Serve God, Save the Planet

Usually, I start the week with a truncated overview of sunday night's h2o message. But today is different. This week kicks off our Another World Is Possible series of events. So, it might be a little while before you see a blog about last nights h2o (not too long though).

Right now I would just like to pass some information along to you about an event happening on campus tonight. Dr. J. Matthew Sleeth, a former student at WVU as well as a former chief of staff and director of ER at a major hospital will be coming to Morgantown tonight to speak at Eiesland Hall. Dr. Sleeth also wrote a book in recent months called Serve God, Save the Planet: A Christian Call to Action, and it's a book I highly recommend.

Dr. Sleeth's story is a very interesting one. During his years at the hospital, he noticed an exponential increase in environmentally related illnesses. Illnesses like cancer and asthma were on the rise. Actually he said before 1880, there had never been a documented case of asthma. Can you believe that? He also noticed that his lifestyle was very out of tune with good stewardship of God's creation. So one of the first things he did was downsize his home. He, his wife, and two kids moved into a house the size of their garage. Before people get too shocked and concerned, he jokes about it and says, "Have you ever seen a doctor's garage?"

It was his conviction that God wanted him to help with root cause of many of the higher incidence of environmentally related illnesses, and that precipitated a career change for him. And now he's coming to wvu. He'll be in Eiesland tonight at 8PM, and it would be great if you could make it to the event. If you can't make it to the event, take a minute and pray for the folks who are coming, that God will use this event to bring the healing message of the gospel and God's concern for all of creation into the world.

Tiny Desert Flower

Tiny Desert Flower, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

This is yet another photo from Joshua Tree. This tiny flower is smaller than a penny, there was no visible stem. It was flush to the ground. I think that if I wasn't intentional about slowing down and observing while I was there, I would have easily walked by it, or worse yet, stepped on it and crushed it.

I'm currently at a conference for the ecclesia network, a church planting network started by a few of my friends in GCM and beyond.

Yesterday afternoon, a guy named Keith Matthews, who is a professor of spiritual formation at Azusa Pacific shared a devotional with us to start our time. He said, "We live in a culture that is moving at a speed that is very hazardous to our spiritual health. Hurry and Busyness appear to be the most dominant obstacle to our spiritual life"

The photo and his words reminded me of some words that the author Annie Dillard once wrote. Essentially she said that we spend our whole life rushing around on a search for grand treasures, but that our days are strewn with treasures that we hardly take notice of. Kind of like pennies on a sidewalk. She then said, it's a poor person indeed who can't stop to stoop for a penny.

When we rush around, not only are we missing out on treasures, but we are doing damage to our soul.

May you take time to slow down today, enjoy the treasures that are right in front of you, and do the important work of protecting your most important relationship.

Randy Pausch's Last Lecture

My brother shared this video with me recently, and I thought it would be worthwhile to share with you. To me, it contains many reminders about the important stuff in life. In the academic tradition, there's an idea called the "last lecture." Hypothetically, if you knew you were going to die, and had one lecture you could give, what would it be. This professor, Randy Pausch gave this lecture in a concise form on Oprah. And the irony is that it really will be among his last lectures. He has pancreatic cancer, and he is dying.

Just to preface the video, I'm personally not a huge fan of oprah. Also, for whatever reason, Dr. Pausch didn't speak on spirituality or religion during this talk. In spite of these critiques, I found the video chock full of life lessons, and I think it's worth sharing for the lessons he does share that are great reminders of the important things in life.

Over the last year, I've witnessed many events that have reminded me of the brevity and fragility of life. Just this week, my sister told me that her husband's brother was found dead in his house.

As I watched this video, and thought about my own life, I realized that there are a number of things that are real priorities in my life. Of course, my relationship with Christ, and the truth that He is the hope of the world is number one! But what I tell people about my relationship with Christ by the way He enables me to live is right up there too--I want Him to be made manifest not only in what I profess, but how I live. (I truly pray that people see those priorities too!) I think everyone who has put their faith in Jesus should have those priorities. I don't plan on dying anytime soon or anything like that and I hope you don't either. At the same time, I also understand our life on this earth is just a vapor--just a blip on the screen compared to eternity. I want this blip to count! I know that there is something amazing in store for me after this life, but I think that in light of eternity, we are to live this life very intentionally, taking time to be a sign and a reflection of the world to come.

In the spirit of reflection, take some time today to consider what you would share with your family and friends or even the world if you had one "last lecture" to give. Are there changes you want to make, or priorities you want to shift? Don't wait. Take action. Make the most of every moment. We have a limited number of days and hours. Don't waste them.

One Sabbath

One Sabbath, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

This week we finished our series called 168 at h2o by talking about the Sabbath. Really the talk was about more than Sabbath. It was about being intentional with our time and our efforts so that Christ might be more fully formed in each one of us.

You see, most of us, if we are honest, live life without any margins or spaces. We are running from event to event, meeting to meeting, and person to person without taking any time for rest or refreshment.

If we aren’t careful, our lives become more about what we do than who we are. That’s a big part of why God instituted the Sabbath. One day during the week, we can set apart to be refreshed and be particularly reminded that our identity doesn’t come from what we do.

It’s pretty funny, in a sad sort of way, the lengths we will go to justify not having a day that is marked as Sabbath—a day of rest. Many of us feel like we are too busy to take a Sabbath, and that there is too much work to be done to merit a break. And yet, keeping the Sabbath is one of the ten commandments.

Most of us would never dream of justifying murder, or deception, or covetousness, or even aldultery. But we regularly ignore this practice of Sabbath, and the saddest part of it is that Sabbath provides us the best opportunity to engage in many other spiritual disciplines so that our lives look more Christ-like.

Sabbath is a great day to fast, or to spend time in solitude or silence. It’s a great time to spend living more simply, because we aren’t trying to keep up with others. We aren’t trying to keep up with anything really.

To spend a day completely at rest—can you imagine it? Can you imagine what God would reveal to you about yourself if you could unbusy your life for one day, and spend it being intentional to listen, to rest, and to be refreshed?

At h2o, I left folks with a simple goal, and I want to give you the same challenge for the next month. So for the next month I’ve got a goal for you. I want you to try to practice a Sabbath. That means you’ve got a pick a day each week during which you won’t do work. You won’t do little projects to try to get ahead. Instead you will spend time doing things that refresh you. Maybe that’s hiking, or playing basketball, or going shopping, or going for a long drive. Part of the next month’s experiment will be determining what refreshes you and gives you rest. I would love to hear how this goes for you so feel free to email me with your stories about practicing Sabbath. The important thing though is that you take the time to practice it. Allow Sabbath to bring your life into rhythm so you can faithfully live out your calling and become more fully human.

Amsterdam Daze

Amsterdam Daze, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

And now for a slight change of pace.

Yesterday, while I was walking from one coffee shop to another in Morgantown for a meeting, I had this strange feeling like I wasn't in Morgantown exactly. I wouldn't call it déja vu, but it was like the weather, the air, the light, and the people were vaguely familiar.

As I was walking, I thought to myself, this feels like the city of Amsterdam has felt every time I've been there with a team for a mission trip. The skies were grey and overcast, and yet at the same time it was bright. The air had a crisp maritime winter bite to it, but Morgantown is not a maritime area. It looked and felt like it could rain or snow at any moment, but if it did either, it wouldn't be a downpour.

