The Irresistible Revolution

If you haven't read The Irresistible Revolution, I highly recommend you do so.
Here's a blurb about it:
"Many of us find ourselves caught somewhere between unbelieving activists and inactive believers. We can write a check to feed starving children or hold signs in the streets and feel like we've made a difference without ever encountering the faces of the suffering masses. In this book, Shane Claiborne describes an authentic faith rooted in belief, action, and love, inviting us into a movement of the Spirit that begins inside each of us and extends into a broken world. Shane's faith led him to dress the wounds of lepers with Mother Teresa, visit families in Iraq amidst bombings, and dump $10,000 in coins and bills on Wall Street to redistribute wealth. Shane lives out this revolution each day in his local neighborhood, an impoverished community in North Philadelphia, by living among the homeless, helping local kids with homework, and "practicing resurrection" in the forgotten places of our world.Shane's message will comfort the disturbed, and disturb the comfortable . . . but will also invite us into an irresistible revolution. His is a vision for ordinary radicals ready to change the world with little acts of love."

You can find more of his stuff at this link.

a few moments of entertainment from the week

Kendra and Keen had their first soccer practice this week. They were really excited about it and had a good time.

Kendra is the only girl on a 15 player team. It's interesting watching how kids react differently to the opposite gender. While Kendra used pink shoe strings, a pony tail and sweaty competition, Heidi, on the other hand, did her hair, put on a cute jean skirt and showed up at the practice with Freddie on a leash.

Keen was having trouble walking, so we prayed for his foot that night. They've been hurting for some time now, and it seemed to be getting worse. I was afraid he might have a bone spur or something serious like that. The next day we went shopping for soccer cleats and I think the Lord answered our prayer. I found that the shoes Keen had been given from his cousin were 2 sizes too big. No wonder his feet were sore; the arch was hitting him in the wrong place. We bought him new shoes that fit.

Heidi made an interesting observation at church this morning. She had put a lot of effort getting ready and perfecting her look, and she did look good, nice hair, cute shoes, fun bag, trendy note book. She was happening. Then she realized that her bag said, "not listening" across the side, and her notebook said, "blah" boldly on the front. She decided that they might not be conveying the best message for church. I was impressed that she reached her realizations without my coaching.

Sunday Stress

I'm so right, and I'm so wrong. I can't sort them out. The church seems so lost, so out of focus, so misguided, so fluffy, so non-threatening,... so my tendency is to be negative, to disconnect, to get cynical and bitter. This is wrong.

My anger comes from the frustration of a problem greater than me, but it threatens to influence me and my children. Sundays stress me for a number of reasons, but I think I'm growing in patience (I hope it's not complacency).

Last Sunday, I stood in the back of the balcony overlooking a beautiful new sanctuary filled with beautiful, well dressed people. My mind and emotions raced, and I felt the Spirit remind me to love them and not be bitter. It was as if God invited me to weep with Him over His dysfunctional family.

One of the themes of my summer has been that the NT stresses unity. The church is the body of Christ, and I want to love, cooperate and support. I don't want to be a trouble-maker and cause more confusion, but I also don't want to be a part of the numbing disease. I want to be an instrument of change, but the monsters of materialism, ritualism, political-correctness, and "me-based-worship" are just so big.

How does one step back and get a clear view of the problem and still stay united?
How does one stay united without getting infected?
How does one develop and maintain a godly anger and disgust with the problems and not attack the people or the ministry?

a bigger picture of reality

Here's a sweet quote the pastor used this morning. I regret that it is so trendy as to come from "The Shack," but regardless of mainstream, consumer-based Christianity, it is a pretty good book.

"There are times when you choose to believe something that would normally be considered absolutely irrational. It doesn't mean that it is actually irrational, but it surely is not rational. Perhaps there is suprarationality: reason beyond the normal definitions of fact or data-based logic; something that only makes sense if you can see a bigger picture of reality. Maybe that is where faith fits in." -William P. Young

a divinely inspired sermon

I've been attending my brother's church lately. It's Assembly of God with an average attendance of 200 (guestimation) on a Sunday morning. It's a modern building, contemporary worship, and a middle-to-upper class congregation. The people seem friendly, warm and welcoming, and the pastor seems humble and down-to-earth.

Let me give a little back ground. Over the past year God has taken me back to the Greatest Commandments (Love God; Love Others) and the Great Commission (Go) as a life theme.

When I was in Asia this summer, I was asked (told / expected) to preach a number of times. Each time I felt that I didn't really have anything to say. I could sum up the Word God had given me in one word, "Love."

There are many many verses to enforce this lesson, but anything I said beyond that just seemed empty and fluffy. My first sermon in Burma quoted a bunch of references to love, and I was almost apologetic to my missionary friends that I had such a "shallow" sermon. One of them spoke up and corrected me, "Preaching Scripture is never shallow." When I tried to explain my problem to the pastor in Thailand he said, "Just read the Scriptures and speak from your heart... The Scriptures don't need a bunch of salt and flowers."

