. They just kept themselves hide around the village and live until now. My parents and my sisters also remained around my village in the jungle. Some people moves to Mae Yeh and Klo Pah temporary camp. Before we arrive into the camp we had to move through the shadow of death between the Burmese soldiers’ check points and landmines. We had to come with fear but finally we arrived into the camp well.
I lived in Mae Ra Moe camp for five years. Then in 2001, I came to Mae La camp and live here until now. I always had to live in jungle and camp so sometimes I felt very unhappy and oppressive. Before I die I also would like to see and live in the city and feel the world’s development. Now I apply to go to US too. And now I am waiting for my approvals. And I hope that I will really be there one day. Sometimes I remember and miss my parents and my sisters who are remaining in the difficulty in my village. I want to help them but I can do nothing. But I hope that they will be proud on me when I live in the city on behalf of them. If you see me in US, please talk to me too. Thank you.
So I believe someone will pick a rusty falling key beyond and unlock the door for me. At that time, people will jeer at me completely sure. Because everybody had farewell party before they were going. During my friends’ farewell; I was smile as they were happy and went bright red as they were crying. If my turn finally arrives, none of my friend and neighbor will make a fare well with me. I must carry my package on my own; no one will feel for me and quietly and respectfully get on the bus. There would be no one to wave goodbye with my light hands. I don’t need to turn my head, just sit down and take a look straightly on the road to reach Bangkok and then to my hopeful destiny.
my name is...Saw Klit Mu Htoo
Officially, refugees are persons displaced from their home countries because they were caught in armed conflict or were at risk of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, ethnicity, or political opinions. Every year, the U.S. accepts up to 70,000 of the 14 million refugees worldwide and resettles them, legally and permanently, across the nation.
"They cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle." -Psalms 107:6-7
Adoniram Judson (1788-1850) was an American Baptist missionary, lexicographer, and Bible translator to Burma.
The article linked to below is short but packs a real good punch.
Read it here:
http://www.wholesomewords.org/missions/bjudson4.html
We have been blessed to turn a two car garage at one of the refugee houses into our neighborhood refugee resettling storage. So now we can receive and store goods for incoming families and not be a burden on World Relief. So if you have good stuff that we can use, give me a call or send me an email.
1 in every one hundred Americans is a refugee.
The Karen people were a primitive, hunted minority group of ancient Burmo-Tibetan ancestry scattered in the forests and jungles of the Salween River and in the hills along the southeast coast. Adoniram Judson was the first missionary to make contact with them about 1827 when he ransomed and freed a debt-slave from one of his early converts. The freed slave, Ko Tha Byu, was an illiterate, surly man who spoke almost no Burmese and was reputed to be not only a thief but also a murderer who admitted killing at least thirty men, but could not remember exactly how many more.
In 1828 the former Karen bandit, "whose rough, undisciplined genius, energy and zeal for Christ" had caught the notice of the missionaries, was sent south with a new missionary couple, the Boardmans, into the territory of the strongly animistic, non-Buddhist Karen. There, he was no sooner baptized then he set off into the jungle alone to preach to his fellow tribespeople. Astonishingly, he found them strangely prepared for his preaching. Their ancient oracle traditions, handed down for centuries, contained some startling echoes of the Old Testament that some scholars conjecture a linkage with Jewish communities (or possibly even Nestorians) before their migrations from western China into Burma perhaps as early as the twelfth century.
The core of what they called their "Tradition of the Elders" was a belief in an unchangeable, eternal, all-powerful God, creator of heaven and earth, of man, and of woman formed from a rib taken from the man. They believed in humanity's temptation by a devil, and its fall, and that some day a messiah would come to its rescue. They lived in expectation of a prophecy that white foreigners would bring them a sacred parchment roll.
While the Boardmans and Ko Tha Byu were penetrating the jungles to the south, Adoniram Judson shook off a paralyzing year-long siege of depression that overcame him after the death of his wife, Ann, and set out alone on long canoe trips up the Salween River into the tiger-infested jungles to evangelize the northern Karen. Between trips he worked untiringly at his lifelong goal of translating the whole Bible into the Burmese language. When he finished it at last in 1834, he had been labouring on it for twenty-four years. It was printed and published in 1835.
