March 2005
You Need Reverse
Two other men, both criminals, were also led
out with Jesus to be executed…
I have a friend who
agreed to pick up a Volkswagen at the docks in one of our coastal cities. He
received the car without any driving instructions. Everything went fine until
it was time to stop for lunch. He pulled into a restaurant, turned off
the ignition and went inside to eat. When he returned to his car, he
discovered that he couldn't find reverse. Eventually he had to push the
car out into the street in order to continue on his journey.
The car had a reverse
gear. He just didn't know how to find it. Think about how frustrating it
would be if you owned a car that wouldn't back up.
The tragedy of the
crucifixion reveals that the thieves hanging on each side of Christ lacked a
reverse. They slandered Jesus with their last breaths. Can you hear them?
Voices – husky with pain – sneering at the Messiah.
“Aren't you the
Christ? Save yourself and us!”
Crucified men
insulting a crucified man? It’s like two POWs before a firing squad
taunting another’s misfortune. Could anyone be more blind? Could
anyone possibly need a “reversal” more than these two characters?
The man they mocked
was half-dead. The man they mocked was beaten. Whip-torn flesh. His face was a
mask of blood and spit. Eyes puffy and swollen. Not much to look at. But
the man they mocked was at peace. “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know
what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)
I never cease to be
amazed at what happened next. The unbelievable occurs. One of the malefactors
reverses himself. The same mouth that cursed him suddenly defends Christ. What
has happened? What has he seen since he has been on the cross? Has he witnessed
a miracle? Did he hear the mother of all sermons? Was he read a treatise on the
doctrine of the Trinity? Of course not. How silly.
According to Luke,
all he heard was a prayer – a prayer of grace. But that was enough. Something
wonderful happens to a sinful man who comes into the presence of God. Something
wonderful happened to the thief on the cross. And it gives me goose bumps to
think about.
“We are punished
justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done
nothing wrong.” Wonder of wonders – at the eleventh hour the Holy
Spirit shows him reverse.
I am wrong. Jesus is
right.
I have failed. Jesus
has not.
I deserve to die.
Jesus deserves to live.
So he asks the
question for the ages, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your
kingdom.” It’s more than he deserves. Yet the suffering Savior doesn’t disappoint
him.
I never cease to be
amazed by the number of people who try to carry on their life without reverse.
You see, that’s you
and me on the cross next to Christ. Vile. Hopeless. The scum of the earth. “We
are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man
has done nothing wrong.” The question that desperately begs to be asked
is, “In spite of what I have done, in spite of what you see, is there any way
you could remember me when we all get home?”
Like the thief, hear
the voice of grace. “Today you will be with me in my kingdom.” Talk
about a reversal!
And there’s one thing
more. Doesn’t it help to endure the pain knowing that soon he’ll take us home?
- from “Bytes of Bread, a weekly, electronic message of encouragement
from God's Word." — Trinity Lutheran Church,
Watertown, WI,
adapted from the writings of Max Lucado
The Mayonnaise Jar...and the 2
Cups of Coffee...
When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24
hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar...and the 2 cups of
coffee.
A professor stood
before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class
began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and
proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was
full. They agreed that it was.
The professor then
picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar
lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then
asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.
The professor next
picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled
up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students
respon-ded with a unanimous "yes."
The professor then
produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents
into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The
students laughed. "Now," said the professor, as the laughter
subsided, " I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.
The golf balls are
the important things - your God, family, your children, your health, your
friends, and your favorite passions - things that if everything else was lost
and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the
other things that matter like your job, your house, and your car. The sand is
everything else - the small stuff.
"If you put the
sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the
pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time
and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are
important to you.
Pay attention to the
things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time
to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18.
There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal." Take
care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter. Set your
priorities. The rest is just sand."
One of the students
raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled.
"I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your
life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."
Praying Hands
Why not make the 5 finger prayer a part of your life.
1. Your thumb is nearest
you. So begin your prayers by praying for those closest to you. They are the
easiest to remember. To pray for our loved ones is, as C. S. Lewis once said, a
"sweet duty."
2. The next finger
is the pointing finger. Pray for those who teach, instruct and heal. This
includes teachers, doctors, and ministers. They need support and wisdom in
pointing others in the right direction. Keep them in your prayers.
3. The next finger
is the tallest finger. It reminds us of our leaders. Pray for the president,
leaders in business and industry, and administrators. These people shape our
nation and guide public opinion. They need God's guidance.
4. The fourth finger
is our ring finger. Surprising to many is the fact that this is our weakest
finger as any piano teacher will testify. It should remind us to pray for those
who are weak, in trouble or in pain. They need your prayers day and night. You
cannot pray too much for them.