I was inspired and disappointed by last week's sermon. I was back in the states at a new church and the pastor was starting a new sermon series that went back to the basics, the Greatest Commandments and the Great Commission! I was encouraged that a pastor that preaches every Sunday was still able to point to the basics. The foundational truths never get old. And I was encouraged that he had combined the two "Greats." If you love God and love others, go!

I believe this was a divinely inspired sermon (that I expect to preach myself someday), but I'm afraid the man of God cut it short. He stressed the loving God and loving others, but he just spent a few minutes on the go, and his "go" was like, "get involved in the community." What!?

The Great Commission was to go into all the world and preach the Gospel. It wasn't to just become a scout leader or a soccer coach.

Today he spoke about loving God. Next week is about loving others, and the final week of the series is the "Go." I really hope he redeems last week's sermon by not cutting the Great Commission short this time and instead, calling his congregation to a global perspective and ministry.

Final Update From the 2008 Trip

Dear Mother,

Our adventure is nearing an end, and I look forward to seeing you soon.

Saturday was an extreme high for us. We drove to a mountain village where we celebrated with a Christian family whose father had recently become a believer. The family then burned his spirit shelves, cups and tokens that had been made to the spirits (Many of the people live in fear of "the spirits" that they have to keep appeased to avoid misfortune). We made a fire in his yard and watched a lifetime of fear get consumed by the Great Comforter. We took part in the baptism of four people that afternoon! It was a beautiful day in so many ways.

We've been teaching about 8 hours a day. Our good friends Ahtapa and Leah are starting a Christian school and the students are very eager to learn the English language. Once they learn the language, they can begin using a Christian curriculum that they have chosen from the US .

A typical weekday goes something like this:

• Devotions with the kids is at 5:00 AM. This is lead by us (well, I usually get left in a bag or on the table in the hut, but they seem to handle it okay). We've been going through the Fruits of the Spirit.
• Devotions with the team is at 5:30ish. We've read through the book of John, and now we're in Job. This involves (requires) some sweet coffee.
• A wonderful breakfast with eggs, bread and jelly, and/or fresh fruit is usually waiting for us after devotions.
• Classes begin at 7:00. I hadn't realized how easy it is to confuse "R" and "L". And how do you explain the difference between how "chin" and "shin" are pronounced?
• Lunch is 11:00-1:00 and is a much needed break for everyone.
• Afternoon classes are from 1:00-4:00. We've decided that in the game "hang-man," the man never really has to die; you can just keep putting clothes on him, an umbrella in his hand and things in the back ground, like bicycles or trees.
• From 4:00-6:30 we have free-time to play with the kids.
• Supper is served around 6:30 and is always wonderful.
• We lead devotions with the kids at 7:30. This involves songs, Bible reading and a story through an interpreter.
• We usually crash by 10:00 PM (to be ready again by 5:00 AM).

So we've stayed very busy, but we managed a few trips to the market and other adventures.

Tuesday we taught at the public school. The teachers were so happy to have English teachers/speakers they gave us the freedom to teach however we chose, so we taught Christian songs (One song, for example, explained that Jesus is the "King of the Jungle" and he created you and me).

We also visited a ministry called "Partners" that is teaching people how to make soap and grow a fast growing tree called Maringa whose leaves can be eaten as a nutritional supplement, like organic vitamins.

Anyway, your favorite green and yellow dinosaur is having a wonderful time. I've been dropped (or thrown rather) in the dirt a couple times, but all in all I'm better for it.

Blessings to you,

MEBS (Mercedes, Emily, Brian, and Sarah)

