Fresh-Brewed

The German above says: "Stefan and Antje get married!" Here are a couple of fresh fotos from a fun and blessed and wonderful celebration- weekend, when 2 VERY special and "family" friends from the Connexxion group in Jena said "I do" (actually, in German, after the pastor read each one his/ her vows, they said: "Yes, with God's help" (Ja, mit Gottes Hilfe.)

I'm moving to Spain on September 1st... after being in my present city just 1 year and 4 months.

A poem by Emily Dickinson

Faith -- is the Pierless Bridge
Supporting what We see
Unto the Scene that We do not --
Too slender for the eye

It bears the Soul as bold
As it were rocked in Steel
With Arms of Steel at either side --
It joins -- behind the Veil

To what, could We presume
The Bridge would cease to be
To Our far, vacillating Feet
A first Necessity.

In traveling to England briefly in the fall & recently to Spain, and because of interesting chances for "Austausch" (German = "exchange," i.e., trading stories) with others doing a parallel or maybe in some ways similar job to mine... I wrote down a BUNCH of things in my journal, on the plane 10 days ago! Some pre-suppositions I have about life, Christian ministry and how people relate, etc. I hate to bore you all who are used to my otherwise fun memories & travelogue- look of photos over the last months, but I will delve today into a much more heady philosophical topic. It may not all speak to "you" (the readers...?) because I may be writing in part for me. And if that is so, I do apologize, but maybe that's fine, too.

A statement that makes sense, at first...
1) "I am never going to run or organize or start or develop anything myself. I'm going to train someone else to do it (thereby, meaning to: delegate, coach, train, empower, etc.)."

This sounds good --on the surface. We don't like to control others. We don't want to take over something that might later end up being dependent on us, versus God. We want those we influence or pray for or teach to learn to be self- starters. Afterall, can't God speak to & through them as well as to us? Maybe we're just too tired? Or are juggling too much &, therefore, have to pass on some responsibility way early. Perhaps we hope to use our skills in internet research, coordinating and stimulating discussion. But don't take the time ourselves to put shoe leather to the task and do it!

We can pass on key concepts or ideas, & the other person can actually do a better job of starting a Bible study, or a small group, or a program, or even a church, that 'speaks' to people like himself-- than if I tried to start or run something that might end up looking like it's in "My image." It may frankly be cultural irrelevant, if I do it!

Ok. So here go my concrete brain answers talking back to me, to such a philosophical nebulous idea like that...

-- "So I want this new pilot to fly a jet; yet he never saw a plane before." (after all-- we don't want to influence how he might want to develop a plane that fits his culture, his color preferences for the seat fabric, his background, and needs!)
-- "And I want to never let the new pilot see me fly a plane for awhile before he takes over -- let me just teach him in a classroom (or a simulator... or maybe even a living room or in a Cafe) about flying techniques, and wind sheers, the cockpit and handling emergencies..."
-- "And maybe let's even take it down to a kid's level-- riding a bike. The 7 year old just gets my coaching verbally -- while he stumbles and falls-- but Mommy or Daddy won't risk a 'boo- boo' on their knees to show him how to do it first!"

Of course, I'm being a bit childish. This sounds sarcastic & ridiculous & I may be blowing a statement somewhat out of proportion. But, yes, I have heard this and SEEN this kind of mentality in action more than once.

We're setting people up to fail, because we're afraid of stiffling their creativity and God's speaking through them. Why not "both- and"-- shared by an interesting acryonym: M-A-W-L.

Model. Assist. Watch. Leave. We train people in stages. We "model" what we hope they can do or at least something close to what they're expected to learn. And then give them freedom as they "assist" us (& of course we assist them) hands -on, to figure out God's plan as well as their giftings & 'shape' that is specifically THEM! Later we "watch" them do it, and continue to give feedback, advice and prayer. Eventually, we may in fact actually be living somewhere else. We "leave." Or only have sporadic contact, but we hear about what is going on & trust them (& keep praying)-- from a distance!

More photos of a great 10 days with our german -american exchange... with Connexxion and students from Union U. Rachel is with Isaline, who is from France. Name tags helped with all the mix of languages and new names and strange spellings!

Here I am with Kirstin from Tennessee (actually Kansas City!), and Doro, from Germany!