5. And lastly comes
our little finger, the smallest finger of all which is where we should place
ourselves in relation to God and others. As the Bible says, "The least
shall be the greatest among you." Your pinkie should remind you to pray
for yourself. By the time you have prayed for the other four groups, your own
needs will be put into proper perspective and you will be able to pray for
yourself more effectively.
Praise Songs vs. Hymns
An old farmer went to the city one
weekend and attended the big city church. He came home and his wife asked him how it was.
"Well,” said the
farmer, “it was good. They did something
different, however. They sang praise songs instead of hymns.”
“Praise songs?” said his wife. “What are
those?”
“Oh,
they're okay. They are sort of like hymns, only different,” said the farmer.
“Well, what's the difference?” asked his wife.
The farmer
said, 'Well, it's like this. If I were to say to you: ‘Martha, the cows are in
the corn’ . . . well, that would be a hymn. If, on the other hand, I were to
say to you: ‘Martha, Martha, Martha, Oh Martha, MARTHA, MARTHA, the cows, the
big cows, the brown cows, the black cows, the white cows, the black and white
cows, the COWS, COWS, COWS are in the corn, are in the corn, are in the corn,
are in the corn, the CORN, CORN, CORN’ . . . and then, if I were to repeat the
whole thing two or three times, well, that would be a praise song.”
The next
weekend, his nephew, a young, new Christian from the city, came to visit and
attended the local church of the small town. He went home and his mother asked
him how it was. “Well,” said the young man, “it was good. They did something
different, however. They sang hymns instead of praise songs.”
“Hymns?” asked his mother. “What are those?”
“Oh,
they're okay. They are sort of like praise songs, only different,” said the
young man.
“Well, what's the difference?” asked his mother.
The young
man said, “Well, it's like this. If I were to say to you: Martha, the cows are
in the corn . . . well, that would
be a regular praise song. If, on the other hand, I were to say to you:
Oh Martha, dear Martha, hear thou my
cry
Inclinest thine ear to the words of my mouth
Turn thou thy whole wondrous ear by and by
To the righteous, inimitable, glorious truth.
For the way of the animals who can explain
There in their heads is no shadow of sense
Hearkenest they in God's sun or His rain
Unless from the mild, tempting corn they are fenced.
Yea those cows in glad bovine,
rebellious delight
Have broke free their shackles,
their warm pens eschewed
Then goaded by minions of darkness and night
They all my mild Chilliwack sweet corn have chewed.
So look to the bright shining day by
and by
Where all foul corruptions of earth are
reborn
Where no vicious animals make my soul cry
And I no longer see those foul cows in the corn
. . . and then, if I were to do only
verses one, three and four and do a key change on the last verse, well, that
would be a hymn.”
Never before has the world been so desperately asking for answers
to crucial questions, and never before has the world been so frantically
committed to the idea that no answers are possible.
Edmund Clowney
As Christians we accept one foundational truth - God - and
everything else makes sense. An atheist denies God and has to accept incredible
explanations for everything else. It takes more faith to deny God than to
believe in Him.
John MacArthur
One man can be a crucial ingredient on a team, but one man cannot
make a team.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Now the church is not wood and stone, but the company of people
who believe in Christ.
Martin Luther
STORY NUMBER ONE
Many years ago, Al Capone virtually owned Chicago. Capone wasn't famous for anything heroic. He was notorious for enmeshing the windy city in everything from bootlegged booze and prostitution to murder.
Capone had a lawyer nicknamed "Easy Eddie." He was his lawyer for a good reason. Eddie was very good! In fact, Eddie's skill at legal maneuvering kept Big Al out of jail for a long time. To show his appreciation, Capone paid him very well. Not only was the money big, but also Eddie got special dividends. For instance, he and his family occupied a fenced-in mansion with live-in help and all of the conveniences of the day. The estate was so large that it filled an entire Chicago city block. Eddie lived the high life of the Chicago mob and gave little consideration to the atrocities that went on around him.
Eddie did have one soft spot, however. He had a son that he loved dearly. Eddie saw to it that his young son had the best of everything: clothes, cars and a good education. Nothing was withheld. Price was no object. And, despite his involvement with organized crime, Eddie even tried to teach him right from wrong. Eddie wanted his son to be a better man than he was. Yet, with all his wealth and influence, there were two things he couldn't give his son; he couldn't pass on a good name and a good example.
One day, Easy Eddie reached a difficult decision. Easy Eddie wanted to rectify wrongs he had done. He decided he would go to the authorities and tell the truth about Al "Scarface" Capone, clean up his tarnished name and offer his son some semblance of integrity. To do this, he would have to testify against The Mob, and he knew that the cost would be great.
So, he testified. Within the year, Easy Eddie's life ended in a blaze of gunfire on a lonely Chicago street. But in his eyes, he had given his son the greatest gift he had to offer, at the greatest price he would ever pay.
Police removed from his pockets a rosary, a crucifix, a religious medallion and a poem clipped from a magazine. The poem read:
The clock of life is wound but once
And no man has the power
To tell just when the hands will stop,
At late or early hour.
Now is the only time you own.
Live, love, toil with a will.
Place no faith in time.
For the clock may soon be still.
STORY NUMBER TWO
World War II produced many heroes. One such man was Lieutenant Commander Butch O'Hare. He was a fighter pilot assigned to the aircraft carrier Lexington in the South Pacific.
One day his entire squadron was sent on a mission. After he was airborne, he looked at his fuel gauge and realized that someone had forgotten to top off his fuel tank. He would not have enough fuel to complete his mission and get back to his ship.
His flight leader told him to return to the carrier. Reluc-tantly, he dropped out of formation and headed back to the fleet. As he was returning to the mother ship he saw something that turned his blood cold. A squadron of Japanese aircraft were speeding their way toward the American fleet.
The American fighters were gone on a sortie, and the fleet was all but defenseless. He couldn't reach his squadron and bring them back in time to save the fleet. Nor could he warn the fleet of the approaching danger.
There was only one thing to do. He must somehow divert them from the fleet. Laying aside all thoughts of personal safety, he dove into the formation of Japanese planes.
Wing-mounted 50 caliber's blazed as he charged in, attacking one surprised enemy plane and then another. Butch wove in and out of the now broken formation and fired at as many planes as possible until all his ammunition was finally spent. Undaunted, he continued the assault. He dove at the planes, trying to clip a wing or tail in hopes of damaging as many enemy planes as possible and rendering them unfit to fly.
Finally, the exasperated Japanese squadron took off in another direction. Deeply relieved, Butch O'Hare and his tattered fighter limped back to the carrier. Upon arrival he reported in and related the event surrounding his return.
The film from the gun-camera mounted on his plane told the tale. It showed the extent of Butch's daring attempt to protect his fleet. He had in fact destroyed five enemy aircraft.
This took place on February 20, 1942, and for that action Butch became the Navy's first Ace of W.W.II, and the first Naval Aviator to win the Congressional Medal of Honor. A year later Butch was killed in aerial combat at the age of 29.
His home town would not allow the memory of this WW II hero to fade, and today, O'Hare Airport in Chicago is named in tribute to the courage of this great man. So the next time you find yourself at O'Hare International, give some thought to visiting Butch's memorial displaying his statue and his Medal of Honor. It's located between Terminals 1 and 2.
SO, WHAT DO THESE TWO STORIES HAVE TO DO WITH EACH OTHER?
Butch O'Hare was Easy
Eddie's son.
This Thing Is Not A Watch
Several decades back an inventor had a daring vision for a better kind of watch. After working on his idea for some time and building a prototype, he decided to go to Switzerland, the world capital of watchmaking, to seek backing for the manufacture of his new design.
When the renowned Swiss watchmakers examined his invention, they said, "This is not a watch. It doesn't have hands to tell time. I just has little numbers. You have to have a big hand and a little hand to make a watch."
Then, when they opened the back, they were even more negative. "This thing doesn't even have gears or springs or jewels. It is just a lot of electronic parts. This thing is not a watch!" And they would have nothing to do with it.
So the inventor took his revolutionary idea to Japan where he found industrialists who weren't so sure what made up a watch and who agreed to manufacture his idea. And, of course, you know, the rest is history. Most watches today are electronic and are made in the Far East instead of in the Alpine confederation.
An ancient Biblical proverb says, "Where there is no vision, the people perish." (Proverbs 29:18) Without a vision, we have no future.
James L. Collier
Peter or Judas?
Among the apostles, the one absolutely stunning success was Judas, and the one thoroughly groveling failure was Peter. Judas was a success in the ways that most impress us: he was successful both financially and politically. He cleverly arranged to control the money of the apostolic band; he skillfully manipulated the political forces of the day to accomplish his goal.
And Peter was a failure in ways that we most dread: he was impotent in a crisis and socially inept. At the arrest of Jesus he collapsed, a hapless, blustering coward; in the most critical situations of his life with Jesus, the confession on the road to Caesarea Philippi and the vision on the Mount of transfiguration, he said the most embarrassingly inappropriate things. He was not the companion we would want with us in time of danger, and he was not the kind of person we would feel comfortable with at a social occasion.
Time, of course, has reversed our judgments on the two men. Judas is now a byword for betrayal, and Peter is one of the most honored names in the church and in the world. Judas is a villain; Peter is a saint.
Yet the world continues to chase after the successes of Judas, financial wealth and political power, and to defend itself against the failures of Peter, impotence and ineptness.
Eugene Petersen
“Not Responsible For…”
Have you ever gone to a restaurant, hung up your coat, and noticed a sign warning that the management is not responsible if it gets lost or stolen?
Ever read the small print on your airplane ticket? The airline takes no responsibility for any delays or missed connections, and if your baggage is lost, they only have to pay an amount agreed upon at a convention they held in Warsaw in 1955.
Park your car in some high-priced garage or lot, and a sign will tell you that management is not responsible for any items lost or stolen from your vehicle.
Do those "Not responsible for..." disclaimers bother you? They do me. It seems no one takes responsibility for anything anymore.
I read about a man who was suing a hospital. A doctor had performed staple surgery on his stomach to help him lose weight. A couple of days after his operation, he raided the hospital refrigerator and stuffed himself with everything he could find. This tore open the staples and forced another surgery. He was suing the hospital for having a refrigerator near his room. He claimed the temptation was too great. Thus, his complications were not his own fault but the hospital's fault!
A little girl was sent to her room for misbehaving. Sometime later her mother happened to pass by her door and heard her praying. "God, I am stuck up here because of YOU, you know. Last night I prayed for you to help me be a good girl. Well, you didn't, so it's your fault!"
David E. Leininger
A Better Influence
I remember a "Peanuts" strip in which Marcia telephones Charlie Brown: "Guess what, Chuck...the first day of school, and I got sent to the principal's office. It was your fault, Chuck."
"My fault?" Charlie Brown replies surprised. "How could it be MY fault? Why do you always say everything is MY fault!"
"You're my friend, aren't you, Chuck? You should have been a better influence on me!"
David E. Leininger
The Really Big Sale
He had finally got his chance to make the Really Big Sale. He was going into the final interview on the biggest contract he had ever written. As he was ushered into the office of the executive buyer, an assistant brought her coffee and left. The atmosphere was cordial, and he knew he was giving his best presentation ever.
Then the assistant tapped on the door, re-entered the office and spoke briefly with the executive. She stood and said, "I apologize, but I have to tend to a matter. I'll just be a minute or two." And she followed her assistant out of the room.
The sales representative looked around the beautifully appointed office. He saw her family pictures on her desk. Then he noticed a contract on her desk. She had evidently been studying a bid from a competitor. Leaning forward, he could see the column of figures, but it was obscured by a diet soda can.
He was tempted to move the can and see the bottom line of his competitor's bid. What harm possibly could there be in reading her private information? After all, she had left it out in plain sight, almost. After wrestling with himself a while, he finally decided to take a peek.
As he lifted the soda can, he discovered that the can wasn't filled with soda at all. Instead it was a bottomless can filled with 1,000 BBs which gushed out, and ran all over the desk and cascaded onto the carpet. His attempt to short cut the competition was exposed.
Not every temptation is so obvious. Not every failure is so embarrassing. But every temptation is a challenge.
Mickey Anders
The Price of Giving In to Sin
Ronald Meredith describes one quiet night in early spring: Suddenly out of the night came the sound of wild geese flying. I ran to the house and breathlessly announced the excitement I felt. What is to compare with wild geese across the moon?
It might have ended there except for the sight of our tame mallards on the pond. They heard the wild call they had once known. The honking out of the night sent little arrows of prompting deep into their wild yesterdays. Their wings fluttered a feeble response. The urge to fly--to take their place in the sky for which God made them-- was sounding in their feathered breasts.
But they never raised from the water. The matter had been settled long ago. The corn of the barnyard was too tempting! Now their desire to fly only made them uncomfortable.
Temptation is always enjoyed at the price of losing the capacity for flight.
Ronald Meredith
vvvvvvvvvvv
A City Set on a Hill of Trash
Missionary Terry Schultz, Lima, Peru
Well amigos, breaking with years of
tradition, the following story does not originate from the jungles of Peru but
rather from a dirty, sand blown shantytown outside of Lima. It’s a “tale from a
trash heap” literally. It is a story so amazing, so full of the awesome
power and love of God, that I simply couldn’t pass it up!
About an hour outside of Lima lies a barrio zoned
“industrial.” It’s all dismal, nondescript sand dunes out there, nothing
green in sight. On the one long dirt and sand road that cuts through the
middle of the barrio, huge, creaky 18 wheel trucks with tall, rickety wood side
boards trundle by and disappear over a dune. These overloaded trucks drop
off enormous loads of non-organic trash (paper, glass, cardboard, plastic) at a
huge dumpsite just beyond the shantytown. And there the people from the barrio,
men, women, even little children pick through the trash for something to
recycle and sell.
