At the end of this week we will be celebrating Easter, my personal favorite of all the holidays because of its significance. What makes it really nice too is that there is far less fanfare and materialism demonstrated during this season. You don't have to spend a month or more preparing your house or your shopping list or your wallet for this particular day. Yet, to celebrate it well, you do have to prepare your heart.
Over the weekend, while Doug has been away at a men's retreat, the Lord has been doing just that with me. I would be doing some of the most mundane things such as folding clothes, washing dishes, sweeping, or whatnot, and I would hear a still small voice in my head make a comment about the thought that I'd just been thinking. "Kim, that was a very judgmental thing to think," the voice would say. Or, "Kim, did you hear how impatient you seemed in that thought?" Or even, "Kim, did you just hear how you sounded? That was not a very loving thing to consider." Mind you, these weren't even words I'd spoken. They were merely thoughts which had not even left my lips. The Lord was there and was picking through them one-by-one.
When He says that we're to live above reproach, we're to love as He loves, we're to be holy because He is holy, He really means it. Just because we don't express our evil thoughts or we don't act on our sinful impulses doesn't mean that we're free from fault or sin. Christ told us that even if he harbor hate or malice or lust in our hearts, we're still guilty.
I'm beginning to see that the Lord is ruthless when it comes to getting me to live like Him. He wants me to really and truly love those around me, regardless of whether they deserve it or whether they appreciate it. I am to love because that's what He did and does. Being a Christian is not going to church (though it may and should include that), and it is not wearing a cross around your neck (though I personally do), and it is not having a quiet time daily reading the Bible (though it does play a huge role in how your walk looks and how you become transformed).
Being a Christian is knowing the Lord Jesus and clinging to Him. It is loving Him with one's whole heart, mind, soul, and strength. It is confessing Him as not just Savior but as Lord. Being a Christian is not knowing the right answers but it is knowing the right God. It is putting Him and His desires first in one's life. Does He get that from you?
May you discover who He is in this season. He's so worth knowing.....
Blessings, kim
Monday, March 30, 2015
Sunday, March 22, 2015
The Promised Land
A few weeks ago when I was in church something from the sermon jumped out at me and I began to write fast and furiously in my journal about it. I honestly can't remember if I ended up blogging it but I do know that I sat with the idea for a good long while and it has colored how I've thought of things since. Today the sermon took me back to that same realization and I now have to write about it.
It stuck me that the story of the Exodus from Egypt is an Old Testament rendition of the Christian life. Let me explain.
In the book of Exodus, Moses was told by God to go into Pharaoh's palace to claim the freedom of the more than one million Israelite slaves. He was to not negotiate with Pharaoh. He was simply told to insist that they be given their freedom. Upon their departure, after much strife and struggle with the Egyptian ruler, they were to go wandering into the desert so that they might receive their marching orders (The Ten Commandments) just prior to entering into the Promised Land--the place the Lord had set aside for them and their progeny. God had it all mapped out and had determined that He would provide for them and bless them richly in their new land.
The only problem was that the Israelites refused to enter the Land. Upon hearing the report from spies they sent in to inspect the new territory, they chose to remain in the desert where they thought life was safer. Wrong move. God therefore allowed them to wallow in their poor choice for the next forty years till an entire generation (or two) died off and the next generation were willing to enter in to take what He'd given them years before.
When the next generation were finally ready to enter into the Promised Land, they sought the Lord and heard from Him first as to how to go about claiming the land. He told them step by step what to do and as long as they followed His directions, they were successful and overwhelmed with His provision and blessing. It was not until they deviated from His plans for them that they suffered and eventually lost their opportunity to live on the land.
