Without

So, lately I've noticed that my Spanish is getting better. I'm able to respond to things written to me in Spanish without thinking about what I'm reading or what words I need to us to respond. I'm not the only person who has noticed, but even the person I am responding to has noticed the increase in the speed of my responses. *Note* (This is only with some phrases, questions, etc. that I have used often.) But the funny thing is that I am realizing that there are many words I have heard and even used before and never really thought about what they mean. Arroz con pollo or ACP as they call it in many restaurants around here is a term I had been hearing and at times using for years. It is only now that I actually made the distinction that it is three words Arroz, con, and pollo, Rice and Chicken. I have learned the word Arroz (rice) and I already knew the word Pollo (chicken). I have known the word con (with) since I was in about 4th grade. How I never made the connection between the three words before, I have no idea, but this revelation a few weeks ago led me to look at other words I in a different way.

I think the fact that con (with) was one of the words in ACP is the reason I started to focus on sin. In Spanish, the word sin means without. That got me really thinking. What is sin really? Sin is anything that takes your focus and worship away from the only one who is worthy. Most people will attribute to something morally wrong or something that society says is against it's laws. Sin is much more than that. Sin is anything that is done "without" God. Separation from God because of anything is sin. Weather it be committing acts deemed immoral or illegal, failing to commit acts in accordance with Gods plan, or even just thinking thoughts that violate Gods law, it is all sin. They are all responsible for the separation between us and God. It is why without Salvation through Christ, we are doomed to spend eternity "without" God, in hell.

I find it amusing that I have been speaking a Spanish word Sin and learning the true meaning for years, but never really made the connection to the English meaning and the Spanish meaning. Anyway that is all for now. We'll see what thoughts I come up with next time.

Finally

For the past few months it seemed like everything was at a standstill. I know that things have been progressing, but from the application standpoint. I wasn't really seeing any progress. I had been waiting for some medical records to be located back in New Jersey. Back in the beginning of December, I had contacted my doctors office, attempting to get a record of my immunizations. I was told that I had to wait for them to get them from off-site storage. They said that it should take about a week to get it and a few more days to sort through it and fax me the information. 2 months and about 10 phone calls later, they finally had my records. They faxed me a second medical release form, because they didn't have the one I signed back in December. Just as I was getting ready to fax them back the signed copy, I received a call. It was the doctor's office calling to inform me that though they had located my medical records and knew that I had been immunized, they had no record of which ones I had received. Fun

I wasn't able to get in touch with the medical processing department. The person who handles my file was out of the office. I was going to let them know that I wasn't going to be able to provide proof of immunizations and see what was the next step. I was told that I can get some blood work done that may help identify what I may be immune to. Anyway later that night, I was on the phone with my mom and was just venting my frustration about the whole medical records thing, and she says, "I was just looking at a copy of them last week. I could send you a copy." So in a 10 minute conversation with my mother, I was able to accomplish what I couldn't do in two months with my doctor's office. Over the following 2 hours the ball began rolling again and a number of things began to take shape, but those will be other stories for other times. Thank you all for your continued support and prayers as well as continuing to stop by hear and read what's happening with me, even when I take over a month to write an update.

New Year, Improved Perspective

Job 5:8-10

But as for me, I would seek God, And I would place my cause before God; Who does great and unsearchable things, Wonders without number. He gives rain on the earth, And sends water on the fields. Job 5:8-10

If you said to someone: "My God does great and unsearchable things; He does wonders without number," and they responded, "Really? Like what?" would you say, "Rain"? 

When I read these verses recently I felt like I did when I heard the lyrics to a Sonny and Cher song in 1969: "I'd live for you. I'd die for you. I'd even climb the mountain high for you." Even? I would die for you. I would even climb a high mountain for you? The song was good for a joke. Or a good illustration of bad poetry. Not much else.

But Job is not joking. "God does great and unsearchable things, wonders without number." He gives rain on the earth." In Job's mind, rain really is one of the great, unsearchable wonders that God does. So when I read this a few weeks ago, I resolved not to treat it as meaningless pop musical lyrics. I decided to have a conversation with myself (= meditation).

Is rain a great and unsearchable wonder wrought by God? Picture yourself as a farmer in the Near East, far from any lake or stream. A few wells keep the family and animals supplied with water. But if the crops are to grow and the family is to be fed from month to month, water has to come on the fields from another source. From where? 