Now each barrio family up at the dumpsite specializes in a
certain commodity, and there are apparently agreements among those involved.
One family specializes in plastic, another only picks out paper. One family is
strictly into cellophane. Sure there are flair-ups at the dumpsite once in a
while. And when outsiders come around and want to break in on the action,
things can really get heated. There may even be a city-paid guard out at the
dump for a while. However, it’s usually all very low key.
Picking through a fresh truckload of trash, even with
experienced, deft hands can still be a time-consuming process. Eventually
a family gathers a pretty sizeable heap. Then, like big and little beasts of
burden, the seniors down to the children expertly balance ridiculously huge
loads of trash on their rounded backs for the kilometer-long walk back
home. The smallest children may drag their bundles of trash. What
can you say? It’s the only option for making a living these people
know. Out in the unrelenting heat, dressed in dirty scraps of clothes
amidst the swirling gritty sand, you can’t help but think they’re like modern
day Hebrew slaves. But instead of hauling bricks to build pyramids it’s
bundles of cardboard to fill a truck. The hauling goes on week after
week, year after year, for some until they literally drop and die.
However, dear readers, the Egyptian analogy doesn’t stop
there. For among these people slavishly trudging through sand, a couple
dozen have just heard about a route to the Promised Land! By the power of
the Holy Spirit, two of our Peruvian pastors are now evangelizing among these
hard-working families!! And let me tell you, everyone involved in the
encounter, including yours truly, will never be the same. How did our
pastors find these lost, precious sheep? -- Discover children of the King out
there dragging a crate of dirty plastic cooking oil bottles home?? How were our
pastors blessed with an unbelievable harvest out at a city trash heap??!!
That dear readers, is a rather complicated story.
I always marvel at how often in our Peru mission work, the
original connection between a group of unbelievers and the Gospel message was
made by the thinnest of threads. This extraordinary story begins with a
woman named Graciela.
Graciela is a single-parent mom in her mid 30s, who was brought
up Catholic. She teaches at a very nice elementary school in Lima.
For a few years a long time ago, she was dating a member from our barrio
congregation in Ano Nuevo. That didn’t work out. It was during
those years that I got to know Graciela.
Graciela loves to dance the many folkloric dances of Peru.
She loves it so much that she went to a prestigious Folkloric Dance Institutes
in downtown Lima and took so many classes that she became a State certified
dance instructor. At her elementary school she teaches several dance
courses to the children.
One day over 4 years ago, Graciela came to me with an
idea. Our Seminary building in Lima includes a huge, enclosed,
cement-floor patio-type area out back. It’s the area where we hold
synod-wide church services a few times each year. Graciela saw that huge,
open floor space and got an idea.
Graciela approached me one day with her intriguing project
proposal. She had always wanted to start her own dance studio. She has
3 dance professor friends (who often perform in the prestigious folkloric dance
show revues in Lima for tourists) who also love to teach. It was
November, close to the months of summer school in Peru: January, February, and
March. Graciela’s proposal was simple: She and her 3 friends would
offer evening dance classes to Elementary Education students from the
neighboring colleges and Institutes. The college students could earn a
dance instructor certificate from her. (Being certified to teach dance can
help an Elementary Education graduate land a teaching position.) I in
turn could give a devotion and simple Bible lesson before the class started and
we’d have a vicar work with any of the dance students who showed an interest in
our message. The only cost to the mission would be to pay a little for the 3
dance professors’ transportation to the Sem. They were all going through a
“starving artist” phase, between paying dance gigs.
I presented Graciela’s proposal to the other missionaries of our
Peru team. I was thrilled when the team unanimously approved the
unconventional outreach plan.
About a dozen Elementary Education students signed up, and the
classes started. All the students were very attentive during my opening
devotions. A few of them no doubt were a bit intrigued by the novelty of
it all, a gringo pastor with a Bible message opening a free evening dance class
behind a Seminary. I always hung around a while afterwards with Vicar
Antonio.
Graciela’s dance classes were incredible, full of high-volume
energy. (At one point I did have to ask Graciela to tone down the
African-Peruvian dances that were performed with a bit too much abandon!)
(During the first classes, I discovered that I have not yet been gifted in
folkloric dance though I remain optimistic.)
During those two-hour sessions, the class danced away on the
patio of the Lima Seminary. On the 8 ft. wall around the patio, one of
our vicars had painted an enormous portrait of a smiling Jesus. It seemed
so appropriate to the setting, what with the rhythmic music and the rustic
mountain dances swirling by, and the students constantly breaking into loud
laughter. Just how much our Savior was smiling down and blessing our
little enterprise was yet to be revealed!