And then the people. People were bundled, and busy. Everyone was walking with a purpose. The street looked somehow a little taller and more narrow. I half-expected to see people whizz by me on bicycles. But, it didn't happen. I was in Morgantown and not Amsterdam. None-the-less, I took a snapshot of one of the main drags of Morgantown just a few moments after the feeling hit me, but like most photos, it doesn't fully convey what I was experiencing.

The time prompted me to pray for my friends in Amsterdam who have started a church right in the heart of the city. At least four of those friends, Eric, Todd, Sander, and a href="http://naomithoughts.blogspot.com/">Naomi keep blogs and help keep the rest of the world connected to their efforts.

I took the time God gave me yesterday, along with some time as I was writing this blog, to pray for my friends across the big water. Maybe you could do some of the same.

In the meantime, have you ever had an experience like that. You know you are in one place, but everything about the place feels like somewhere else you have been. Sometimes I think God uses little promptings like that to remind us just how small our world really is.

The Story of Stuff

The Story of Stuff, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

About a month ago, I friend of mine I met at the Faithwalkers conference in Ridgecrest, NC sent me a link to this website. It is called, "The Story of Stuff." When you click the link, you will be given the option of playing a 20 minute highly informative video which walks you, the viewer, through the process that leads us to get all of the neat stuff we find at our local malls and stores, and then carries the story further toward how all of that stuff is disposed of.

When I see videos like this, I have to admit I am somewhat skeptical. But then, I often come to the conclusion that we truly need to change our habits, and any change really starts with me. As I consider a simpler life over lent, pray with me that I can make some sustained changes in my spending and consuming habits. And I pray that this video would provoke you similarly. One person left a comment about their commitment to not spend money on themselves during the next 40 days.

The Story of Stuff is getting a lot of views on the web, and it is also triggering many people to rethink their spending, consuming, and waste habits. I highly recommend the video, and I hope you can set aside 20 minutes of your day to watch it. Then, I would love it if you set aside an additional 2 minutes and told me what you thought about it, and how it provoked you to make changes to your lifestyle.

Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

I took this photo the last night I spent in the desert. Just as the sun was slipping over the horizon, I captured the evening glow. I wonder if Jesus saw something like this during His 40 days in the wilderness as he denied Himself and prepared Himself for His ministry.

Today starts the season of lent. Today people from all over the world will gather together to be reminded to turn away from sin and be faithful to the gospel as ashes are placed on their foreheads. As the ashes go on, it gives them an opportunity to reflect on the way Jesus denied himself for 40 days in the wilderness.

I woke up this morning and I'm still unsure about specifics that I will be yielding for the lenten season. This is the conclusion I've come to so far. I want to lead a simpler life. This will involve periods of fasting and denial. It will also involve times of engagement through prayer and study.

Maybe it will mean less eating out. Maybe it will mean less time working online. Maybe it will mean less travel, or more travel via bike or public transit. Christians around the world have used lent as a time of examination, of denial, and of renewing their commitment to be like Jesus. In a couple of hours I am going to attend an Ash Wednesday service and during that time I am praying that God will give me clarity in my commitments.

As lent begins, whether you come from a tradition that celebrates lent or not, I encourage you to take time to examine your life. Let the light of Christ shine into your heart, and reveal area's where you desire to move toward being more like Jesus in word and thought and deed.

In our world, there are two things that are very true. Very few take the time to examine their lives period, and even fewer look for opportunities to practice self-denial in a culture that prides itself on being self-indulgent.

I invite you to journey into the desert with Jesus and to think about the renewal that He offers you every moment of every day. WIll you begin this season of denial and expectation and allow Christ to meet you in your wilderness as you journey to the grandest celebration in history, the resurrection of the Son of God?

Fat Tuesday, Fasting, and Lent

Lost Palms Oasis, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

Well, it's that time of year again. Lent. But what's the time all about. Some would say, Fat Tuesday is your last chance to really party until Easter. Some would say that lent is the time of year that some Christians get ashes on their foreheads.

What's really going on over these days. What's Lent all about anyway? Lent comes from the latin word to lengthen and it is used in reference to the lengthening of daylight that happens as Spring approaches.

While I was in the desert, among other things that I did, I fasted for three days. During this time I only drank water. "Why would I do that to myself?" you might ask. The idea of fasting is to let go of good things that God gives you every day for the sake of growing more dependent on Him, and not getting so caught up in the abundance of gifts that we forget about the Giver. When we give up food, or TV, or music, or whatever non-sinful thing we enjoy for the sake of growing more connected with God, it allows a different kind of growth in our life. We deny good things for a period so that we can better enjoy God and so that we can be even more appreciative of those good things when we take them up again. Food tasted so good when we left our time in the desert. God is so generous and gracious!

So Fat Tuesday isn't supposed to be about beads and bedlam. It's supposed to be about a preparation for an extended fast during lent. You see lent also is about Jesus--it's a period of time each year that Christians of various denominations choose to intentionally identify with Jesus and His 40 day wilderness fast by either choosing to deny some good thing in their life or by choosing to add an act of devotion to their daily time with God.

What might this denial or addition look like? For some, it might mean getting rid of their ipod for 40 days so they can hear God better. For others, it might mean an extended fast from food, or from entertainment or even from the internet. It also might mean adding by making it a point to volunteer community service during this period. Or making a commitment to serve in the church, or maybe just committing to spending daily time in God's word. All of this so that you might identify in an ever so slight way with Christ's time in the wilderness.

And then, as you approach Easter, the anticipation and the celebration are even greater because during the forty days of lent, you have grown in your intimacy with Jesus, and more than likely, you have grown in appreciation of the Victory He has won in all of our lives through His ultimate sacrifice on the cross and His glorious resurrection.

So today, here's a thought for ya. Spend some time in prayer. Examine your life. Ask God for guidance. Then, as the evening approaches it's end, make a commitment and stick with it until easter. Be realistic and be faith-filled. If you've never gone without food for 40 days, that might be too big of an order. But it might not be too big of an order to deny yourself your favorite foods for lent.

If you feel like it might help you to have a degree of accountability, post your commitment as a comment on this blog--it just might encourage and inspire others!

May God richly bless you as you consider Him more richly during this season!

Desert Bloom

Desert Bloom, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

Well, I am finally back to civilization. (Actually, I began my return Friday afternoon, but there was a lot of driving and flying thrown into the last couple of days--it takes a long time to get back to civilization!)

The desert was wonderful! There was so much going on in that place, I'm really not even sure how to begin to describe it. While I was away practicing solitude, silence, fasting, prayer, and simplicity (among other spiritual disciplines), I kept a journal though, and perhaps it might be good to share a bit from that.

First off, for the first 16 hours of my solitude, the Mojave Desert, Joshua Tree, and most of southern California received a record amount of rainfall. I believe in that little window of time they exceeded their annual rainfall. (And it's only january).

Among other things, what that rainfall means is blooms. Flowers that might not be seen for years finally get the strength to produce the most beautiful blooms. But the irony is that because the climate is so dry, the blooms only last a couple of days. I may be the only human being who sees the bloom featured above for a long time. What a rare treasure to find myself walking among these blooms in the middle of the desert on a cold winter day in southern california.

I found myself just reveling in the beauty and the fragility all around me in those blooms. And then I remembered this scripture.

"The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the LORD blows on it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. (Isaiah 40.7-8)

Just like these flowers, we human beings are rare, fragile and beautiful people. Do we take time to fully appreciate that fragility as we walk through our day like I walked through the desert?

