Mfangano February 2011 (short)

For those who have known me a while, you know that Kenya holds a very special place in my heart. When I was living for the success of this world, I had a job where I met and trained several Kenyans, who taught me a little of their rich history and showed me the wonderful hearts that they had for their country and its people (and hooked me on Kenyan coffee :) !). After I turned my life over to the LORD, I was very sorrowful that I had missed a great opportunity to share Christ with these precious souls since I was living so selfishly at the time. What a joy and privilege it has been over the years to know that God has "restored the years of the locusts" by allowing me to be a prayer partner and donor for several trips others have taken to Kenya. Recently some people from a church where we used to live returned to Kenya and began the journey to establish a "New Life Camp - Kenya", another amazing step in God's work there. Praise the Lord for those willing to go and serve, for those ready to hear of the hope and love of His Word, and for the joy of being able to be a "team member" by praying for God's people. Thank you, Lord, for technology that helps us to see and hear of your work! Thank you, Lord, for allowing us to see how You can turn what we meant for selfish desire into your Kingdom work. God is so good!

Merry CHRISTmas to All!!

2010 Thanksgiving Tree

One of our holiday traditions that we love is making a 'Thanksgiving Tree". Lots of families do this, so I know it is not unique but it has made its way into the "absolute musts" of Thanksgiving and Christmas. Today is December 1st so we dismantled the tree that we began a month ago and completed on Thanksgiving Day. For the past several years, we had "deleafed" the tree on Thanksgiving Day to take the leaves down to Grandma's for the meal. This year we had the meal here so we left it intact until today. Here are the items on the leaves (no particular order):
tape
computer
monkeys
snow
Jesus dying on the cross for our sins
Mom and Dad
Dr. Jones and his family
Men at Franklin Jail
His love
Honey
Israel
A good brain for school and things
Mom, Dad, Gran, Russ, Matt, Katy, JoJo, Ethan, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins
My son Eeff
Oxygen
Family
John Wieland & Co.
A free country
Plants
Friends & Animals
My sister Wanda & her family
The lovely, gracious and talented Miss Em
My son Russ and His wife Katy
Uncle Carl
My son Matt
Brooke
Craig Custer
My daughter Joanna
The Holy Spirit
Jesus
Cars & Trucks
Fruit
Kirsten :)
Emma Kate - bff & ss
Jesus
Gentleness, self-control
Faith
Jesus
Chocolate
mercy
Miss Emma's short bread
Love, joy, goodness, kindness, patience and peace
The cross
Love
GOD!!!!
a house
The chickens
Birds
heaven
Pumpkin pie
Legos, nerfs, star wars and other things
Ramein noodles
Prayer
Flowers
Everything
creating me
our pecan trees
Matt, Russ, Katy, JoJo, Emma and Ethan
Hope
Food
Pecan Pie
Emma, Jojo, Matt, Russ, Aunt Wanda, Uncle Craig, Mom, Dad, Gran, Brookie, Beanie, Barbie, NeeKee
Art
Wind
Chocolate Pecan Pie
Flowers
Love, Faith, Kindness, Gentleness, The Holy Spirit, Bible, Jesus and everything good in the eyes of God
Pumpkins
An awesome family
Turkeys
Books
Grits
Friends
Rain
Silly, crazy, hyper, lovable NeeKee
Eyes, ears, legs, arms, healthy bodies
No cavities!!
Pineapples
Peace
Tools
Snow
Eggs
Electricity
hair
Time together
Sunshine
Crackers
Prayer
Syrup
Bread
GRACE
A loving family
Bacon
Water
Animals
Vegetables
Lions
My family
A Godly church
Men's Bible study
Salvation
The Bible
Home
Friends
Emma, Ethan, Mrs Faye, Derwin, JoJo
Smiles
peanut butter
Wii
Grapes
YOU
Thanksgiving
batteries
Acorns
My Mother Gran
Ice Cream
My loving wife Faye
My parents, Nana and Grandaddy
Ninjas

Random acts of kindness - really??

"Practice random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty." This quote (bumpersticker/fb sticker/etc) has always irritated me. It sounds good on the surface. But I don't want to practice random acts of kindness. As a Christian I should long to practice consistent, meaningful, acts of kindness. Not for my own "I'm OK because I do something good once in a while" emotion. In quiet, humble, often unseen ways I want to practice consistent kindness because I am NOT good. In spite of my selfish, glory-seeking deceitful heart I want to be kind to others because Christ has showered kindness and mercy and love and grace on me anyway. I want my acts of kindness to be so natural and numerous that people don't even notice them because they come from the heart of God, not from my own desire to feel better about myself.

And "senseless acts of beauty"? Really? Are there such things as "sense"less acts of beauty? Can beauty be seen or appreciated without using senses? Doesn't the Creator Himself use all senses to show us the organized order of beauty such as the stars in the universe and petals on a flower?  Or if by senseless you mean without a purpose or no real depth (or even foolish), then are they beautiful?

Now before you jump and say I am too harshly criticizing this quote, I will say it for you. Yes, I am being overly critical of probably what started out as a simple off-the-cuff well-intentioned remark. But the reason this quote rubs me is because I often follow it myself. My acts of kindness are often self-seeking and random rather than Christ-glorifying and consistent. Acts of beauty on my part are often senseless, meaningless, and probably pretty far from being beautiful in the eyes of the One who created true beauty. I think that's the real problem I have with this bumper sticker. It sticks too close to my own heart.