From that class in back of the Seminary, one of the students
asked Graciela to give a dance course to Elementary Education students at a
Teacher Institute located on the north end of Lima. Once again, our
Lutheran mission would sponsor the program, by picking up the costs (less than
$30 a month) for Graciela and her teachers to take buses to the Teacher
Institute.
One of Graciela’s dance students at the Teacher Institute,
Antonia, lives in the poor industrial-zoned area near the city trash site. One
day, Antonia invited Graciela to come and visit her family in her barrio --
that dirt and sand-swept barrio that goes by the incredibly incongruous name of
Valle Sagrada – Sacred Valley.
Now what makes Valle Sagrada such a bizarre place is that it was
never meant to be an area where people would actually live. Huge lots,
(about the area of 4 double garages) were marked out in the sand and sold to
families. The families in turn were then to set up their own specialized
recycling operations.
Upon visiting the barrio, it all immediately makes sense.
Each family has a huge lot enclosed by an old, junky fence over six feet high,
made from scraps of wood, cardboard, metal, anything. This keeps others out of
their junkyard and, keeps their junk from blowing away.
As mentioned previously, each family specializes in a certain
material. Inside one enclosed yard, two men were loading bag after bag of
broken shards of glass into a decrepit old pickup truck. One bag had
tipped over, and the man was scooping up the broken glass with his bare hands!!
It didn’t seem possible. Then, I shook the man’s hand. The skin on
his hand was as tough and thick as the head of a conga drum! The glass
would bring the men 80 centimos per kilo, - about 12 cents a pound. No
wonder they needed to fill an entire pickup truck with bags of broken glass.
Then again, one might have preferred being in glass rather than
plastic. Making member visitations one day with Vicar Jorge, we came to
the family that recycled thin, cellophane type plastic. Now I ask you,
can you imagine how much cellophane it takes to weigh a kilo? We’re
talking mountains and mountains! No wonder the men working there put the
recycled plastic into crude, homemade, monster-size sacks large enough to bag
up a Volkswagen. While Jorge talked to the wife, I went over to talk to
the husband. He was wearing, (what else) a plastic bag on his head.
Now trying to keep a straight face while talking to a man wearing a plastic bag
on his head is usually not easy for me. However, here at the cellophane junkyard,
it seemed a most natural accessory. The huge enclosed lot had an almost
surreal feel to it. With the enormous dull white bags filled with fluffy
plastic, it looked like a yard full of cumulus clouds that had somehow lost
their ability to float, fell from the sky, and landed in the yard!!
The cellophane recycler goes to Jorge’s classes and would be
bringing his kids to be baptized. Meanwhile, he needed to get back to
work. At 6 to 8 cents a pound, he would need to fill an entire 18 wheeler
truck with plastic in order to feed his family.
On the day I visited with Jorge, one of his faithful new members
had offered to let us expand the little makeshift shack on his junkyard that
Jorge, along with Pastor Abraham, use for services and Bible classes. We
were thrilled by his generous offer for the Lord’s work. On that particular
visit, I met the families that would be bringing their children and the
godparents to our Lima chapel for the baptisms. While I assured them that
the baptisms could be held right here, they humbly asked for the use of the
chapel. Jorge, Abraham and I were happy to oblige.
The day of the first Valle Sagrada baptisms will never be
forgotten. Right on time, an old bus from the barrio (I thought had been
junked) pulled up with over 60 family members and friends. What an
extraordinary scene! Everyone was excited as they got off the bus, each
wearing a fine set of clothes. (A few of the people had never been to
Lima before!) The children who were to be baptized had beautiful, hand-sewn
outfits and dresses, carefully made by moms and grandmothers. The
contrast in seeing the people here all dressed up rather than in rags in their
sand swept barrio was incredible. Everyone was scrubbed and in their
finest for this special rendezvous with the Holy Spirit!
When it was all over, 3 smiling adults, followed by 15 precious
children were baptized in the power of the Holy Spirit by Jorge. These
kids from a barrio where no one had ever come before to start a church were now
children of the eternal King, Jesus. Immediately after the service I came
forward to make an important announcement. I was astounded that many of the
parents were anxiously asking if our pastors were now going to stop visiting
the barrio and abandon them after the baptisms. I loudly announced to the
whole room: “How could you even imagine that we would abandon you
now? We are family! We are brothers and sisters in the Lord, seated
together here today, united, to be seated together one day at the eternal
banquet in Heaven! We’re just getting started with you!!”