Fun and Cool Quotes from the Summer

• Draw out the image of God in others. -PFO
• To be crucified with Christ involves cultural suicide. -concept in handbook
• My life for God's will. -PFO
• We're not manufactured; we're God-uafctured. -PFO
• God does not rent out his attributes. -PFO
• Danger --aah. -Mercedes
• Peace is not the goal, but rather it's a tool for unity. -Brian's understanding of Ephesians 4:3
• You will not have lice at your wedding. -Sarah to Mercedes at PFO
• As long as you don't bite my leg. -Mercedes to Brian
• The fruit of silence is prayer; the fruit of prayer is faith; the fruit of faith is service; the fruit of service is love. -Sarah quoting Mother Teresa
• This shower is like a bad relationship, "I can control you! You're hurting me! I can control you! You're hurting me!" -Josh at PFO
• God didn't just give you this day; He gave you this moment. -Peggy
• Keep waving! They can still see us. -Mercedes as buses left PFO
• You want to barrow some spit? -Mercedes to Brian
• Myanmar is where smiles originate. -James
• Myanmar is the land of laughter...hahahahaa. -James
• Can we barrow the plastic guitar? -Mercedes to James when he told us to sing a special
• That's so eeeevil! -James talking politics
• All our gods have been knocked down. -James quoting people of Yangon
• What does your butt say? -Emily to Sarah
• Check out that monk. He's buff. -Sarah
• Is narcolepsy contagious?
• Tonight we will have a prayer party. -James
• Squaty poos are the best. -Sarah
• 3500?! We've been getting 2 all week. Here, give me the paper; I'll do it. -Mama May
• Keep on chilln'. -James
• Angery Tinkerbell
• I hear your words, and I see your Father. -A man encouraging Brian
• It's never shallow to preach Scripture. -Matt
• When all you see is your pain, perhaps you lose sight of me. -God in the Shack, p.96
• Don't go because you feel obligated...go because it's what you want to do. -Jesus in the Shack, p.89
• Normal is a myth. -Shack, p.170
• I think, when Mercedes talks, she looks like Brittney Spears. -a girl at TCC
• He says it smells like the mites under his bed. -Mary interpreting Zimungs opinion of Brian's Big Red gum.
• Naturally built for your enjoyment. -James opinion of a tourist park
• You realize, you just agreed to marriage? -Sarah to Emily
• The harvest is ready, but the workers are few. -James
• There goes Gimly. -Emily relating Myanmar church leadership to Lord of the Rings
• I couldn't stop starring at his chest hair.
• You can't swing a dead cat without hitting a Hayes.
• I'm gonna tell Phil.
• I'm foreinly ignorant.
• Saturday! Saaaturday, Saturday!
• Conversion is not an event but a process, a process of slowly tearing ourselves from the clutches of the culture.
• Massage? -Sarah's friend at the hotel
• I just want to hug them..., but then they would have to cleans themselves or something. -talking about child monks
• Wash your hands and pray, because germs and Jesus are everywhere. -Emily's grandma
• Be caarreful! -Snake farm man
• Just read the Scriptures and speak from your heart... The Scriptures don't need a bunch of salt and flowers. -Ahtapa
• Not only is God our social worker, He is also our Lord and King. -Ahtapa
• Christians have forgotten what it means to live a simple life and the joy of the Lord. -Ahtapa
• We're going to have the real hot dog, some barking dear... -Ahtapa
• I'm going to tell you a story before I show you the goods. -Sarah
• Share all with all. -Note on wall at Partners Ministries
• We're going to evangelize the crap out of this place. -Sarah
• It wasn't my fart. It wasn't your fart. It wasn't any body's fart. -Ahtapa
• Everyone's nice here, even the bugs. -Mercedes
• Saliva makes your hair grow. I spit in my hair everyday. -Sarah comforting Emily
• Fatal Error! -Sarah warning of homesickness
• You little little. -Mercedes' term of endirerment for Meme and others
• A cow that has been attacked by a tiger will jump at the fall of a leaf. -Ahtapa sharing an old Thai proverb
• It's our pressure to serve you. Priest, come again, and bring your whole family. It will be more pressure for us. -Ahtapa playfully confusing his L's with R's and S's.
• The American dollar is like Tinkerbell. When people stop believing, it will die. -One of Sarah's professors
• We need some of da-woman stuff. -what Ahtapa heard when Mercedes asked for de-worming meds
• Job continued his discourse... -devos

Brian: "Mama May, she's picking on me!"

Mercedes: "Better be careful, Emily. She'll lose your ticket."

Emily: "That's the first time I've lost my ticket, dang it."

Mercedes: "That's okay; I've lost mine like 8 times."

Emily: "I am the Key Master."

Sarah: "You're Peter."

Emily: "Yeah, like Ghostbusters."

Sarah: "No, the Apostle."

Mercedes: "Same thing."

People Watching
JACK JOHNSON

Well I'm just people watching
The other people watching me
And we're all people watching
The other people watching we
We're as lonely as we wanted to be
We're all as lonely as we wanted to be
Just as lonely as we wanted to be
I'm just you, you're just me
But it's only true if we believe
Well there really ain't no use in stopping
What nobody never told me not to do
So I'll keep people watching, watching me now
Finding my way back to you
We're as lonely as we wanted to be
We're all as lonely as we wanted to be
I'm just as lonely as I wanted to be
I'm just you, you're just me
But it's only true if we believe
I see so many feet going so many ways
People passing by, they got nothing to say
All on our own, just watching and confused
Nobody told me what to do
I can't stop breaking all the rules
And I'm just people watching
The other people watching me
We're all people watching
The other people watching we
We're as lonely as we wanted to be
We're not so lonely as we wanted to be
I'm just as lonely as I wanted to be
Not so lonely
Lonely, lonely, lonely

God made you special, and He loves you very much.

-The way the Menefees say "Goodnight." Bob the Tomato, Veggie Tales