Furthermore, these flowers will be gone in a moment, but the word of our God endures forever. As I reflected on this scripture, I thought to myself, How much do I really treasure the scripture. What a beautiful gift! In the middle of a world of fragility God gives us something solid, and something enduring, and something even more beautiful than a desert bloom.

As you walk through your desert today, take time to consider the beauty and the fragility of the lives blooming all around you. Take time to consume the enduring words of God. And then, as you look upon this desert world around you, take time to share some of these enduring words of life to this fragile world.

Into the Wilderness

Into the Wilderness, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

It seems like everywhere we go, people are in a hurry. I took this photo Tuesday afternoon in Chicago’s O-Hare Airport. It struck me because not only are people in a hurry, these folks are trusting in moving sidewalks to get them from point A to point B even faster. There were literally thousands of people in this airport as I scurried from one gate to the other to continue my journey. I was in a hurry too—my flight had just been changed and I had to proceed from one end of the airport to make my flight.

So why was I in this hurried crowd in the airport? On Tuesday, I flew traveled from Morgantown to Pittsburgh to Chicago and then to Los Angeles to make final preparations for a wilderness retreat I am doing with a handful of staff from around the country who are involved with GCM.

The goal of the program is to for staff to experience a period, of solitude, silence, simplicity, fasting, and prayer in order to connect freshly with God. Once I enter the desert I will set up a camp and will not see or hear any other staff until it is time for me to leave next week. The director of the program has said that people either spend an extended time in the presence of God or go through an intense struggle as they realize their own inner emptiness. Most people experience a combination of both. What a time of clarity and direction—no wonder Jesus went to the desert before starting his ministry on earth!

Of course this means I probably won’t be answering my cell phone, or responding to emails, or blogging for that matter, but I plan to return to blogging when I re-enter society. So, while I won’t be able to blog for a while, don’t lose hope—I’ll be back in a week or so. In the meantime, I’ll tell you something you can do. You can pray for me as I venture out into the wilderness. This morning I was reading in the gospels about how Jesus, when he began his ministry, went out into the desert for 40 days to fast. I’m not Jesus, and I’m not going for forty days. But just the same, I have a feeling that there are spiritual forces that would love more than anything to distract me from connecting with the Creator of the universe. With that in mind, pray for my health and safety as well as for my time with God. I want to tear away any distraction in my life to hear Him clearly.

I think this will be one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my life. It is with awe and trepidation that I make my final preparations, and it is with an expectant and humble heart I enter the wilderness.

Only God knows what lies ahead . . .

Leadership and Calling

Leadership and Calling, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

That’s one of my good friends in the picture. His name is Adam Zakowski, and when I took this photo he had walked out about 100 ft on a frozen lake. He was one of 25 people who spent Monday in Deep Creek seeking to clarify what God wanted to do through him in life.

Sunday night and Monday, we had a leadership retreat for h2o, the next generation ministry of Chestnut Ridge Church. The focus of the retreat was developing your Chazown or your personal calling and vision.

My friend Chris Backert shared this quote with me a few years ago, and it really stirred our lives back then as it does now. Everything rises and falls on leadership. Some people hear a quote like that and they are bothered. Shouldn’t one say that everything rises and falls on prayer? Or everything rises and falls on scripture?

Chris, in our conversations, pointed out this scripture. Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever Hebrews 13.8-9

If you look at biblical history, or any general history, you will see over and over that nations and organizations have done well or failed as a result of their leadership. For instance, read the stories of the kings of Israel. When Israel had a good king the nation did well. When Israel had a bad king, things weren’t so great for the people.

So 25 people left Morgantown on the coldest night of the year to stay the night in an even colder Deep Creek Lake, MD. It was 2 degrees F, when we left Morgantown at 9PM—It was significantly colder as night progressed in Maryland.

But these folks came out to make steps to look at their life, and seek to understand what is was they were made for. How were they called to lead out of their calling in h2o, in their career, and in their world? Everyone is going somewhere in life, but very few people are going on purpose. It’s funny because it seems like “What on earth am I supposed to do with my life”? would be the question that we spent a significant amount of time searching out the answer to. But many of our lives reflect the truth that we simply go from day to day with a vague understanding that we have very little idea of what we were made to do.

The retreat was divided into three parts. People started by looking at Where they were, then proceeded to where they want to be, and how they plan to get there. To me, it was one of the most refreshing things I have been part of in quite some time. Being with these leaders, and listening to them share the story of what God has done in their lives was touching. And then to hear them work through the wounds and victories of their past to see clearly how God had been with them every step of the way was inspiring! Now these folks are looking at how God has shaped them and they are beginning to make steps toward passionately pursuing the vision God has for them!

What about you? I pray that today finds you living out your calling in a way that enriches your life and makes the world in which we all live a better place.

MLK 2008

I've been unable to blog for a few days, but I have had much to share. Last Sunday, we talked about One Day during h2o, and I mentioned a few different leaders who made daily commitments to give their lives to things that would carry on after they died. Martin Luther King, Jr. is one of those people.

The video above is a recording of the last public speaking he did on this planet. What powerful words! He had no fear because he had been in the presence of God Almighty--he wasn't a man who was letting his circumstances or what was the norm define him, because he knew there was more than this life, but he was committed to changing the world during this life as a sign of what was to come. He was committed because he knew his God was greater than any persecution he would come up against.

And the persecution was great. It's hard for those of us born after his assassination to imagine that there was a time when people of different ethnicities weren't allowed to share the same resources. It's hard to believe that 50 years ago, black people were compelled to drink from different water fountains than white people. It's hard to believe that people of a variety of ethnic backgrounds were treated as second class citizens (or worse), and that this bigotry was not only accepted--it was considered good and right and normal.

As I went into a meeting yesterday at my nephew's school, I started thinking about MLK. My nephew's school has a definite mix of people. He's among the few American Indians in attendance, but there were people of a variety of ethnic groups represented as I went to this meeting. 50 years ago, not only would this be abnormal, but it also probably wouldn't have happened.

Because Martin Luther King was committed to taking risks, to reflecting, and to giving his life to things that will go on after he dies, we have seen a massive change in America.

As you finish your MLK week, take note of your world--where does God want you to step out in faith and make a difference? Have you been to the mountaintop and seen the promised land? Maybe it's "business as usual" for you because you have forgotten Who is on your side . . .

Take some time today to reflect, to pray, and to act.

168-One Day

168-One Day, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

This week at h2o, we continued our series, 168, we looked at the number not just as the number of hours in a week, but the number of hours in a day. Each day we spend about 16 hours awake and 8 hours sleeping.

As one breaks down the routine of the day (again taking averages), one comes to the conclusion that our days are extremely busy. If you work full time, you will work about 9 hours each day. I you eat, you take about 2 hours of your day for your meal times. That leaves 5 hours a day to work with. But then the average person can eat up an hour with showering, picking out what to wear, and taking care of hygiene stuff. (Especially in a fashion conscious society like ours.

Then the average american watches about two hours a night of TV. So that brings us to two hours of time. After that, we have IM, myspace, and facebook to consider along with exercise. If you factor in 15-30 minutes for surfing the web, and 30-45 minutes for exercise, that brings us down to one hour/day.

During that time we can squeeze in time with scripture, hanging with friends and family, involvement in a Bible study, and working toward world peace.

At the end of our day, we have very little time. So it's important how we use it.