The celebration continued out on the patio with cookies and Inca
cola. And then, in a most fitting moment, Graciela and her dance
professor friends presented a short dance recital under the giant portrait of a
smiling Jesus. Graciela was so emotional she could barely get through her
introductory speech. How could we help but think back to that first
evening dance class so many years ago at this very place? Who would have
imagined how Jesus was guiding it all, knowing that class was the first step
toward rescuing so many lost souls in a remote, dusty barrio. It was
simply too extraordinary and exhilarating to comprehend! The people of Valle
Sagrada sat out there on the patio with their cola and cookies, and watched
with delight as their children were invited to join the professors on the dance
floor. The children raced onto the floor
and began to dance around under the giant painting. For me, it was the
prefect image of our Savior with His children.
“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask
or imagine, according to His power that is at work in us, to Him be glory in
the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever,
Amen.” Eph. 3:20.
vvvvvvvvvvv
Progresive Dinner – A Huge
Success
The annual Mt. Olive Progressive
Dinner was on February 5th and the theme this year was French cuisine. The
progressive dinner has gotten so popular that we drew people from as far away
as Siberia. The appetizers were at the Henkel's, and although we didn't get
down there, the word was that the food was great. Voices were overheard trying to get the recipe
for Keri's artichoke dip.
From there the party moved to the Burkhardt's for the main
course, which consisted of many exotic dishes from all five corners of France. If you like mushrooms and wine, this was the
place to be. On offer was chicken in
wine, veal in wine, cabbage in wine. . . no wait, that was cabbage au gratin
(cheese for you non-French speakers). Jane, we never knew cabbage could taste so
good!
The final stop was dessert at the Arps' and they pulled it off
in style. Jennifer and Mike had set up
their house beautifully to welcome and entertain us. The desserts were exquisite. Berdella's petits choux, Jennifer's chocolate
mousse, and Carol's French cherry pie were indescribably good.
The white elephant gift exchange took an unprecedented turn as
everyone cleverly maneuvered to avoid any box that could possibly contain the
gift they personally feared the most, be it lutefisk or the dreaded Tiki Man! You would think that a box small enough for
earrings would be safe, but you would be wrong if Greg wrapped it. Ask him
about it! Next year NO box will be
considered safe.
Thanks to all who participated and made the evening such a
success. Who would have thought that we
could have come up with so many tasty French dishes!
Steve & Nicole Burkhardt
English Tea Party – A Huge Success
The Outreach Committee sponsored the fifth annual English
Tea. It was on Feb. 19th. You entered the party through a garden arch
and chose among one of twenty beautifully appointed tables to sit at. All had pretty table clothes and a darling
centerpiece. The room soon filled with
ladies and the sound of a good time. More
than 80 attended this year’s event.
The theme was
“Laughter, Love and Healing”. We were
encouraged to have more laughter in our lives and to change the way we look at
things. Move from a “grim and bear it”
day to a “grin and share it” one.
We were served by
men from the congregation, as well as two from the Chinese church. They brought us many different sandwiches,
scones, and tarts accompanied by three kinds of tea including Malawi (thanks to
Alex).
We were entertained
by Liberty Belter and Grier who sang several selections, accompanied by
Margaret Meier.
Many hands chipped
in and clean up went faster than ever.
I would like to just
take this opportunity to thank all of you for your part in making this happen,
from prayer, helping with invitations, inviting friends, serving, clean up, or
just moral support. I would like to
leave you with one thought- “Your day will go as the corners of your mouth go.”
Jane Murray
Baby Bottles of Hope
On Sunday,
February 20, Pastor Arnold Lemke from Christian Life Ministries (CLM), our
guest pastor, presented to us a Sanctity of Life message. He also told us about its Baby Bottles of
Hope program.
After the Service
baby bottles were distributed to all present. This is a fundraiser for (CLM).
They were to be taken home, filled with loose change, bills, or checks made out
to CLM, then returned on or before Sunday, March 13 to the church. A basket has
been placed in the narthex to collect the filled bottles. By participating we
will be strengthened in the awareness of God's gift of life as the Bible
teaches it. The gifts received will help support the various counseling and
educational ministries carried out at Christian Life Ministries. May the Lord
bless your participation in bringing the message of Jesus into the hearts and
lives of those who so desperately need to hear of His love.
There are empty bottles available in the narthex for those who
were not present on the 20th. Please take one so that you may also participate
in this cause. If you have questions please call me at 651.487.1662. Thank you to all who so willingly accepted a
baby bottle.
Marcella Voss, contact person
Movie Night
The “Luther” movie will be shown at our
congregational movie night Friday, March 11, 2005 at 7:00pm. Bring your family and relax from a busy week
and bring your favorite movie snack to share.
All are welcome! If you have any
questions or transportation concerns, please call Nicole Burkhardt at 763.862.8009.