Well, this is where the story ends from years ago but picks up in our own personal lives. Track with me if you can. The Lord has told us the story of Moses and the Israelites which is also to serve as a foreshadowing of what is to take place in our own lives. You see, we all at one time lived in slavery (many in this world still do). We lived according to the desires of our flesh, our selfish desires, our sinful natures. We did whatever we wanted with no regard for whether it was right or wrong, and we sought to only satisfy our own needs. We had no regard for God or His ways. Then there came along One who was willing to argue for our freedom (Christ actually died for our freedom), and we were therefore set free. We were able to run from the place of our bondage. We had to then move out of the slavery mindset and move into a life of freedom.
(As a sidebar comment: For many people, becoming a Christian appears to them as a place of bondage instead. They think that's when life becomes less fun and more restrained. I have to differ because I see that my life is waaaaaay more free now that I'm not a slave to sin. I still sin, frequently in fact, but I have freedom in Christ and can live my life according to His ways and His calling. I'm not run by the sinful nature but by the life that I have in Christ.)
So, back in the desert we find that we've escaped the slavery of Egypt and we're now headed toward the Promised Land that the Lord has set aside for us. The only thing is that we have to actually enter the Promised Land. We, like the Israelites, cannot just hang out on the other side of the river until we feel like obeying the Lord. When He called us out of slavery He didn't intend for us to then just wander around. He intended for us to move into the place of our rest--the Promised Land--so that we could put down roots, could plant seeds, could claim the territory we've been given.
The question is, have we--those who've accepted Christ--not only left the bondage of slavery and darkness, but have we also entered into the Promised Land? The Lord is showing me that there are huge numbers of Christians in our midst that are still wandering around in the desert. They live lives full of fear, uncertainty, frustration, and other destructive things. The Lord is not present in their lives and giving them victory in their circumstances yet because they have not crossed the Jordan River (the point of no return) to enter the Land the Lord has given them. They remain in the desert because they're not willing to "trust in the Lord with all your heart..." They live tentative lives unsure of their faith. They do not live a life completely surrendered to Him and His calling upon them. Therefore they're dry, fearful, and missing out on what the Lord has in store for them.
So, if this applies to you, I urge you to cross the Jordan. Go to Him and tell Him that you've decided to follow Him wherever He leads you. Yes, it may be scary, it may lead you to foreign lands (!), it may lead you to harder things, it may lead you to some tough decisions. But, please know that the place it will for sure lead you to is The Promised Land. And that land, which we can attest to, is a land full of His presence, His closeness, His grace, and His goodness. It doesn't mean that it's easy (the Israelites still had work to do in the Promised Land) but it does mean that it will be where He's promised victory and Himself. Hands down, that's where I wanna be. How 'bout you?
Thanks for reading...
Blessings, kim
It stuck me that the story of the Exodus from Egypt is an Old Testament rendition of the Christian life. Let me explain.
In the book of Exodus, Moses was told by God to go into Pharaoh's palace to claim the freedom of the more than one million Israelite slaves. He was to not negotiate with Pharaoh. He was simply told to insist that they be given their freedom. Upon their departure, after much strife and struggle with the Egyptian ruler, they were to go wandering into the desert so that they might receive their marching orders (The Ten Commandments) just prior to entering into the Promised Land--the place the Lord had set aside for them and their progeny. God had it all mapped out and had determined that He would provide for them and bless them richly in their new land.
The only problem was that the Israelites refused to enter the Land. Upon hearing the report from spies they sent in to inspect the new territory, they chose to remain in the desert where they thought life was safer. Wrong move. God therefore allowed them to wallow in their poor choice for the next forty years till an entire generation (or two) died off and the next generation were willing to enter in to take what He'd given them years before.
When the next generation were finally ready to enter into the Promised Land, they sought the Lord and heard from Him first as to how to go about claiming the land. He told them step by step what to do and as long as they followed His directions, they were successful and overwhelmed with His provision and blessing. It was not until they deviated from His plans for them that they suffered and eventually lost their opportunity to live on the land.