What is Sin?

Our pastor is beginning a series on a very unpopular topic - sin. We actually left a church a few years ago that voted out the pastor because "he just wanted to preach about sin" ! If you went to a concert would you try to kick out the musicians because "they just want to play music"? The church should be the place we hear about sin. If you do not think you are sick you won't go to a doctor. If you do not think you have sinned you don't need to go to church or read your Bible or look for a solution to a problem you do not know you have. So here D and I are reading/listening to some books/tapes by Ray Comfort and the topic - knowing you are a sinner. I was in the middle of reading "Christ Among Other gods" by Lutzer and got to the section about other religions and yep, whether or not they describe us as sinners. And I was listening to an old cassette tape from Miss Bertha about how we want to rank sins so that we don't have to face the ugliness of our own sins. (I think I'm getting a message here.)
Well, what is sin? Murder? yes... Adultery? yes... Drunkeness? yes
But what if I am "better" than these? What if I don't struggle with these? Aren't my "good" actions better than my bad ones? Nope. Never.
Because GOD is Holy. And HE abhores sin. Not just a little distaste, but absolute disgust and horror at even a sinful thought in our heads. That's why He doesn't forgive our sins. Yes, that's what I said - He doesn't forgive our sins. He looks on HIS righteous Son who paid the penalty for us and He sees HIM - not us. For years I thought I was a "forgiven sinner" but I'm not - I'm a dead sinner because sin always, always causes death. But I am a "Covered Sinner" - covered by the blood of the sinless Christ and when God looks at me he sees Him instead - the "propiation" for my sins. Not me forgiven. Christ's blood. I don't know about you but it's an amazing thought to me....

Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Gal. 5:19-21

For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. Titus 3:3

being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. Romans 1:29-32

What is the same to GOD as murdering someone? How about coveting? being untrustworthy? undiscerning? unforgiving? approving of wickedness? whispering and backbiting? boasting? being proud/foolish/hateful?

Hmmmm... pretty much covers all of us doesn't it? Looking forward to learning more and leaning more (on Christ, His blood and the Holy Spirit!). Stay tuned as we study....

A Night Without Chickens

We really thought we would be home earlier. But, no worries, they would just go into the coop when it turned dark. When we had left to share dinner with out-of-town relatives earlier in the evening, we had left the puppy on the porch and the hens outside still "grazing". They always go back into the coop at dusk and then we close them up for the night and let the puppy run more before bedtime. Tonight we were late. It had been completely dark for over 2 hours when we got home to find out that somehow the doors to the coop were closed - both of them. The hens had left lots of "signs" just outside both doors to show us they had faithfully waited to get in. Now they were nowhere in sight. All eight - including the two chicks we had hatched ourselves - were gone. No sight of them and the only sound we could hear anywhere was the barking of a stray fox at the bottom of the pecan orchard. Ugghhh. Ugly visions ran through my head and ugly words spewed from my mouth. WHO did not make sure the doors were propped open? WHO didn't double-check? WHO did this??! My children cringed in fear of my rant. As I tucked them in shortly afterward, I was overcome with guilt and shame. WHO was me. They were children who had done what I told them earlier in the day - let out the chickens as always. WHO was me - that did not tell them to be sure the doors were propped. WHO was me - that did not double check. WHO was me visiting and forgetting my responsibilities at home until late into the evening. Second Uggghhh. Fortunately my children are better at one thing than I am - quickly and wholeheartedly forgiving. So we went to bed. But I didn't sleep well. It could have been the double espresso with dessert but it also was my guilt that kept me tossing and turning. First I felt guilty about getting so upset with my children and with what I imagined had probably already happened to the hens by now. (We could name our little plot "Fox and Hawk Hill" as it is very well populated that way!). Then my guilt shifted. Here I was tossing and turning over the fact that I had lost my cool - but my children and God had already forgiven me for it. I was guilty over what might have happened to the lost chickens - but I was helpless to do anything to change their fate. Then I really was convicted. Chickens will live a few years. They are God's creatures but they are just creatures that we try to care for. People live for eternity. In heaven or hell. And how many nights had I tossed and turned over the lost souls of my loved ones? How could I lose sleep over chickens and sleep soundly when there are those who are lost for all eternity?

My son had prayed, "God, keep the chickens safe but if they're not, we know you have a reason for them to be hurt. Maybe the fox was starving." Oh, the faith and trust of little ones!! The next morning they were all 8 on my side stoop perfectly safe. They've never been there before but it was as if God led them there waiting for us to rise and see. And I thought of how God desires ALL - from the oldest to youngest, fastest to slowest of us to be safe in HIS arms. And how HE wants us to trust Him whether things turn out like we want or not. But most of all I thought about God wants me to have a heart that is ready to lose sleep over the lost souls of men. Lord, help me to never forget the night without chickens.

It's summer so that must mean....

.... fresh tomato sandwiches, ice cold watermelon,
hot days jumping into cool water
and best of all... summer reading ;) !





Small group women's Bible study in "Experiencing God's Presence" (not the same as "Experiencing God")






Reading "Ivanhoe" with the children at lunch or evening.







Two books about evangelism and how to implement what I know I should be doing but somehow find anything and everything else to do first!