Trials = Joy

Watching the freestyle skiing, a new event in this years Olympics I was introducing to one of our teens, we talked a little about what it takes to win gold.

She kept questioning me about the event and I confessed I didn’t know much of anything since it was the first time it’d been included in the games.

She was confused since the announcer kept referring to the long careers in the sport that many of the participants had before the Olympics.

As he filled the audience in about the history and the perseverance of the women, a scripture popped into my head and fell out of my mouth.

She gave me a shocked look and  asked me what trials had to do with it.  Just then the next competitor’s story was shared about all the injuries she was recovering from in order to compete: broken arm in two places, broken wrist, busted hip, etc.

We talked about how it’s the failures, the pain, and the cost that we continue to rise above that develop the strength and the wisdom to become the winner of our race.

“You mean the joy of winning is greater because of all she survived?”

I thought for a moment, “More than that, in considering the trials & pain itself, as well as, the joy, (all part of what it takes to get better,) then she had the strength to not walk away from something she loved. She could shine her light for the world to see and inspire others.

The quote my pastor used...

One of the things I love about my church is that we can laugh at ourselves.  We are all sinners saved by grace!

This month my pastor has started a new sermon series on the book of James.  He had a lot of great things to say.  Yet, the one that stuck with me is the Mike Tyson quote he used.  He used it to launch into an explanation of what a "corner man" does for the boxer.

In all my years as a missionary, I shudder to count how many times I’ve played “corner man” to adults and youth in my community.  I have such a short time in their schedule to help them shake off the punches, gain perspective and then refocus on what’s important before the bell rings for the next round.

No matter where we live & what our background, we all need a good corner man.

That’s one of the other things I love about my church: I feel like they get me!

The L.I.E. the World Tells Us

How long has it been since you thought about critical thinking?

My heart grieves for the teachers pressured to “teach to the test.”  I think God blesses the ones that find a way to still include critical thinking and teaching our students the skills to learn and evaluate the world for themselves.

I feel it’s critical for us to teach how to hold our faith despite the media / social networking / Google driven society we live in today.  And learn to use these tools rather than the tools using us.  

Media says, “Use this toothpaste to help someone love you.”  “Drive this car and the girls will want you.”  “Promote this cause, if you’re a good and reasonable (read sane) person.”

Social media is overrun with the gossip of the world, in cute quotes & pictures.  YouTube is the way to an audience, whether or not you have any truth to share.  Even the fact that you can fulfill your need for community and interaction on social media alone, is a big lie.

We, as safe Christian adults, cannot drown out the lies of the world.  Yet, Christ didn’t come to shout down Rome, much to the Jews’ dismay.

Instead, He worked on making us think, find the hidden truth, dig into our faith and access the power of our Holy    Father to stand against the world by using God’s Word.  He called us to go into the world with faith, discipling the sheep in love and not judging or condemning the lost.  Yet there is truth in these tools, too.  They are now the new mission fields of our time.

The questions I’ve used the most in my 11 years as a missionary are, “what do you think?  Do you think it’s true?”  Listening and then asking more questions.  No one wins when we preach “at” someone, even if it’s truth.  How much stronger the skill becomes when they learn to get there themselves with God.

We talk a lot about the result of following the world’s L.I.E. : Loneliness, Isolation, Emptiness.

Has social media made you feel more alone?  Has a product or entertainment ever filled an emptiness?  God calls me to be in the world, but not of it.  How do I use critical thinking & God’s truth to lift Him up and love the lost?

Where is the Dream?

I had the pleasure of listening to the President of the  Barber Shop Talk program this morning at a special MLK, Jr Breakfast held for city and faith leaders across Aurora.

He talked about the father of MLK, Jr and his life of service & sacrifice.  Teaching his son by word and example, at home, about the worth in being a leader through character rather than through fame and wealth.

He spoke of our generation of parents that feel drowned out with their kids technologies.     Witnessing the role models being all about fame & financial gain.  That lose each other to the din of progress and materialism.

He spoke of the peace that comes with living with less when our lives have purpose and are a service to others.  When we seek justice, love mercy and walk humbly.

When we begin to turn off the noise and speak to each other about the things that really matter.  Help each other find the ways we can allow our actions and our characters to count.

Our Comfortor

Every new year, I pray a deeply sincere prayer for our Colfax community.  I pray a prayer that there may be no deaths due to suicide, abuse or violent crime.

In my eleven years in serving this community I have only had two years in which none of our youth have met their end in any one of these manners.  There has not been one year that we have been totally free of some violent passing among our community.

This January, I was contacted on Facebook by one of our alumni teens, sharing that his brother & the brother’s girlfriend had   succeeded in committing suicide together after a previous attempt that failed.

He confessed that his family didn’t feel that a pastor or church would pray with them.  They asked if I would come sit with the family and say something at the funeral.

I offered to bring a pastor along with me, but they said they didn’t want to feel any worse than they did and trusted me to be with them.

At these times, my heart aches for the damage people have felt when dealing with loss due to suicide.  I fear that I am so inadequate and unschooled.

I hit my knees in prayer long before I made my way to their house.  I thank God that I am not alone as I strive to lift Christ’s love up in this, my community.

GED Training for One and All

I’ve shared with you about the scramble our student have been making to get their GED before the end of 2013.  Out of 10 students, 2 tested with enough points to earn their GED.

What does that mean for the other  students?  Only that they must start over from scratch, but online.

Yet the plot thickens!  Two of the tests, Reading and Writing, have been combined.  Instead of one essay on a topic of your choosing, now there are multiple essays on specific current events.

Also, because of the versatility of online testing.  There is considerably less multiple choice.

What does that mean for ROP tutors?  We need to learn how to teach to the new tests, yes.  However, we also need to add basic training on how to test using a computer, both keyboard and mouse skills.

We will need to provide more computer skill practice time for those student without a      computer at home.

Needless to say, we’re training our trainers as well as the courageous students that are diving right into reaching, no stretching for their goals, too.

If you are as curious as I was, you can get more of the facts and even a practice test at the new website: www.gedtestingservice.com

God has been good providing tutors, each with a particular strength, whether in Math, English, etc.  Eager students, striving to learn can be an addictive high for those who enjoy helping others learn.

Learning to Stretch

I was just enjoying my coffee at a business meeting when I overheard, “If they’re coming to this country they should learn the language.  They just bunch up in places around town & make their kids translate all the time.”

I wanted to confront and correct him and all those other 'more offensive then helpful' impulses that course through my mind at times.

It holds truth, from one perspective, but no attempt at understanding; at least from my point of view.

I remember the year my oldest niece decided to move to Berlin because it was so much cheaper than New York, where she had been renting.

She shared with me about how, half way through the day, she was exhausted from trying to learn new German words & phrases and translating her own thoughts out of English.

ESL student refugees from our community 

 stepping forward to help us reach their neighbors for Thanksgiving

How she had found some restaurants and shops that spoke English & how that made her feel understood and closer to home for a bit.

I walk through my community of refugees and immigrants seeing them work hard to learn the language and favor the shops that make adjusting easier for awhile.

I come into ROP and find myself saying a greeting maybe 20 or 30 times. Encouraging students’ attempts to ask, “Good morning! How are you?” and practice, practice, practice.

I find myself asking God to make me less judgmental of those who don’t see.  I’d rather be a light that encourages others to really see people and reach out to understand each other.