Well, this is where the story ends from years ago but picks up in our own personal lives. Track with me if you can. The Lord has told us the story of Moses and the Israelites which is also to serve as a foreshadowing of what is to take place in our own lives. You see, we all at one time lived in slavery (many in this world still do). We lived according to the desires of our flesh, our selfish desires, our sinful natures. We did whatever we wanted with no regard for whether it was right or wrong, and we sought to only satisfy our own needs. We had no regard for God or His ways. Then there came along One who was willing to argue for our freedom (Christ actually died for our freedom), and we were therefore set free. We were able to run from the place of our bondage. We had to then move out of the slavery mindset and move into a life of freedom.
(As a sidebar comment: For many people, becoming a Christian appears to them as a place of bondage instead. They think that's when life becomes less fun and more restrained. I have to differ because I see that my life is waaaaaay more free now that I'm not a slave to sin. I still sin, frequently in fact, but I have freedom in Christ and can live my life according to His ways and His calling. I'm not run by the sinful nature but by the life that I have in Christ.)
So, back in the desert we find that we've escaped the slavery of Egypt and we're now headed toward the Promised Land that the Lord has set aside for us. The only thing is that we have to actually enter the Promised Land. We, like the Israelites, cannot just hang out on the other side of the river until we feel like obeying the Lord. When He called us out of slavery He didn't intend for us to then just wander around. He intended for us to move into the place of our rest--the Promised Land--so that we could put down roots, could plant seeds, could claim the territory we've been given.
The question is, have we--those who've accepted Christ--not only left the bondage of slavery and darkness, but have we also entered into the Promised Land? The Lord is showing me that there are huge numbers of Christians in our midst that are still wandering around in the desert. They live lives full of fear, uncertainty, frustration, and other destructive things. The Lord is not present in their lives and giving them victory in their circumstances yet because they have not crossed the Jordan River (the point of no return) to enter the Land the Lord has given them. They remain in the desert because they're not willing to "trust in the Lord with all your heart..." They live tentative lives unsure of their faith. They do not live a life completely surrendered to Him and His calling upon them. Therefore they're dry, fearful, and missing out on what the Lord has in store for them.
So, if this applies to you, I urge you to cross the Jordan. Go to Him and tell Him that you've decided to follow Him wherever He leads you. Yes, it may be scary, it may lead you to foreign lands (!), it may lead you to harder things, it may lead you to some tough decisions. But, please know that the place it will for sure lead you to is The Promised Land. And that land, which we can attest to, is a land full of His presence, His closeness, His grace, and His goodness. It doesn't mean that it's easy (the Israelites still had work to do in the Promised Land) but it does mean that it will be where He's promised victory and Himself. Hands down, that's where I wanna be. How 'bout you?
Thanks for reading...
Blessings, kim
Monday, March 16, 2015
Kunamp
On Saturday Jacobey and I piled into the car with eight other people from church and we made an hour and a half trek into the jungle to the town of Kunamp. This trip took us through the city of Puyo, down the main road southward toward Macas, off of a relatively new paved road leading further into the foliage, across the huge Pastaza River, and down a thin, bumpy road taking us to a remote little village of about 150 people living far from any semblance of civilization.
This is the Pastaza River about a 10 mile walk from their village:
This is one of the nicer homes in Kunamp. All of the homes are made of wooden boards nailed together placed on a wooden floor about two feet off of the ground. There is no glass in any of the spaces that we would call windows. There is no running water in any of the homes. There are no bathrooms and no kitchens. Needless to say, no one in the community owns a car, a cell phone, a television, a computer, or any number of modern conveniences.
The community was full of moms, dads, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and many kids who all knew one another intimately. Kunamp is apparently the family name of the person who originally set up camp here. In essence, this village is the Kunamp family living life in a humble setting amidst their relatives.
The purpose of our coming to Kunamp was to deliver the Christmas Boxes that Samaritan's Purse collects every fall. Our church here in Ecuador pays the $1/box Custom's fee and then transports nearly 40 boxes to the children of this community. Even though every child in the village is not 5-9 years of age, as their particular box states, every one of them is more than thrilled to get all the items included therein. Jacobey helped to pass the boxes out to these shoeless, patient, poor children of the jungle. Doubtless, these were the only things the kids received for 'Christmas'.
This precious little girl received a stuffed dog which I'm certain will be her treasure for years to come.
After the children pulled out their toys, toothpaste with toothbrushes, crayons, clay, pens, notepads, and other assorted items, they ran off to show their family members and enjoy their gifts. Meanwhile the community leaders prepared to place lunch before us. They moved five school-type desks end to end in the middle of the house where we pulled up our wooden chairs. Then they sat a steamed banana leaf before each of us which contained a chicken and hearts of palm mixture with a few large pieces of yucca. Mine had a whole peeled banana as well.
Then they passed around a bowl of salt for sprinkling and a bowl of sliced chives in water to give it a little extra flavor. Honestly, this was one of the best meals I have had since coming to Ecuador. It truly was delicious!
Once we ate to our heart's content, we prayed over the family members who hosted us in their home (which doubles as the community church), and we began to move toward the car.
I snapped a quick picture of Jose who so sweetly lingered around us greatly proud of the gifts he'd just received. . .
. . . Caught a shot of Cobey carrying a bunch of bananas one of our hostesses had given him. . .
. . . And a few last pictures of the gracious people of Kunamp (which for some reason I cannot download now....)
It struck me that during our four and a half hours there, we spent time with people who rarely if ever had seen an American, who didn't have all the things that our culture would insist are necessary for happiness, and who had extremely little in the way of true necessities. They pulled their drinking water from a nearby stream which is also where they bathe, wash clothes, and play on a hot day. These natives to South America really have no need for all the trappings that we do. They have an old worn out soccer ball, plenty of mud and rocks and sticks, a huge family full of people that love them, and the knowledge and love of Jesus Christ. (They even sang to us "I have decided to follow Jesus" in their own Shuar language.)
Meanwhile my own kids, who have spent nearly two years without television, the vast majority of their things, and most of the modern conveniences they're used to, long for the use of a computer, an Ipad, or an Ipod when they are away from them. Oddly, it's my kids who 'feel poor' while the Kunamp kids do not. My kids notice when they are giving things up and when they go without. (So do I.)
Makes me consider what true poverty is. The Kunamp kids may appear poor to us, but to them I wonder if they believe the same.
Could true poverty be a lack of contentment and gratitude for the things you already possess?
If we were to use that definition, then my guess is that the vast majority of Americans would be 'poor'. We may have a multitude of things, stuff, objects, but are we content in saying that it's enough? Interesting.
If you don't need it, and aren't using it, then give it away. Let someone else have it. You may find that true wealth is experienced when you have less stuff and more of what the people of Kunamp have: family, love, space, and Christ (the only things that you can take with you when you go......)
Thanks for reading. Blessings, kim
Sunday, March 8, 2015
Banos
Yesterday a really sweet family whose church we attend offered to accompany us to Banos (Bahn-yohs), the larger town that's an hour further into the Andes Mountains away from our house. It's probably Doug's favorite destination since it's about 10 degrees cooler, it's less rainy, it's got a bigger grocery store than Shell (about the size of a typical Dollar Store), and we know of a place where we can buy chocolate empanadas for a buck a piece. As we mentioned last year, it also sells grilled guinea pig (a delicacy here) which we proudly report that we've never indulged in. It just has a few more options of things to do than here. In fact, if you were to travel to Ecuador, it would more than likely be a spot on your itinerary as it is for most tourists that drop into this South American nation.
Our friends collected us at 11:00 a.m. and we drove the hour to Banos where we had lunch at a Mexican restaurant that served the best guacamole and homemade chips. Then we hopped in the car and visited the a place that, in English, would be translated as something like a 'serpetarium'. We viewed a slew of Amazonian snakes which caused a bit of alarm for Selah for she could see that they were venomous and aggressive. Then we toured the collection of birds which I thought was fantastic as they had cardinals, flamingos, peacocks, and this really interesting rooster. He reminded me of comedian Phyllis Diller of my childhood days.
