The proof speaks for itself....

The proof speaks for itself - Heather has baby Finley Jean Harris in her womb. She is healthy and is growing as she should be at this stage. Here are a few of the photos that were taking this morning. Enjoy, and marvel at God's creation. Isn't it awesome that the 11 oz. baby girl will grow up to be a 8 lb newborn inbetween now and march 18th. It's rad being a daddy - and it's even greater to be a daddy of two wonderful little girls.

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Where there is a shadow there is a light

Heather and I have no clue how and why it is happening. But Maya has finally begun to struggle with darkness. We think it is because of the time of year because of all of the dark advertisements, cartoons, movies, and stories that come out in October. We have placed numerous nightlight in her room and the up stairs loft in order to help out; it hasn't worked yet. She was afraid of the dark but now she struggles with the shadows that are caused by the night lights. All of this got me thinking about light, darkness, and shadows.

Here are my thoughts:
As we walk through life in our dark world we have a tendency to become lethargic and hopeless. We become overwhelmed with our circumstances and see nothing but darkness in front of us. If only we would tilt our head up and see the light. You see, our momentary trials and tribulations are just shadows. It's just a temporary time of darkness in our life. Here's the thing about shadows - where there is a shadow there must be a light.

In times of trials and tribulations we often turn to Psalm 23 to serve as our guide and comfort. "Even though I walk through the shadow of death, I will fear no evil..." Why are we not to fear evil? I said it before, and I will say it again - where there is a shadow there must be a light. The shadow is only momentary. If we keep on living the life which Christ has made possible we will soon journey into the light. After all, light is greater then darkness and will always persevere and reveal itself. The light, which is Jesus Christ can and will deliver us all from darkness if we allow him to take up residence in our hearts. Don't fret my friends, just keep your head up and keep walking because it's just a shadow and the light is right there.

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Choose Life

One of my favorite songs by Big Tent Revival called “Choose Life” has a chorus with the following lines:

Choose life, that you might live the life that He gives, He gives you forever.
Choose life, the way that it's true from the one who chose you your father in
Heaven. Choose life.

Like any good song the lyrics are based from Scripture, a source that BTR had continually drawn from. The passage which speaks on this very subject of life is Deuteronomy 30:19,20 it reads:

This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before
you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your
children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice,
and hold fast to him...

Choose life. Life as we know it is not easy. It is filled with ups and downs filled with circumstances, which cause feelings of doubt, hopelessness, and uncertainty. Who would want to choose that? I do. I choose life that I might live, love my God, listen to his voice, and lean (hold fast) to him. Last September I stood over my Father’s deathbed facing uncertainty, sadness, depression, and inevitable the death of my Father. It was there that I made the conscious decision to choose life. Not knowing what lay ahead, I choose to live life. There were numerous times where I longed for comfort and felt the embrace of my heavenly Father’s arms around me. Amongst the disruption and commotion that death brings into ones life, I felt peace, a peace, which passes all understanding.

If Christ lives in you as He lives in me you to have the same promise. Embrace the life that He has set before you and live it. Choose life.

The Joys of Fatherhood

Mondays and Fridays are fun days for me. Why? On Mondays and Fridays I get to keep Maya all to myself. We do all sorts of fun things together. For example today we:

Ate cereal together out of the same bowl.

Enjoyed a five star rated restaurant for lunch - Costco.

I baby sat for her baby while she went to the mall during which she made sure I was singing lullaby's to her baby.

We went on a picnic together where she cooked my meal. She then preceded to feed me and serve me my drink.

She told we that we were best friends and that she was going to live with me forever.

We watched her favorite (and mine too) cartoon named Kipper this afternoon (well, she did because I fell asleep).

Went shopping together.

Sang songs together.

As you can see we did all sorts of fun things today. It's fun be a daddy. I can't wait for the next one so I can do more of the same.

Is It Beautiful?

I know you heard the slogan, "America the Beautiful." We say it and sing it like we mean it, do we? Is it really? We celebrate it and talk about as if it is God ordained, is it? Questions like these and many more are tough. I don't claim to have all the answers; I just want to ask the questions. These questions and thoughts have emerged in my brain because of a class I am taking. In my class, Cross-Cultural Communication, we have been dialoging about our core values. We communicate our core values, whether we realize it or not; therefore a tendency in our interaction with the "foreign mission" is to communicate “American Christianity”. We communicate that "The American" way is the right way. Are we called to be Christ's Ambassadors or American Ambassadors?

Cross-cultural ministry doesn't just happen on another continent, it happens in our county, our state, our city, and our neighborhood. As Christ followers we must be able to effectively communicate the message of the Gospel without any pre-conceived notions, a task, which is easier, said then done. No matter where we are we must be communicate "God's way" not the "American way".

Questions:

1) If you have been overseas as a missionary how have you dealt with this?
2) Do you battle with the idea of communicating "God's agenda" instead of the "American agenda"?
3) Is it even possible to do so?