I cringed last week when Pope Benedict XVI released his shocking statement on "Catholic Identity." In clear, non-negotiable and jaw-dropping terms, the pontiff stated that (1) only Catholics are true Christians; (2) other Christian denominations are "not true churches"; and (3) all non-Catholics lack the "means of salvation."
"It has been almost 500 years since Martin Luther first nailed his 95 theses on the Wittenburg door and ignited the Protestant Reformation. From that point the Holy Spirit's river began to flow in so many new directions—gushing over the restrictive walls of the Catholic system and spilling into the nations of the world.
Today hundreds of millions of people have found salvation through the preaching of the gospel through non-Catholic churches: Lutheran, Anglican, Baptist, Brethren, Methodist, Pentecostal—you name it. All churches that proclaim faith in the resurrected Christ are part of the universal church that the Son of God purchased with His blood.
It is incredibly sad that Vatican leaders are so blind to what God has been doing outside their isolated little world for so many years. It is even sadder that Pope Benedict thinks that by issuing an edict from his office in Italy he can transport us into the past.
I know most Protestants probably just rolled their eyes when they heard about the pope's announcement. Catholics who have been worshiping with Protestant Christians for years were probably also confused by it. Catholic charismatics, who have enjoyed fellowship with Protestants in recent years and experienced renewed faith and the power of the Holy Spirit, have now been told to break ties to those people since they are not true Christians.
-Lee Grady (Charisma editor)
Wow...looks like the beast awakens from slumber.
Last night there was a regional lightening storm that passed through our area. The thunder woke me up and it was wild enough to send Micah into my bed. This is a picture taken of the storm that was on a news report, I thought it was cool. The storm finally brought cooler temps, its been upper 90's-102 and humid...I hate humidity with a passion.
Peter heard those words from the Lord and recoiled at first in disgust. He was a good jewish man who would never eat unclean animals. Yet, the vision and the voice was loud and clear...God was commanding him to eat something that he never had eaten.
Following God on mission requires us to go outside our comfort zones if we are truly going to follow Jesus to wherever and to whomever He might be sending us. Now for me...eating is a big deal. When it comes to comfort zones, I'm the worse when its centered around food. I'm picky, finicky, prissy, I have a high gag reflex and like everything I put in my mouth just my way. Sooooo, now we are working with 37 refugees from Burma and part of becoming friends and pastoring this group of people means...sharing home and food together. Here lies my missional problem...I'm a weenie when it comes to eating anything that even slightly falls in the category of raw, mushy, odd, odorous, squishy or fishy...and of course almost all Karen food shares these stomach gurgling qualities.
But what does one do, who is overcome with the hospitality and love being expressed in an offering of a home-cooked meal? What can you do but graciously try to step out of your comfort foods and dare to receive the gifts being offered. Oh...the cross is hard to bear when your appetites are being vexed by love. I have found that I like and even love some of the foods that have been shared with me. You will find rice, chicken and chile sauce in my house now because of the Karen people.
There is something deeply uniting when you share the dinner table with a family that is different than you. It really is an act of grace. It dignifies and honors the giver when you receive what they offer. It turns the relationship into a true friendship and changes ministry to life together. Ministry is good but it's often very colonial or one-sided. Sharing a meal brings everyone together.
I think that is why we celebrate our Lord around a table.
I enjoyed it...as well as "Akira" made by the same director but this flick is way different. This film is in the "steampunk" genre which I really dig(google steam punk if you dont know what it is).
