This week has been a good week … much much better than many weeks before. I’m thankful. There are still hiccups but the good has outweighed the not so good. Excellent progress in this Easter season.
The arrival of Joel, Elise, Zyad and Daya Vestal was timely this weekend. Joel’s presence and “preaching” today connected with the “heart” matters of BLC and myself personally. I love it when words like “Sentness”, “Justice”, “Incarnation”, “Church”, “Mission” all get unpacked in some degree in accessible form for the rest of us!
A special bonus is to see people like Ellen Bender and Jason Foster set aside time, energy and focus to serve with ServeLife International. It was wonderful to see them interact with BLC members and newcomers 🙂 Jason has sent me an article of his experience in Nepal recently and I thought I’d post it up later …
Today we sent off Ray officially as a church. I was so encouraged by the words spoken by those who were blessed by his presence in our church during his stay in Malaysia the past months. In his own quiet way, he’s been a wonderful gift (and shares his gifts) to our community of friends and work-in-progress church family. We’ll miss him. I will miss him.
I wonder why the last two times the church acoustic-electric guitar I played didn’t work properly 🙁 I’m still playing with all the old tricks I’ve been using for many years. perhaps it’s time to learn some new tricks?
Interesting “fast class” on Holy communion today with those who are affirming and the guy who just got baptised!! I love their questions and I hope I’ll guide them in the process of working through their answers themselves as well as giving some handles for starters. I’m excited about our Cyberjaya trip!
When a couple of the kids were at ease to sit with me during the worship gathering while Joel was speaking, I felt REALLY good. I noticed when I talk softly with the kids they respond likewise. When I am silent and use hand signals to communicate, they somehow understand me. Interesting possibilities and insights to reflect upon. Why do we talk so much to get kids to do what we want? 😛 and usually it’s so hard. Perhaps adults need to change.
Talked with a friend over how so often we just want to do “our part” in our unique way – true to ourselves and what we perceive to be the best we can offer to others – and yet it may be perceived as a threat or whatever in the eyes of others. Now when it’s at the level of mere perception that’s still containable, but when some act in ways that create doubts, skepticism, and tension … which doesn’t move us all forward then we need to pause and re-examine ourselves. And in the midst of that see what is our best next move. Most of the time, passivity maybe best (don’t bother!), and yet I’m learning more and more on this gift of “redemptive dialogue” working wonders … of course, with lots of realism thrown in too. At times it maybe two steps forward and one step back, or even one step forward and then stuck again … a longer term perspective helps!
Need sleep … havent’ been getting good sleep for some time. All sorts of reasons, excuses, bad habits and discipline issues. I think Scot Mcknight’s advice is good starting tonight … “Try this every night for a week and you’ll learn its rhythms and graces…
Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace. Amen. ~ From The Book of Common Prayer