Nicole Burkhardt
Catch The Fever! (Cabin Fever
That Is!)
Don’t forget, Saturday March 12 marks
the date for the 13th annual St. Croix Lutheran High School Silent
and Live Auction. We have a fantastic array of donated items for this year’s
auction.
Make plans now to attend this year’s auction. You won’t regret
it! A good time is always “had by all!”
St. Croix
Lutheran High School
1200 Oakdale Avenue
West St. Paul, MN 55118
Friday, March 11, Preview Night, 6 –
9 p.m.
Saturday, March 12, 2005
Silent Auction, Bake Sale, Pre-Priced
Sale
Live Auction, Lunch Served, Kids’ Fish Pond
Celebrating 25 Years Of Hope!
The Lutheran
Home: Hope Residence invites you to join them for an open house to celebrate 25
years of providing service to individuals with developmental disabilities. This
celebration will take place Sunday, March 13th, from 1:00 to 4:00pm in the
large Activity Room. There will be a special program at 2:00pm.
If you have never seen our Lutheran Home at Belle Plaine, please
try to attend. You will be impressed with the wonderful facility our church
helps to provide for those in need. The address is:
The
Lutheran Home
Hope Residence
611 West Main Street
Belle Plaine, Minnesota 56011
Where the care of the soul is
the soul of care
Marcella Voss, reporter
MLC Spring Meeting
The
St Croix Conference area spring meeting of the Martin Luther College (MLC)
Ladies Auxiliary will be at Holy Trinity in New Hope on Saturday, March
12. Pat Parker, Forest Lake Lutheran and
Doris Belsaas, Pilgrim - Minneapolis are the current area representatives and
will plan the meeting. Pastor Dennis
Klatt will conduct the opening devotion.
The MLC Ladies Auxiliary goal is to
inform women about the college. Each
year the Auxiliary provides $2,000 in scholarship funds. As an incoming
freshman, a student is named provided with $500. That student will receive $500 each of the
four years they are in school. Each year
the Auxiliary also provides $1,250 to the college library to buy new
materials. Usually each year the Auxiliary
provides an additional $7,000 for projects that benefit students, but are not
in the budget of the college. In recent years that included exercise equipment,
new gowns for the college choir, tuxedos for concert band and books for the
Early Childhood training program.
Anyone wanting more information about
the spring meeting and/or a ride to attend this meeting can contact Jean Brown.
Jean Brown
Spiritual Renewal Weekend For Women
April 15-17, 2005, Kahler Grand Hotel,
Rochester, Minnesota is the date and place.
Join is for a weekend of Bible study,
worship, and prayer; fun, fellowship, and rest from life's pressures.
The registration form for the 2005 Spiritual Renewal Weekend for
Women is available online. Please follow registration instructions carefully.
The web address is http://home.earthlink.net/~jabakken
We hope to see you in April! Please gather your friends and plan
to attend.
Deb Bakken, Retreat
Committee
(Note: There is another Women’s Retreat that same
weekend at the Schwan Center. See
enclosed schedule and details.)
Christian Education Sunday
& Mt Olive Minute Race
April 24th
Mt Olive Lutheran Church will have our Christian Education Sunday
on April 24th. This will include many activities focused on all aspects of our
support to the education process including both children and adults.
We will have our congregation join the children during
Sunday School to share and participate with the children. Following will be a
pot luck beginning at 12:00.
One of the key events is our Mt Olive
Pinewood Derby race. This event is open to all in the congregation who would
like to participate. Some of the key dates include:
April 3rd Pick
up cars at church and begin building
April 13th 6:30
Car Building Assistance Night
April 21st 6:30
Car Building Assistance Night
April 24th 1:00
Race Begins
Please plan to attend on Sunday,
April 24th to learn - and enjoy all the events.
Thanks,
Kevin Marschel, Chairman,
Child, Youth, & Family Committee
Memorials
We acknowledge with sincere thanks the
following memorials to our Building & Maintenance Fund
…In memory of Ruth Kruse from…
Mildred Rilling
Gerald & Carole
Jensen
Steve & Carol Woulfe
Louise Vickers
John & Short Fuller
Elvera Baran
Clara Sorenson
Ed & Marcella Voss
Bob & Berdella
Cooper
…In memory of Shirley Hanson from…
Ed & Marcella Voss
Elvera Baran
Mae Schmidt
John & Rita
Kruschwitz (Altar Guild)
Treasurer’s Report
- Jerry Holen -
Comparisons between 2004 and 2005 for the month of January. Contributions were much stronger this year
versus last year which was helped by 2005 having 5 Sundays. Synod support for January could not be paid,
but that is typical as expenses in the beginning of the year are usually higher
than contributions.