FILM SUMMARY
After more than eight years of development, Katsuhiro Otomo, director of the famed and beloved "Akira," has finished his alternate-history epic. Set in the 19th century where steam power is king and retro-futuristic machines populate the UK, young Ray Steam is an inventor of steam-driven technology following in the line of his father and grandfather. When Ray's grandfather sends home a "steam-ball" capable of immense power and assigns him to protect it at all costs, Ray becomes caught up in a battle of possession over the revolutionary device between him and his grandfather, his own father, and an organization that dreams of harnessing the steam-ball for war. Continuing from the gorgeously animated adaptation of Osamu Tezuka's "Metropolis," Otomo creates another visually impressive, action-packed epic.
Looks good...
http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1808718640/video/2778562/standardformat
Mingle2 - Free Online Dating
Larry (on the left) owns a barbershop across the street from our church. One of the nicest guys in the neighborhood and his shop is always busy. Here is a little slideshow piece the newspaper did on his shop. It also gives you a feel for our community too.
http://www.spokesmanreview.com/blogs/video/play.asp?file=012406_larrys_sr&filetype=swf
I want one of these watches!
http://www.eager-beavers.net/suekichi2/products/shouhin_guide.cgi?temp=TMP0
Haruo Suiekichi, the mad Japanese inventor of the inter-dimensional timepieces worn by that great Victorian adventurer/time traveller, Professor Albrecht Kronos Beerbohm, who perished saving our timeline from the Zulu Empire of the 34th Century.
I got hitched to the love of my life 17 years ago on July 7th.
It's been a wild ride ever since. Never a dull moment for sure ;)
Love ya babe...gloves and all.
This is my new 3-speed cruiser. I bought it at GoodWill and replaced the handlebars with some cool ones and replaced the old seat with a new comfortable leather one with gray flames. It's a sweet ride with a dino bell and a funky old light.
I found this painting at a little store that was closing down, I got it for $10.
I've started creating my backyard fountain and fish pond. I've missed the one I made at the last house I owned. This one is going to be bigger and include a small waterfall that will travel down a rock hill and turn into a descending stream that will flow into the fish pond. I am planning on planting some plants and a small Japanese maple if I can find a affordable one. I have a few ideas on how I will use the tree trunk in the middle. I am incorporating the roots from the stump and will have the water from the stream flowing under the main root and falling into the fish pond.
We saw this Saturday with the boys and my dad. I really enjoyed it. I was hesitant from all the reviews I read and it seemed like it was going to be a forced christian themed marketing ploy, pushed on me by some movie producers in hollywierd who were wanting to scalp off some money from the suckers that make up the christian market. But....I was wrong. It felt sincere, the message was great and I found myself laughing outloud more than I normally do.
I watched this last night...hummm, I thought it was ok. Now any movie that has Scarlett in it, I am game for and I think all the men actors are great too, but I wasn't that impressed. I like The Illusionist" far better. I found myself getting a bit bored. I felt it was trying too hard maybe.
Watched this yesterday...and I really, really, really loved it. I thought Will was great in a more human role, the lady was darling and the quirky filming was great. In fact, it goes into my faves list. There was just something about it that really got to me. I will ponder on it more...it moved me. Interesting how films can pluck certain strings and send a ripple through your innermost feelings. This movie did that for me.
Strange...
This is Austin, our middle child. He is known around our home as the "fisherman". He knows how to catch fish. Yet again, he landed some sweet catches this weekend. He caught this bass with a piece of fishing line and a bare hook! LeeElla fried it up and we chowed on it while we continued to fish. He also caught a large Blue Gill with just a net!
He's got skills.
I snapped a picture of this sidewalk chalk drawing that one of the Karen refugee children did in our basketball court. I think it capture beautifully what they are feeling about their lives. It's a picture of a house and a happy face above it with the words "I am happy".
"Please use your liberty to promote ours."
-Aung San Suu Kyi
Suu Kyi is the heart of the pro-democracy movement in Myanmar (Burma). Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991, she has been held in detention by the Myanmar military regime for 11 of the past 17 years although her party, the National League for Democracy, won a landslide victory in the 1990 general election. Last month, her detention was extended for another year. She is being detained at her residence. She has no telephone and is allowed no visitors apart from her maid and doctor. She turned 62nd on June 19.