My friend JR Woodward shared a redemptive concept with me a few years ago in an article he wrote. He had read about a group of people in their 80s and 90s and they were asked if they had their whole life to live again, what would they do differently.

Overwhelmingly, they said three things. They would . . .
Risk More
Reflect More
Give their lives to things that will go on after they die

That article had a significant impact on my life. As a result of it, I am more conscious of the decisions I make, and I am not afraid to take risks. As a result, I also carve out time each day to reflect on what God has done in my life and the lives of those around me. And finally, I am reminded daily that I want to be giving my life to things that will go on after I die.

As you read this, I want you to consider (1) healthy risks that God might be leading you toward, (2) places in your day in which you could slow down, and (3) what are you giving your life to? There are things that matter, and there are things that in the grand scheme don't at all. In the words of Maximus from the movie "Gladiator," What we do in life echoes in eternity. What will be echoing through your eternity?

The Way of the Heart Part 3

The Way of the Heart Part 3, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

“Very few ministers will deny that prayer is important. They will not even deny that prayer is the most important dimension of their lives. But the fact is that most ministers pray very little or not at all. They realize that they should not forget to pray, that they should take time to pray, and that prayer should be a priority in their lives. But all these “shoulds” do not have the power to carry them over the enormous obstacle of their activism. There is always one more phone call, one more letter, one more visit, one more meeting, one more book, and one more party. Together these form an insurmountable pile of activities.

This starts the section of Nouwen’s third part to his book, The Way of the Heart. It seems like prayer, although it is one of the most important and unique aspects to the life of faith is also often quite readily neglected. Even in my own life, it is so easy to get caught up in a flurry of activity, that I neglect speaking and listening to God through the habit of prayer. Nouwen says it this way, “The temptation is to go mad with those who are mad and to go around yelling and screaming, telling everyone where to go, what to do, and how to behave.” That is not a life of prayer though.

In Nouwen’s book, he reminds the reader of the importance of prayer above all things. It is through prayer that we are able to discern what other parts of our life are truly born out of true servitude and what parts are born out of a need to stroke our own egos.

C.S. Lewis calls prayer “the irksome discipline.” We often attach it to various parts of our day, but I believe often it can become just a formality before a meal or at some other time. Nouwen reminds us, “Our compulsive, wordy, and mind-oriented world has a firm grip on us, and we need a very strong and persistent discipline not to be squeezed to death by it.”

I think we value being productive so much that prayer doesn’t reap the kind of instant results that we like to see, and have grown so accustomed to. I mean, I was just driving by the hospital in Morgantown last night, and I was amazed at the fact there are multiple new buildings going up that really just got started in the summer—these buildings are HUGE!!! We can be so productive and see the fruit of our labors almost immediately, so we avoid the real work of faith—prayer.

I was just thinking as I wrote this, that sometimes God manifests Himself instantly when we pray. But many other times, it is like starting a garden. We till the soil of our heart with the word of God and then plant a tiny seed of prayer. God takes that tiny seed, and something beautiful and life-sustaining emerges from it. The challenge is that sometimes God lets that seed germinate over several days or weeks. And sometimes, for whatever reason, God in His sovereign wisdom sees that the best response to the planting of a seed is to let it change and become a tool for other seeds to grow—to fertilize the ground.

I’m always challenged when I read any book or essay on prayer because I realize the extreme challenge it gives me to nourish and strengthen this aspect of my life. After all, Paul said, “Pray without ceasing.” Nouwen’s book reminds the reader that as one grows in the prayer of the heart, that prayer becomes a form of rest in God which we remain in constantly.

As you go through your day today, ask yourself. What is my prayer life like? Does it have much life at all? Is it a smattering of knee-jerk reactions to circumstances or is a way of abiding in the gentle yoke and easy burden of Jesus. Do my prayers become manifest in the way I live? Do I really seek “His Kingdom come, His will be done on earth as it is in heaven?” I hope as you read this note you join me in reflection, in growth, and in gently and patiently planting seeds of prayer in well tilled soil of the heart.

168: One Life

One Life, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

While I was in North Carolina at the Faithwalkers Conference, i took this photo of a cross that also served as multiple cell phone antenna's function and form at their best.

I thought it was an appropriate image to correspond to the first blog of our new series at h2o 168. The first message is One Life. The series started as a thought about what we do with our time. We have 168 hours every week to use to glorify God or to focus our energies on something else. The average lifespan of a human being on the earth is about 68 years, so we thought that the first week it might be good to talk in a broad sense about our life and what each of us is living for as a priority.

Psalm 90.12 says, "So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom." In that spirit, we began our series by examining how many days we have in this life.

We have one life to live. If we live to age 68, the average person will spend one third of that life sleeping. (approximately 23 years). That's if they get 8 hours of sleep a day during their 24,820 days.

The remainder, approximately 45 years of our life are what we spend eating, drinking, watching tv, going to school, going to work, and spending time with friends and family among other things.

But the goal of all of this time, all 24,820 days, is to learn how to make God the number one priority. So that He informs our leisure, our study, our work, and our conversation. In essence, so that we live all of life for His glory.

One of the best first steps to seeing that become a reality is to make time with God a priority. When our days become crowded, our time in scripture and in prayer seem to take the hit before anything else. So the first step is to change our priorities and make time with God number one.

We can do that by spending time in His Word as well as in prayer.

In the words of the missionary Jim Elliot, "He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." When God is the priority, everything else in our life falls into it's proper place.

As 2008 gets under way, I want to encourage you to make that your goal for 2008--begin the transformation. You only have one life, and, if you are fortunate, you might have 68 years. Make them count for Christ.

The Way of the Heart Part 2

Silence, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

It's been a while since I posted an entry on one of the books I've been reading lately. (Actually there are quite a few different books I have read, or been chewing through lately, so they may become a frequent topic for this blog.) Dutch author Henri Nouwen's book, The Way of the Heart is a book I've been reading with a group of friends in the faith in preparation for a wilderness retreat.

The book is primarily an exploration of three spiritual disciplines--solitude, silence and prayer. Before Christmas, I blogged about solitude and ironically I have had little opportunity in recent weeks to practice solitude.

As I continued reading through the section on silence, I was impacted by the following quote.

"Wherever we go we are surrounded by words: words softly whispered, loudly proclaimed, or angrily screamed; words spoken, recited or sung; words on records [or cds, or mp3s], in books, on walls , or in the sky; words in many sounds, many colors, or many forms; words to be heard, read seen, or glanced at; words which flicker off and on, move slowly, dance, jump, or wiggle. Words, words, words! They form the floor, the walls, and the ceiling of our existence."

Of course as you are reading this, I realize that I am adding to your word count for the day. ;) But sometimes, I think we are simply bombarded with words all hours of the day, and we don't have any filters for them. Or we begin to filter and ignore most all of them. Perhaps that's why we need periods of silence and stillness.

Beyond all of the shock of words, what about noise in general? I know soooo many people who must have background noise happening around them all of the time. Whether it's an ipod, or a television set, it seems like we are always looking for noise and running from silence.

Consider this quote Nouwen offers as well Keep in mind this book was written in 1981. This is before most people had more than 13 channels on their TV, personal computers weren't even known of, and the walkman, hadn't come into existence. And yet people craved noise. It's nothing new--only the methods have changed.