Then we headed to the lion exhibit, a new acquisition from another zoo, which included a lion, lioness, and two cubs. To our surprise we had come on the day when the cubs would be officially named at a ceremony at which Miss Banos would put in her appearance and the zoo would serve sparkling wine, chocolate candies, baked rolls, and many other finger foods.
Though those things were all a treat, the biggest thrill we had was getting to pet the lion cubs and have the kids' picture taken with one of them. While this all took place the anxious mother and father looked on and growled and roared with impatience.
Afterward we witnessed a wonderful family reunion with contented parents including a father who wished the spectators to simply go away. The roar of a lion really is something to behold. There is so much power within the throat of such an amazing animal.
Just before leaving the 'Serpetarium' we took a picture of the animal that most caught Doug's attention: the llama. When Doug went to chat with him, he would have none of it and tried to bite him. We loved the attempt though.
At the end of our time there in Banos, we shopped for groceries and picked up our favorite cereal, more Gouda and cheddar cheese, bags of chips, chocolate chips, garbanzo beans, pecans, jalapenos, almond slices, mint extract, and a number of other things we cannot readily find in Shell. On the way out of town we even stopped for chocolate empanadas before heading back to the rain and bugs of the jungle. It was a great day!
Blessings, kim
Friday, March 6, 2015
Choosing
It's been almost a month to the day since I last wrote. I'm so sorry for those of you who have been faithful in reading this blog. It was not my intention to take such a long hiatus. At home now we often do not have internet, and when we do, I compete with the five others in our family who would like to be on-line or at least able to see a video or do some word processing.
As of late we've had more and more rain. Today we finally got smart and brought a change of pants with us to school in our backpacks so that we wouldn't have to spend the day cold and wet. It's funny how being cold and wet has added a sourness to my disposition. This one thing has brought my missing a car to a new level. Yet, when I look around at the locals, they walk in the rain without care or concern for being wet. It still amazes me at how spoiled I am and how I seek creature comforts.
The other day Doug and I were talking about how we don't recall being terribly materialistic when we lived in the States. We had a nice house but weren't overly concerned with having it decked out in the nicest things. We never shopped for the nicest of clothes, bought the best car, ate at the nicest restaurants, or had to have the most updated phone. In each of these areas we simply went for either what was the cheapest or the most handy.
Somehow we feel that this experience has taken two fairly contented people and turned us into ones who are now very much aware of what we do not have. We notice greatly now that we wear shoes with wholes or with sparse soles on the bottom, we have no car to speak of, we eat at the cheapest places in town here, and between us we have one phone which we are sure no one we know back home has seen the likes of in years. Additionally, we eat the same things over and over because we simply don't have the ingredients that we need.
Now all of this would be fine and dandy and considered part of the typical experience, but for some reason it's not. We have struggled with this here and we continue to look around and notice what we don't have rather than what we do. In fact, we notice every time another missionary family's car drives by. We notice when anyone here has nice new clothes. We see the beautiful things that others have that we do not. Why is this so? Why are we more aware of what we now don't have rather than before we came?
I think the secret answer lies in the fact that we simply have no way of attaining these things (as opposed to the fact that in the past we simply CHOSE NOT to have these things). We are completely unable to have a car here. It's not an option for us. We have been told that we are not to drive here, so even if we did have a car, there would be no way for us to use it. Similarly, we cannot get our hands on nicer clothes or shoes. There really are none to be had. The shoes our kids need (which can withstand the rain, the hours of daily play, and the rough terrain that they walk on daily) are not made here. And the other things that we'd love to have are simply too far away--either two hours by bus or are back in the land we call home. In essence, the things we'd love to own are out of reach for us. For other missionaries here, not so much. But for us, they are out of the question.
