Wednesday, March 23, 2005

Daddy, I hit a pole

Today Nicole called and left a message on my cell phone to “please call me as soon as you get this message”. I called her about an hour later and the first question out of my mouth was – did you wreck the car. “Yes daddy, I hit a pole. But, you see, it was where I couldn’t see it and it was on the passenger side of my car and I’m sorry”.

I wasn’t happy and I wasn’t a comfort. I was grumpy and Nicole cried.

This is exactly what Nicole was afraid of and I guess I met her expectations. I wish that I would have surprised her and treated her like our Heavenly Father treats us whenever we mess up and tell him about it. We have a father that promises comfort whenever we go to him - and he never fails us. Our Father listens to our problems, He offers immediate forgiveness whenever we mess up, and then he forgets about what we did (as far as the east is from the west). He will never bring it up again. All he sees are perfect (perfectly forgiven) children.

I will pray that I am able to treat my own children with the same listening ears, the same comforting words, and the same immediate forgiveness that my God promised me.

Thursday, March 17, 2005

Never Alone

I have been away from the comfort of being with my family for about two weeks and I am really ready to be home. Home, in my bed, eating my food, being with my wife, watching more than one English speaking channel, home & comfortable. I want to be home and not alone anymore. I miss my home! I miss hugs and being touched. I miss having someone to talk to at night – someone to laugh at my stupid jokes….someone to hold me and tell me that they love me. ( the phone is good but it’s not the same)

When I wake up in the morning it will be Friday in Seoul and then I can say “tomorrow I get to go home”. I’m ready!

I don’t know how people traveled without the convenience of modern communication. I have a VOIP program on my computer and can call the USA for 2 cents/min. and I’ve used about $10 of time so far. I have email and a rented cell phone. All this and I still feel alone because I can’t reach out and touch the ones that I love.

I can’t imagine growing old and being alone. Even worse, I can’t imagine dying alone. I can’t imagine the feelings that Jesus must have had when all of his friends abandoned him in the garden and left him alone. He was completely alone to face the torture and the cross. Even his father couldn’t even bear to watch. Jesus was alone and he knew all along that this was the way that it was going to be. It is amazing to me that he didn’t call down the army of angels and wipe out every living creature. He didn’t! He died and he rose and he lives. Even more amazing is that he loves me. He knows my name and he listens whenever I speak to him. I really like the song that says “amazing love, how can it be that you my God would die for me…..”

He promised that through him, we would never be alone!

Sunday, March 06, 2005

Sunday Lost

Sunday's are my favorite day of the week. I am usually up early with a cup of Honduran coffee and the newspaper. I am often teaching a class so I also spend quiet time reflecting on the lesson and discussion. I get to spend time with friends and other believers in study, prayer, praise, communion, & fellowship. We have a great small group at our house every Sunday night. Terri & I eat out after Sunday morning services & spend the day together. I get to take a nap. Sunday's are great!
Yesterday I completely lost my Sunday.
Terri & I got up at about 4:30 on Saturday to travel - she to Mississippi & me to Japan.
I departed the USA from Chicago at 11:00 AM (Saturday) and arrived in Tokyo at 3:00 PM on Sunday. Gathering luggage, clearing customs, finding the right bus, finding out that the bus won't take US$ and missing it to go to the money exchange, catching the next bus - I finally arrived at my hotel at about 5:30. I was in bed at 6:00 so I completely missed Sunday. Poof.........gone....
.
(It is now 3:00 AM on Monday in Tokyo. The USA standard coffee pot in the hotel room is a tea pot and the nearest Starbucks doesn't open for 4 more hours.)

Missing Sunday is more than just a day gone. It is the first day of the week It is our God's first fruit of the week...made for us to spend with him. Our God was so wise whenever he set aside a day of the week to worship and rest. A day to reflect on our blessings and share them with others..to remember sacrifice of Jesus and celebrate the fact that HE LIVES!
Our God is good.......All the time!
(ps: please pray for my family this week)