"One of our main problems is that in this chatty society, silence has become a fearful thing. For most people, silence creates itchiness and nervousness. Many experience silence not as full and rich, but as empty and hollow. For them silence is like a gaping abyss which can swallow them up. As soon as the minister says during a worship service, "Let us be silent for a few moments," people tend to become restless and pre-occupied with only one thought: "When will this be over?" Imposed silence often creates hostility and resentment."

I know in my own experience, I've felt this anxiety. Even when leading others through an exercise in silence, I feel the tension that the silence brings about. How I long for it to be over. How I long for noise to return. I think part of the reason we fear silence is that there is no creaturely comfort there. All that is left is God, and the question in our mind about whether or not we can be satisfied with Him. Often to our detriment we find ourselves running to anything and everything else. Our minds race with to do lists. Silence makes us feel unproductive. We feel like nothing is happening, but in reality, there is probably more happening in our hearts, minds, and lives during silence than during any other time.

I encourage you to take some time to turn off all of the noise. Don't go running around accomplishing tasks. Amid the silence, maybe, just maybe God will be able to speak to you freshly, and you will hear Him because you are undistracted by all of the other words and sounds that fill our lives.

Reflections on 2007 Part IV (Fall)

Reflections on 2007 Part IV (Fall), originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

Well this is my last installment of reflections on my previous year. It's pretty unreal to me just how much happens in our life in one year, or one day for that matter. Much of the time I think we are fairly unaware, but perhaps this year will be different. Perhaps today will be different.

My fall seemed to be one defined by taking time to reflect. Sozo, the coffee shop, was up and running, and we had a tremendous fall at h2o. But amid all of the busy-ness, I found myself focusing on taking time to reflect during the day. In the summer, I felt like I really didn't find too many spaces for Sabbath to my shame. So I made sure to carve out time for family, and for myself. (Including a short vacation in California).

Fall always brings a myriad of festivals to West Virginia, and so the fall kicked off for me withThe Preston County Buckwheat Festival in Kingwood, WV and the Mountain State Forest Festival in Elkins, WV.

And then, the most significant event of the fall occurred in the wilderness of West Virginia. Jacob Allen, an eighteen year old autistic boy, and a member of Chestnut Ridge Church in Morgantown was lost for four days in the Dolly Sods Wilderness Area. Several hundred people joined in the search, and thankfully he was found! I believe God used Jacob to expand people's faith and sense of community here, and all over the country. I know my life won't be the same as a result of all that happened in the wilderness that week.

In other news, our entertainment life has suffered as a result of the Writers Guild Strike in Hollywood.

I think that more than any other time of year, I was able to see how little gestures go a long way. From my connecting with lenny in los angeles, to my simple step of riding a bus as an act of stewardship on a snowy day, to spending time in a nursing home I saw the large effects of seemingly small decisions and commitments.

As you and I journey through 2008, there will be tons of "little" decisions that will have an impact for the either the Kingdom of God or the kingdom of self. May you and I take small steps every day that lead to large impacts for the sake of the gospel of the Kingdom.

Reflections on 2007 Part III (Summer)

Reflections on 2007 Part III (Summer), originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

Well, as I continue my reflections on 2007, i'm still just amazed at all that happened in my life. You know, I think it is really easy to miss out on the profundity of the moment. I read a book a few years back in which one quote remarked, "There are no ordinary moments." If there is anything I have learned from blogging about my life (among other subjects), its that life is anything but "normal" and routine.

Even supposedly "routine" aspects of our life teach and shape our lives in profound ways. As the squash began to blossom this summer in my first ever garden, I began to learn new insights about my ancestors that I could pass on to future generations of my tribe. I also learned about the ability that a small seed has to feed many people. What an amazing gift from God!

And then, a month after losing my mom, my sister calls to give me some challenging news. Thankfully her situation resolved itself quickly, but again--no ordinary moments in life.

We began to spend time at the family cabin this summer too. I think it's going to be a place that will bring back good memories of mom, and hopefully we as a family will be able to create some great memories there as well. Like the time I I almost ran out of gas with friends, or the time my dad and I journeyed up seneca, or even the time my brother and nephew were in, and the whole family traveled to the cabin and to seneca.

But my whole summer wasn't spent on a mountaintop (literally or figuratively). It was a time of starting some new ventures though. Much of the summer was spent getting a coffeeshop ready to open in the heart of morgantown. And this summer, I started dedicating one blog entry per week to the subject of the message given at h2o.

Were there new commitments you made in 2007 that have now become routine? Now's a great time to reflect on changes made during the year, and once again remember as you reflect--there are no ordinary moments!

Reflections on 2007 Part 2 (Spring)

Reflections of 2007 Part 2 (Spring), originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

As I started reflecting on the last year, I realized--there were a ton of things going on in my life in 2007. I don't know about you, but sometimes even the complexity of life can seem so routine that I can run through days and weeks and feel little sense of accomplishment. Or perhaps my days (and yours) are so chock full of busy-ness that we don't fully grasp all that is going on in our world--inside and out..

Or maybe big goals are accomplished after a long grind, and life has so many challenges we fail to celebrate major successes. For instance, back in May, when I graduated with my Master's degree in English as the culmination of 5 years of study, it really didn't register with me because I was alone and didn't really celebrate. A few friends attempted to brighten my day by taking me out to dinner, but my mom was in the hospital. What I remember most about that day was how deeply alone I felt amid all of the families celebrating while my mom was fighting for every breath. My solace that day was having my mom tell me "Every day you make me proud," as I left her hospital room telling her I'd try to make her proud walking across the stage at graduation. She really wanted to be there , but she really needed to be in the hospital.

On top of graduation, I also was captain of a team in the Wood County Relay for Life. My dad, one of my best friends, Dan Van Valey, and I made a front page appearance in the parkersburg newspaper. We were so hopeful that my mom would be out of the hospital. She spent much of the week on a ventilator, and I think she came off it on Thursday. We were thrilled to say the least! And our team of 20 people raised over $1000 dollars in a very short time as a handful of us walked through much of the night.

And then after a tumultuous 3+ weeks in the hospital, went home to be with Jesus. I miss her dearly, as I'm sure everyone whose life she touched misses her. She was a beautiful human being who led a beautiful life on this earth. These last few months have been really strange without her presence here. My best friend in the whole world, Willie, wrote a song for my mom. If you never met my mom, suffice it to say, she was the kind of person people write songs about. I miss her!

It seems like every season has a mixture of joys and challenges. As I reflect back on this time, I can't help but see how Christ was walking with me in all of the pain and all of the rejoicing. He sustains me and gives me direction when times are tough. He also reminds me that as long as I have breath, I am to seek first His kingdom in all that I do.

Was 2007 defined by challenges or triumphs for you? Whose Kingdom are you seeking with your life? In the middle of the challenges and the triumphs I am tremendously thankful that he has given me a community of friends and family who love me and support me in every situation. Last Spring brought that truth out to me in the form of txts, emails, voicemails, and visits from people who gave Jesus hands and feet in the middle of my world.

Reflections on 2007 Part 1 (Winter)

Reflections on 2007, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

I remember reading several years ago that people would reflect more if they had an opportunity to live their life over again. In that spirit, I wanted to make an attempt to reflect on a few of the things God has done over the last year. Many of the things I blogged about, and being able to look over some of those blog entries and images really stirred me to see the massive amount of trials and triumphs I have been part of in 2007. Now some things didn't make it into the blog, like the opening of our coffee shop, sozo and the start of a monthly mixer for college students and young professionals at Chestnut Ridge Church. As I began to piece together this blog entry, I realized it might be better to break it into four parts and walk through the seasons, so this entry represents a few highlights from the first three months of 2007.