It's great being with family and friends for Christmas. Dot celebrated with our family, as every year. We went to the Rockettes Christmas show several days before ... and enjoyed seeing a fountain out on the Hillsborough River, and palm trees. Only in Florida for Christmas! The towers of the Univ. of Tampa are in the distance.

No, these are not REAL snowmen in my apartment-- they are made from toilet paper & much imagination. The one to the left "bobbed" from left to right, as if plugged in, during the judging by our little "jury."

This time of year is marvelous for having little (and larger) get- togethers-- to sing carols, bake cookies, decorate and celebrate the Reason for the Season! Recently 4 of us made festive tea light holders out of a special transparent paper, wallpapering glue and old jars. Marlen was the "artist in residence" showing how everything was done.

We have 2 discipleship groups that meet on Thursday evenings, back to back ... this one is going through the "7 Heart Attitudes" and it's a joy to pray together, fellowship and discuss the Bible! As you can see from the coffee table, we also snack together and have tea & Crystal Light!

This past weekend I got to have my "niece and nephew" visit me in Braunschweig. Their parents, friends and colleagues, brought them up from Jena and we had a TON of FUN!

Or better yet, for whom are you waiting? A verse of note confronts me with this question, this answer:
"For God alone my soul waits in silence,
from him comes my salvation....
For God alone, my soul, wait in silence,
for my hope is from him.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be shaken."
(Psalm 62:1 & 5-6)

Who am I waiting on, what am I waiting for? A LOT of things and people, I could answer. For starters, I'm waiting for the German society (as a whole) to be "nicer" and less direct. I could be waiting for friends to come through for me or initiate… OR God could bring people to initiate with me or act upon my overtures & let me know they have interest in a deeper friendship. I could rest in the fact that God loves me. And out of this overflow reach out, in a balanced way, to others.

I could wait on family to be there for me, to notice from a distance when I need a phone call or to realize what would make me happy. To buy the fun things I like to eat when I visit. OR, I could rest in the Lord and give to them without expecting. Be grateful for how they tend to my financial details back at home, and make the first move in researching for plane tickets for me for Christmas.

I could wait upon my supervisors to come through for me. To think of me and acknowledge my leadership in ways which I would determine. Or- hey, maybe I should be making THEM look good, and thanking them profusely for opportunities that they have put before me!

No, I want to wait ONLY on God. But how!?

Another thing I've realized is that waiting is not just passive, sitting around and praying for something to happen (though that might sound as if I feel prayer is passive, which it's not; for some of us it's less threatening than "getting out there and acting on guidance from the Lord!).

In Lamentations 3:24-26 it says the Lord is good to those who wait, to the soul who seeks Him. That means that although my waiting may look lethargic or in-active, it is actually ACTIVE – not impatient. But looking to the Lord for His answer, seeking Him for Him. And seeking His action on a matter!

I heard recently from a friend, who told me a lot of church starters that he knows think they can spend hours a week just sitting in Starbucks and then -- whoosh-- a church will appear! James 5:7 talks about the "husbandman" (the farmer) who is patient for the rains, that will bring about the fruit he’s waited for. Maybe he does have a time for a nice cup of Starbucks. But being a farmer? That involves a ton of activity—God is wanting us to expect and wait. But also ahead of time, or during this waiting, to act! To plant, to plow, and THEN to wait. And this activity is repeated over and over again in succession. Plant, plow, pray, wait, plant, pray, plow, wait, pray, etc. Sometimes we attempt to live out this statement: “it’s all about God” in an un-true way. Meaning that we just sit here & think we can be passive. God the Creator is not passive. We, too, can emulate His character, even in the waiting.

I wrote a couple of weeks ago on waiting-- and how I really do NOT like it. Here are other insights I've discovered in this word study I've been doing...

"Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you;
he rises to show you compassion.
For the Lord is a God of justice.
Blessed are all who wait for him!"
(Isa. 30:18)

Another translation says that the LORD "waits" (longs) to be gracious to us. God waits. Why? He greatly desires to do good things for us. Oh, I thought if He's a God of justice, then He's ready to "judo-chop" me when I mess up ... ?! He is not "out to get us;" instead He is longing for fellowship to be restored. Is that my image of God, that He's waiting for the chance to show me compassion and mercy? He waits for us to come to Him and get rid of the sin; to stop fleeing from His plan. In verse 15 of chapter 30 it says: