The More I Learn the Less I Know :-(

I am a college student this month. An interesting experience. I'm taking an interim class at Calvin College. It meets every afternoon for three hours. That's a huge chunk out of my day. I'm studying African Cultures and Traditions through Folklore, hoping to learn a bit more about the African customs in Chinhangane. We've read a couple of books, and several short stories. The professor is a Kenyan, married to a Tanzanian. I love it when she shares stories about her personal life. She said she hasn't been able to find any folk tales or myths from Mozambique, but some of her stories sound similar to things I have encountered in Mozambique. I'm still trying to decide whether to audit the class or take it for credit. I'm just not sure I want to write the last paper.

Some Good Advice

"Start with God - the first step in learning is bowing down to God; only fools thumb their noses at such wisdom and learning."

- Proverbs 1:7 (MSG)

If your life was music...

If the moments of your day-to-day life were recorded as musical notes, what kind of music would they make? Would they sound like a breezy pop song or hard-driving rap music? Or would they sound like a beautiful symphony with structured pauses that give resonance to the notes?

- Eugene Peterson

Waiting

God comes like the sun in the morning - when it is time. We must assume an attitude of waiting, accepting the fact that we are creatures and not creator. We must do this because it is not our right to do anything else; the initiative is God's not ours. We are able to initiate nothing; we are only able to accept.

Carlo Carretto, The God Who Comes

The Tahoe Experiment

Our family travels at Christmas instead of buying expensive gifts for each other. For the past 20 years, this has mostly translated into trips to Maui, where the days are sunny, the water is warm, and the breezes are always balmy. A lovely destination.

This year, for several reasons, it was decided that Maui was not going to be our Christmas destination. A couple of family members have always want to do a ski vacation, so this year we rented a house in North Lake Tahoe. The house is beautiful, big enough that a person can find a spot to be alone if needed. There's quite a bit of snow, although I think west Michigan gets the prize for snow this year! We are perched on a mountain, that overlooks Lake Tahoe. On a clear day you can see the lake through the pine trees. Very beautiful.

I think the skiers are very happy. Some of us are happy for quiet days by the fire, but I don't know how everyone will feel after the week is over. Does anyone have suggestions for next year's travels?

Thought for Today

"My friends, may I warn you from my own failures, that while you will be of immense help to the cause of Christ by being able to defend its intellectual position, you will be a thousand times more potent missionary if you exhibit a life that Christ has changed, if you show in your nature those fruits for which all people hunger, if you love the quiet serenity, that endless good will, that deep joy, and that passionate purpose which are among the important marks of a nature surrendered to our Lord." 

- Leslie Wetherhead, a British preacher

God is waiting! God is coming!

Luke 1:78 - Because of God's tender mercy, the morning light from Heaven is about to break upon us.

Celebrating Advent is a relatively new to me. But over the last few years I've enjoyed reading Advent devotionals. Today's devotion from The Christ of Christmas by Calvin Miller reminds me that God waits for us AND God comes to us. God never gives up - He patiently waits for us to come to Him. He never gives up on His plan for me or His plan for the world. He waits for for us to choose Him, to love Him and to obey Him. To help us do these things God also COMES to us. God came to earth as a baby, giving humans a living picture of who He is, and showing us how to live. The Holy Spirit comes to us too - sent by the Father to convict, to teach, to comfort. He pours His love into our hearts (Rom. 5:5).  God comes!

During Advent, we await the arrival of Jesus, and we celebrate His birth at Christmas. But we also look forward to His return. He is coming!

John 14:23 - If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him and we will come to him and make our home with Him.

You keep us waiting.

You, the God of all time,

Want us to wait

For the right time in which to discover

Who we are, where we are to go,

Who will be with us, and what we must do.

So thank you ... for the waiting time.

        - John Bell