I leapt into the new year with a visit from my best friend in the whole world, Willie, and a list of lofty goals from fitness to faith, and I actually achieved a few along the way (including running 100 miles in the month of January).
I tried to be a little more environmentally responsible and started recycling and making some changes around the house (including changing light bulbs) in order to work toward better stewardship of God's good earth.

In Winter, Waterboyz mania swept Morgantown and the world.

My family also purchased a cabin near Elkins, WV. It has become a place of retreat and refreshment for everyone in the family.

I also had an opportunity to speak at the Native American Literature Symposium and represent my tribe, and the university as I presented a paper I wrote.

That wraps up a few highlights from Winter 2007 for me. What was going on in your life last winter? What changes did you make and what habits did you start with the new year? I would love to hear, and I want to encourage you as you finish reading this to take time to reflect. I'll continue in the future with reflections from Spring, Summer and Fall 2007. Also, if you decide to visit the links I have included, I would love to hear your thoughts on my most memorable or impactful blog entry from this past winter.

Nashville at New Years

Me and Mandolin Mike, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

So it's been a while since I could blog. I was at a conference for most of the last week near Ashville, NC. After the conference, I traveled with a group of eight other people from the conference for a faith venture in the country music capital of the world. That's right, Nashville!

On new years eve, we ventured out on the town to take in a variety of experiences. It was kind of funny because looking back on it, there was so much going on. At the beginning of the day, I encouraged people to strive to be "God aware" for the day, and see what experiences He brought across our paths.

Three experiences that come to mind for me were these.

1) In the afternoon, we visited a lifesize replica of the parthenon. While we were setting up for a photo, a guy attempted to steal a purse from one of the people in our crew. He then proceeded to pretend that wasn't the case and began "kickin it" to one of our ladies. She wasn't impressed, and so he quickly left. After he left, I think he heightened our awareness of what was going on around us for the rest of the day. Sometimes we need to be shocked into being aware, and this occasion definitely made us all much more in tune with what was going on around us. I noticed that it is really easy to be stuck in our own little bubble much of the time.

2) The guy in the photo with me is named Mandolin Mike. We ran into him on Broadway in downtown Nashville. We were just walking by, but I felt like God wanted me to stop. So I through a dollar into his mandolin case and listened to him as he finished a song. He told me he came down ten years ago in an effort to make it big, but he was currently confined to performing on the street. He's from the Harrisburg or carlilsle area of Pennsylvania. He told us a little bit about the adventures of trying to make it in nashville, and as we finished talking he asked if we had a request. I asked him what his favorite song to play was. He smiled. He then told me he had written a few songs--I asked him to play the one he loved the most. He played one of the most amazing instrumental mandolin songs I had ever heard. When we take time to listen to others and show care, we often become more richly blessed than we would otherwise.

3) As we were leaving downtown Nashville, an older gentleman rode up to us on a bicycle and started talking to us. He was homeless. He was lamenting his condition--but he didn't ask for a handout. We prayed with him, and encouraged him to empty out the bottle he was carrying with him. Our "tour guide" also happened to be a Nashville street evangelist--so she pointed him to a mission nearby. We don't know what happened to Terry Crawford that night, but at least for a few minutes a few people took the time to listen to him, to care for him, and to point him to hope and even a warm clean place to stay.

As the new year begins, I pray that you might be more aware of what is happening around you all of the time. Take time to listen to the little promptings from God that tell you that maybe you should be doing things a little differently at different moments. I pray that you will take time to slow down and talk to people who are around you, and I pray that you will will care enough to intervene among the hurting. Slow down and engage those around you with good news and good medicine for a hurting world.

Christmas Reflections

Christmas Reflections, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

Yesterday my dad and I took a hike around the lake at Mountwood Park near Parkersburg, WV. There is this little rock formation nestled away in the hills that surround the lake, and I think it makes a great place to sit, think, pray, and even get photos taken. This time I did less praying and thinking--it was nearly dark, and my dad and I were trying to make our way around the lake. It was a little different twist on the holiday. I think it was the first time I had ever been hiking on Christmas.

But this year's Christmas was different on a number of counts. This year we had our meal and our gift exchange at my sister and brother in law's house. This year, my sister cooked the meal. This year was the first year we spent Christmas without my mom.

I understand that it's tough going through the holidays without recently departed loved ones, but I don't think I ever fully realized how much my mom did to make Christmas so enjoyable for everybody else. Even last year, when she was recovering from a bout of chemotherapy, she cut homemade noodles, baked cookies, and cooked the Christmas meal in it's entirety. My mom was greatly missed yesterday by all of us.

But my sister was amazing. Often, I am called upon to pray for meals, etc. at these family gatherings, but this year I asked my sister to pray (as a Christmas gift to me). My sister is not very confident praying out loud or in public, but she should be. She uttered one of the most heartfelt, genuine, thoughtful and beautiful prayers I think I have ever heard. It was a great gift indeed.

I intentionally stayed away from the phone and computer for the day. I knew that the moment I picked up either of them, it would be hard not to do work on the holiday. It was kind of nice to be disengaged like that. I typically call a couple of close friends on Christmas, but this Christmas it was probably good just to be close with my dad and sister.

As we spent time together, it was comforting to know that my mom is with our savior, and it is comforting to know that on this particular day, as we mourn losses we know that we celebrate an even greater gain. One day, everything will be put to rights in the world. But for now, we will celebrate the fact that in the middle of the hurts and joys, there is a God who comes along side us and enters into all of it with us.

Merry CHristmas!

Christmas Nativity Scene

Christmas Nativity Scene, originally uploaded by krisdecurtis.

Well tomorrow people all over the world will exchange gifts and unwrap presents in a worldwide celebration.

The celebration will only be a shadow though of what it could be. I mean think about it, how difficult is it for one to even begin to fathom the magnitude of the event we are celebrating.

Approximately 2000 years ago, God's perfect plan unfolded in humility. In a cave somewhere in the middle east, a little baby was wrapped up in "swaddling clothes". Even at his birth, kings wanted to kill Him. This birth meant that God had entered our world. In the middle of all of the pain and suffering and hurt God arrived. In complete vulnerability, Immanuel entered our brokenness to bring healing and reconciliation.

This was the first triumphal entry (to be followed approximately 33 years later by a second significant entry that was moving toward the consummation of His mission.

As a result of this amazing arrival, we have been freed from our captivity and slavery to sin and have the opportunity to spread the word about how our fellow man and woman can be reconciled with God!!! What a great message!!! What a great Christmas gift!!!

Take some time as the day progresses and the rush slows down to meditate on the wonderful arrival of our marvelous Savior! Take some time to move beyond the presents to the presence. Jesus our Immanuel (God with us) entered our world and set us free--that's a celebration that deserves all of our heart mind soul and strength devoted to Him in loving worship!

The Way of the Heart Part I

solitude, originally uploaded by Villi.Ingi.

From time to time I like to share some insights I am reading in a variety of books. Recently, I picked up a book I read a few years ago, and began reading it again. The book is called The Way of the Heart and it is written by a Dutch theologian named Henri Nouwen. Over the next month, I would like to share insights from the book with you. It may be a once a week entry on my blog, or it may be more often. Regardless, I hope you enjoy this little twist to the blog.