Therefore, I have to say that this experience has really taught us what it's like to be poor. Now I'm not saying that we really are poor. Mind you, we still own a nice home and two cars in the states. We still have many possessions there. We are still funded here by the generous giving of our donors. But. We know what it's like to have the 'inability' to own nice things. We know that we cannot enjoy the things that others do. We have tasted the good life and we now know what it's like to have a longing for that.
Recently Doug and I therefore have noticed that we are sad for the loss of some of these things. (We do know that it's a temporary loss.) We are sad that it makes us turn inward and grumble and become less than contented. We've decided that these next three months need to be focused on what we do have--which is a far cry from what other missionaries have in the one direction--AND--which is a far cry from what the locals have in the other. We must spend our time being grateful and mindful that we have been blessed beyond measure to have had this experience and the wonderful opportunity to learn lesson upon lesson upon lesson.
Thanks so much for reading. I promise not to take so long between entries.
Blessings, kim
As of late we've had more and more rain. Today we finally got smart and brought a change of pants with us to school in our backpacks so that we wouldn't have to spend the day cold and wet. It's funny how being cold and wet has added a sourness to my disposition. This one thing has brought my missing a car to a new level. Yet, when I look around at the locals, they walk in the rain without care or concern for being wet. It still amazes me at how spoiled I am and how I seek creature comforts.
The other day Doug and I were talking about how we don't recall being terribly materialistic when we lived in the States. We had a nice house but weren't overly concerned with having it decked out in the nicest things. We never shopped for the nicest of clothes, bought the best car, ate at the nicest restaurants, or had to have the most updated phone. In each of these areas we simply went for either what was the cheapest or the most handy.
Somehow we feel that this experience has taken two fairly contented people and turned us into ones who are now very much aware of what we do not have. We notice greatly now that we wear shoes with wholes or with sparse soles on the bottom, we have no car to speak of, we eat at the cheapest places in town here, and between us we have one phone which we are sure no one we know back home has seen the likes of in years. Additionally, we eat the same things over and over because we simply don't have the ingredients that we need.
Now all of this would be fine and dandy and considered part of the typical experience, but for some reason it's not. We have struggled with this here and we continue to look around and notice what we don't have rather than what we do. In fact, we notice every time another missionary family's car drives by. We notice when anyone here has nice new clothes. We see the beautiful things that others have that we do not. Why is this so? Why are we more aware of what we now don't have rather than before we came?
I think the secret answer lies in the fact that we simply have no way of attaining these things (as opposed to the fact that in the past we simply CHOSE NOT to have these things). We are completely unable to have a car here. It's not an option for us. We have been told that we are not to drive here, so even if we did have a car, there would be no way for us to use it. Similarly, we cannot get our hands on nicer clothes or shoes. There really are none to be had. The shoes our kids need (which can withstand the rain, the hours of daily play, and the rough terrain that they walk on daily) are not made here. And the other things that we'd love to have are simply too far away--either two hours by bus or are back in the land we call home. In essence, the things we'd love to own are out of reach for us. For other missionaries here, not so much. But for us, they are out of the question.
Therefore, I have to say that this experience has really taught us what it's like to be poor. Now I'm not saying that we really are poor. Mind you, we still own a nice home and two cars in the states. We still have many possessions there. We are still funded here by the generous giving of our donors. But. We know what it's like to have the 'inability' to own nice things. We know that we cannot enjoy the things that others do. We have tasted the good life and we now know what it's like to have a longing for that.
Recently Doug and I therefore have noticed that we are sad for the loss of some of these things. (We do know that it's a temporary loss.) We are sad that it makes us turn inward and grumble and become less than contented. We've decided that these next three months need to be focused on what we do have--which is a far cry from what other missionaries have in the one direction--AND--which is a far cry from what the locals have in the other. We must spend our time being grateful and mindful that we have been blessed beyond measure to have had this experience and the wonderful opportunity to learn lesson upon lesson upon lesson.
Thanks so much for reading. I promise not to take so long between entries.
Blessings, kim
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