Monthly Archives: July 2009

Last Friday, Sweet Anna and I celebrated our 30th anniversary by renewing our commitment to our marriage in the presence of about 40 friends. This weekend our family is participating in the wedding of a friend who spent her teen years down the street. This couple will promise to be committed to one another through thick and thin. Earlier this week I wrote a reccomendation for a friend who had demonstrated great commitment to serving God overseas for nine years. We have daily opportunities to show show and be conmmitment to people. But lack of commitment is often just as hurtful as having commitment to good is.

I think of the families at the funeral a few weeks ago burying thier murdered loved ones (see earliers posts) and the commitment of some governments to bring the wrong-doers to justice. And how a lack of commitment by other governments to justice allows these killers to stay hidden. But I also think of my colleagues where I taught for 14 years whose commitment to teach in an environment which gives them the freedom to openly and rightfully integrate God’s love and truth into thier teaching… their commitment comes with a cost – they could earn more, but they are committed to their cause.

As I think about this topic, I recognize that usually, commitment comes with, or in the face of a cost. For if there were no cost, no opposition, no hardship, if it were all smooth sailing, there would be no need for commitment, would there?

God demonstrated His commitment to us as Jesus came to live, teach, die and rise – – – for us. Because God is committed to us. His love for us is unconditional. He accepts us just as we are and offers us a better, more meaningful life. His commitment was demonstrated on the cross.
SO, the question is, what are we committed to? Are we committed to pursue unconditional love? Are we committed to justice? Are we committed to doing what we can to making the world a better place? Are we committed to helping people know Peace?

there is some further thinking going on in the comments of the last post about appetites and calling… click here

appetites are complex things that humans have… A more common word that we hear is hunger. We hear people say they have a hunger for this and that (acclaim, popularity, wealth, power). It is this hunger, appetite if you will, that I have been pondering today… I heard a talk earlier that, in passing, mentioned the Old Testament king Saul and how he began screwing up when his appetite for acclaim and approval of men became greater than his desire to do what his calling was…
It really struck me as important for lots of us…
Over the last months a common thread has been running through many conversations I’ve been having: calling…
SO, the question I need to be asking myself:
Is my hunger to follow my calling greater than my various (and voracious) appetites?

If so, I can stay on course.

If not, my appetites can draw me away from the ‘should’ and into the ‘want’.

Of course this begs the question of knowing my calling to start with, but that will have to be another post.

The funeral at Srebrenica took hours. I have edited my film to under 9 minutes.

Never forget: 7-11-95.

a long, long time ago, on a continent far, far away, I was in the air force and in Okinawa. We pretty much hated being there and counted the days till we went home. We made maps with a grid that had the 18 months of our assignment in days. Every day that went by we marked the map or poster or whatever and knew how many days we had left. I am not counting the days so much as I am ready to go home after 5 1/2 weeks.
This has been an amazing trip. I am a richer person because of it. New friends were made, old friendships strengthened, new opportunities abound. Now to go home and evaluate.
I will miss the ability to get on a bus, tram, subway or train to get where I am going. But I look forward to people speaking English, mowing my grass, working in my yard, being among my books, having wireless, and most of all seeing and being with Sweet Anna.
I love these trips and believe I am specially wired for this kind of journey. Going back to the US is never easy though. With every trip and its experiences, I am changed. This trip, with the townships and especially the funeral last Saturday has been particularly impacting. But these trips renew my hope. because I see God at work in the lives and hearts of people in amazing ways.
I have had many great conversations with people here and look forward to more in the months ahead, but I am ready to have conversations with people at Greenberrys, Starbucks and Tip-Top. I look forward to the new opportunities that lie before me in that great unknown of future days.
So, today, I pack and chill. Tomorrow I fly and in a few days after I get back home to the ‘ville, I suppose I’ll be posting about new routines, renewing conversations and the reading I will be able to do. I anticipate that blogging will be lessened for a few days but watch the Twitter for what I’m up to. I’ll be twittering from the HU phone as long as I can.
Oh, if you are a praying person, I would be grateful for prayers toward smooth connections through Heathrow terminal 5 tomorrow about 10-12 am eastern time, 1600-1800 CET… oh and getting my luggage would be nice too! Peace from Grace.