The book deals with solitude, silence, and prayer and shares with the readers some of the practices of the early church (particularly the desert fathers) and their experience and lessons learned in solitude.

There are a number of quotes I would love to share, but for now I will give you this little nugget.

"We have, indeed, to fashion our own desert where we can shake off our compulsions, and dwell in the gentle healing presence of our LORD. Without such a desert we lose our own soul while preaching the gospel to others. But with such a spiritual abode, we will become increasingly conformed to Him in whose Name we minister."

With that thought in mind, let me ask you this question? Do you have a space in which you can shake off the compulsions of a busy schedule and the countless voices who seem to vie for your attention?

As I read this section of this extremely brief book, I couldn't shake the fact that I have often struggled to find that desert space in my daily routine. Seems like every minute of my day gets invaded--like people are working frantically to build Los Angeles in the middle of my desert.

May you and I both find a space in our days for solitude, and for abiding in the loving presence of the King of Kings.

Moving to Michigan

Coach Rod at a B-ball Game, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

It's been a bit since I blogged--something has been up with my internet, and ironically, since the end of the semester, my week has gotten busier and not slower.

But, I finally got access today at sozo--the friendly little coffee shop in downtown Morgantown. So I had to write about this latest move to michigan.

I can't believe that we lost both of our coaches to Michigan within months of each other. I've been to michigan a couple of times, and I've even spent some time in Ann Arbor. I'm really not sure what the allure is. (Of course I did go in winter, and most of the time I was there was cold, rainy, snowy, and miserable.)

For me it is kind of tough to see, but I don't have all of the details. I have friends who played under Beilein and Rodriguez here in Morgantown, and it was definitely a shock and adjustment for 'em. People are being tight lipped about Coach Rod's move in general. Here's a statement from Athletic Director Ed Pastilong. Not a lot of detail and commentary are floating across the web and other venues. I think most fans and friends are simply shocked that someone from WV who played for WVU would leave a "dream job" like this to go out of state.

So what prompted coach Rod to leave? He just won a BCS bid, and will not even be taking the team to play in the fiesta bowl in January. He has one of the fastest backfields in the country here in Morgantown. He had just signed a huge contract with WVU a year ago (like 3million?) And now this?

I don't get it. I'm saddened by his departure, but life goes on I suppose. It seems like the era of coaches who invested their lives into a program are coming to an end. The days of Coach K, Bobby Bowden, Joe Paterno, and others are coming to an end.

So what do you think about Coach Rod's upcoming move? One person placed the blame on the agents who help coaches find jobs like this, but really, is there any fault in those guys? What''s the real root of the problem?

Speaking of root, maybe that's just the problem. Do we contemplate roots anymore? I think we live in one of the most transient cultures in world history. Maybe the move is just part of the reality that most of us have very little real sense of community. For instance, can you name five of your neighbors? Do you know what they do for a living, and do you really know anything about em?

Just a little food for thought.

Winter Time Tree

Winter Time Tree, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

Last week I was able to snap this photo of one of the trees behind my house. I think we received about 6 inches of snow Wednesday and of course you have already read about how that precipitated my experiment with the bus system here in Morgantown.

It's almost a week after that snow, and now it looks like the snow was never here. We've had rain, rain, and more rain (which could have been snow if it were colder), and so it has started the migration to stay inside and out of the weather.

It seems like winter settles in, and one hardly sees the sun here in Morgantown. Although, when I took that photo, it was blue skies and white snow. I love the way the snow looks lying on the top side of all of the branches. I like it when there aren't tracks or anything and it looks like a clean blanket over the earth. But in order to really enjoy it, one must walk in and through it.

I think it is easy as the winter weather approaches to find a million reasons to stay inside. It's too wet! It's too cold! There's no place to go! Nobody will go with me.

I think it's times like this that we've gotta fight the urge to stay inside, and get out and enter the adventure.

I remember a few years ago, I made a commitment to walk/run 1000 miles in a year. I remember one day I had planned to go to coopers rock to hike. It was cold, and I got out of work late--there really wasn't much point in going. But I grabbed my parka and hopped in my car and drove.

I was the only person in the whole park. I walked back through to raven rock. I ended up walking back in the dark, but the entire time was amazing. I heard snow and ice fall like crystal all over the trail and the wilderness. It was truly amazing and beautiful. Some of my most brilliant times with the Creator, and some of my most amazing experiences in life have come in the woods in the winter.

So as winter creeps in, what are you going to do to overcome the inertia that leads you to stay indoors? Get out into wilderness, and get into the mix. Or at least get out of the house for a bit. I would hate for you to miss out on the beauty that may just be right outside your door . . .

The Ultimate Gift

The Ultimate Gift, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

As we wrapped up our semester at h2o, we took a look at several responses to the gospel.

In the stories of the Incarnation, we see a wide variety of responses to the birth of Jesus.
Herod and those in power, do everything within their power to see Jesus killed. The Magi come from a faraway land to worship the King, because several hundred years before, somebody told their people about the future birth of the messiah. The shepherds also journey to worship and celebrate his birth. The magi and the shepherds weren’t exactly considered the “in” crowd, but yet, these are the folks who come to worship the King of Kings. Mary and Joseph, respond with faith that is amazing, mary pondered in her heart the comments and the worship demonstrated by others toward her son. Joseph demonstrated radical faith when he trusted circumstances that defied all physical and biological laws—a virgin birth.

And then there’s us. What do we do with the birth of Jesus. I think the birth of Jesus presents us with some major challenges. I mean, everybody in the era of Jesus had a response to his birth—and there is so much this birth teaches us about God and about his kingdom and about our own hearts.


When we consider the Christmas holiday, it provides a great time to take stock of our life and who or what we are living for. Jesus is Lord at birth, and we each have a response to this simple truth. How we respond to Jesus says a lot about what we really believe about Him and what we believe about ourselves. You see, every day we have a choice—we can live for the glory of our own kingdoms or we can lay down all for Him.

If we are honest, much of our lives are spent building our own kingdoms with little consideration for His. We’ve become a world of exploiters—we exploit creation, and we exploit each other. When we live for our own kingdoms we bring conflict, abuse, addiction, shame, disorder, and confusion.

When it comes to Christmas presents, God gave us the ultimate gift—Himself. And he presents us each with an opportunity to consider. What could we give him in return? Those who were far away and those who were near brought the best of what they had.


Wise men and women who still seek Him will find Him. When you find Him, bring the best gift that you can—the gift of your heart!

Mafalda and Charlotte

Mafalda and Charlotte, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

Yesterday, a group of friends and I took a trip to the Sundale Nursing Home in Morgantown to do some Christmas caroling. That's where I met Charlotte and Mafalda. Charlotte is on the left, and Mafalda is on the right with my friend Brittani. About 20 of us converged on the place and spent about an hour singing to residents of the facility. These two ladies were just so full of life during our visit, I had to get my picture with them. i told them it's not often I get to be photographed with a couple of beautiful ladies like them, and they (along with all of the other residents) were just thrilled with our visit!

It was a very emotional evening for me. My mom's last days on this earth were spent in a similar facility connected to a hospital. Some of the folks we sang for were like these two ladies, and some were not very responsive at all, but it was really clear that all of them really appreciated the visit and the music. When we asked if anybody had a favorite Christmas carol, we received the response--"All of Them!" So we sang a few songs in different rooms and in the hallways.

As we started singing the first time, I found tears welling in my eyes because I just thought about how these people seemed to be sequestered away from the rest of the world, and could easily be forgotten. I was supposed to be happy when I was singing these christmas carols, but I kept vacillating between joy and sadness. Joy in singing and sharing with these folks, and sadness thinking about these really special people being forgotten.

So today I'm writing and reflecting on the experience. Multiple people asked us to come back and visit again soon. It was hard saying that we didn't know how possible that would be. While I felt joy in sharing a little light on a dreary winter day, I think I left with sadness.

I thought about my mom a lot. I still miss her. I guess being in this place made me think that these men and women were somebody's moms and dads. I wonder if these people see their family often. I wonder what their days are usually like--mafalda and charlotte said it gets pretty boring and monotonous--I can only imagine.

I guess my heart gets overwhelmed when I think about the needs that this world has, and it makes me long for the day when Jesus will make all things right and all things new. So I guess sadness and joy are understandable responses to a night like yesterday.

Overall, it was an incredible experience, and a good reminder of the very real needs all around us every day to love others.

As Christmas approaches, think about how you might spread a little Christmas joy around your neighborhood. Charlotte asked if she could give me a hug, and when she tried she couldn't lift her arms, so I told her if it was ok I would hug her--I think she really appreciated that. So many lessons God was speaking to me last night, but I only have time for brevity here.

In the end, the question must be asked, how will you demonstrate the love of Christ to the world around you? The need is great, but our God is greater, and he has challenged each of us to be a light. May God enrich your life as you love Him and love others.

Bus Ride

Lonely bus ride, originally uploaded by MirandaRae.

Yesterday I performed a small experiment during my day. We received about six inches of snow during the course of the day, and so my day was slightly adjusted as a result. The streets around my house are among the last to get cleared when streets are being cleared and salted, so I have learned to make alternative travel arrangements. When you drive a small car with low rolling friction tires, and you live in a town that is built on a hill it is not wise to attempt to drive—the odds are stacked against you.

Yesterday, I had some meetings at Chestnut Ridge Church, but my automobile plus the steadily falling snow made that seem like it wasn’t a viable option. But then I got an idea. Morgantown has a bus system that they are looking to expand called Mountain Line. (There may be a bus that goes to your favorite place to shop in town, or that would take you to and from your place of employment.) I wondered if they had service that stretched out to the Cheat Lake area. I called and asked, and they said they had a bus that went right by the church. The bus left every 90 minutes from the depot, and one was leaving 15 minutes from when I called. Of course, there were also delays caused by the inclement weather. (Even big buses have some difficulty along the snowy winter hills of Morgantown.)

Although my bus was about 40 minutes behind schedule, I was still able to make it to the church in time for my meetings. It cost me a whopping 75 cents to travel to the church. Of course it did take slightly longer than traveling in my own car, but I also didn’t really have to pay attention to the roads—in theory, I could have made phone calls, worked on my computer, read, studied, composed emails, wrote notes, or a number of other tasks, but I didn’t. I spent most of my time talking to John, my bus driver, while we journeyed through some rough weather to reach my destination.

Of course, I did pick the worst time to ride the bus in one sense. We were in the middle of a huge winter storm, so more than likely the buses would all be behind schedule. But at the same time, it was the best time. When better to take a bus than when smaller vehicles should not be on the road. Lot’s of people site the time it takes to journey by bus as the main reason not to ride on one, but I think there is a lot that can be done with that time.

One of my old roommates lives in the DC area. In order to arrive at work each day, he takes a bus and then gets on the subway. It is inexpensive and relatively efficient transportation for many people. And the more people who use it, the better it gets.

For most of my trip yesterday, it was just me and the bus driver. There may have been a half-dozen people total at the bus depot. As the city of Morgantown expands, it only makes sense to encourage residents and students to consider alternative modes of transportation. Walking or Riding a bike can work for most trips for a large portion of the year, but sometimes our trips in the city are a little longer, or they require multiple stops.

Wherever you live, if you live in a semi-urban area, take some time in the next few weeks to try the bus system. As more people use these public transportation systems, they can only get better.

Did you know that only 8% of the world’s population even own cars? So driving isn’t a luxury for them. Did you know that 89% of Americans own one or more cars? Maybe you live in a place where public transportation isn’t available, or your job requires access to a vehicle at all times. That isn’t the case for most of us. So instead of spending time digging your car out of the snow and stressing out over the drive to work, maybe give your local public transportation system an opportunity to serve you. It never hurts to try something new, right?

Do THEY Know it's Christmas? Give Life

DSCN0705, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

It's been a little difficult getting back into the groove of blogging and catching up with multiple tiny projects and people who I haven't seen since before thanksgiving break. But I should be getting back in the groove now.

So we are continuing our series at h2o Do THEY Know It's Christmas? and this week's message is entitled Give Live.
You know I think that one of the biggest temptations in the Christmas season is to forget about those who live on the fringes—I mean the real fringes. I think we have this huge fear that we are going to miss out on something if we don’t have everything we desire. But we have sooo much more than we need, and I think there is a purpose in it all. I think that maybe Jesus gave us so many resources and so much wealth so we could actually use it to bless others.

Another option is that he really just wants to give us tons of nice stuff solely for ourselves, and he really doesn’t care about other people, but I strongly doubt that.

Jesus tells us in Luke 12,

"Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

God has given us the ultimate blessing by giving us access to the Kingdom. He tells us to sell our possessions—not because our possessions are bad, but because we can give to those who have REAL needs when we see our own excess, and we can demonstrate to others what life looks like in the Kingdom of King Jesus. If we took serious as Christians our charge to be ambassadors of the Kingdom, I bet we would make a major dent in poverty in our world.

Where are treasure is, there is our heart. Where are you looking to find your treasure? Ultimately, our treasure is Jesus, but it is so easy to believe our treasure is found somewhere else. In fact, marketing companies are spending billions to make you believe that your treasure and your life is made up of the abundance of your possessions, but it is simply not true.

I think deep down we don’t want to ignore those who have nothing, it’s just that we get duped into believing we are the ones who are deprived. It’s really easy to feel like we don’t have enough stuff, and fail to have a heart of gratitude. I mean, how much do we really need. How much could we give up for the sake of others if we took the time, or took advantage of the opportunities around us?

How much would we be willing to share? We take for granted so much stuff in our world. Sometimes I think we get our priorities all wrong at Christmas, and really all year round. Having nice stuff isn’t a bad thing—I hope that I am not coming across that way; it’s just that I think that we can spend so much time, effort, and energy on ourselves that we neglect some really great needs in our world.

As you consider Christmas this year, and as you consider your life in the years to come, will you consider ways in which you can show your love to your fellow man and remember “the least of these”? You alone may not be able to end hunger, but maybe God wants to use you to help take a step toward one more person not going hungry. You alone may not be able to bring clean drinking water to the world, but maybe some of your spare change can be given to help “one of the least of these” to get access to medicine that will prevent them from dying of dehydration from diarrhea or other ailments.
Maybe as a family, or as a small group of friends you can do something for people who you’ve never met. People who won’t be receiving the latest ipod, or something from the fall line at banana republic, but who simply want the technology that will allow them to afford medical attention for their family. . People who don’t have any use for a cd or a plasma screen tv, but who simply want to hear the sights and sounds of another day of life.. People who have no use for a gift card at the olive garden, but who simply want to have enough food for their family today.

Maybe this Christmas you can start a new tradition of caring and Give Life.