Well, the sky. The sky? Water will come out of the clear blue sky? Well, not exactly. Water will have to be carried in the sky from the Mediterranean Sea, over several hundred miles and then be poured out from the sky onto the fields. Carried? How much does it weigh? Well, if one inch of rain falls on one square mile of farmland during the night, that would be 27,878,400 cubic feet of water, which is 206,300,160 gallons, which is 1,650,501,280 pounds of water.

That's heavy. So how does it get up in the sky and stay up there if it's so heavy? Well, it gets up there by evaporation. Really? That's a nice word. What's it mean? It means that the water sort of stops being water for a while so it can go up and not down. I see. Then how does it get down? Well, condensation happens. What's that? The water starts becoming water again by gathering around little dust particles between .00001 and .0001 centimeters wide. That's small.

What about the salt? Salt? Yes, the Mediterranean Sea is salt water. That would kill the crops. What about the salt? Well, the salt has to be taken out. Oh. So the sky picks up a billion pounds of water from the sea and takes out the salt and then carries it for three hundred miles and then dumps it on the farm?

Well it doesn't dump it. If it dumped a billion pounds of water on the farm, the wheat would be crushed. So the sky dribbles the billion pounds water down in little drops. And they have to be big enough to fall for one mile or so without evaporating, and small enough to keep from crushing the wheat stalks.

How do all these microscopic specks of water that weigh a billion pounds get heavy enough to fall (if that's the way to ask the question)? Well, it's called coalescence. What's that? It means the specks of water start bumping into each other and join up and get bigger. And when they are big enough, they fall. Just like that? Well, not exactly, because they would just bounce off each other instead of joining up, if there were no electric field present. What? Never mind. Take my word for it.

I think, instead, I will just take Job's word for it. I still don't see why drops ever get to the ground, because if they start falling as soon as they are heavier than air, they would be too small not to evaporate on the way down, but if they wait to come down, what holds them up till they are big enough not to evaporate? Yes, I am sure there is a name for that too. But I am satisfied now that, by any name, this is a great and unsearchable thing that God has done. I think I should be thankful - lots more thankful than I am. 

That was a devotion I read this morning from Pastor John Piper.  It was written as a Thanksgiving Devotion, but our thanks shouldn't be limited to a Thursday in November. This is really helping to open my eyes to the awesome wonders and works of God in Nature. I hope it does the same for you.

I begin this year, not by setting a  resolution, but rather setting a goal. I want to make it my goal to see God and His works in nature throughout everyday of this and all upcoming years. Thanks for all of your support and prayers. If you are new to reading this blog, I welcome you into my world. Happy 2011 to everyone!

Hug A Child For Christmas *Huge Success*

First, I want to thank everyone who has supported the Pavia Project, prayerfully, financially in service or any other way that I'm not thinking of. It has been a huge success. There were enough gifts for nearly 1100 children. On the very first day (Sunday, 19th) over 500 gifts were handed out to the children at Mi Casa de Oracion, the church in Pavia pastored By Gereson Perez and his team. There were approximately 700 people (including adults) who showed up to the outreach. This is an impressive number considering that there was no transportation available for this year's outreach. Most of those in attendance had to walk to get to the church.

Yesterday, (Christmas Eve) the rest of the gifts were to be delivered to children throughout the other sectors of Pavia who were unable to attend the outreach. It is amazing to see the generosity extended from around the globe. The love of Christ was on full display this past week. Thank you all again for helping make this possible.

Merry Christmas!

Approved!

This past Friday, November the 12th I received an e-mail from North Carolina's district missions board endorsing me as a Missionary Associate. That day was also the first day of North Carolina's Fall Youth Convention. It was a great day but everything felt different. It was sobering to realize that this may be my last time that I will attend Youth Convention with our students as a Counselor/Youth Leader. This whole process changes the way that you see everyday events. I love the fact that God has chosen me for this and continues to shape who I am and how I see the world. This one is short and life is gonna be busy with the holidays approaching quickly but I will try to keep you updated as much as I can.

* Sorry, I thought I posted this last month. Just shows how busy I have been, that I didn't even notice that it never posted.*

Today was the day

Today I had my interview with the district. It should have been relatively simple, but of course it couldn't be. I woke up, plenty early enough. I had shaved last night, just to make it one less thing I would have to do. I knew that I was going to be a bit nervous, even though I had no reason. I showered and began to dress in the clothes I had planned to wear. Of course, now my shirt looked wrinkled, even though it didn't look that way yesterday. I ironed it. Then did it again. Then one more time. (*note, I need to get better at ironing, or marry a woman who is good at it and doesn't mind) Now the shirt was perfectly pressed, but one problem. Now it looked dirty. As if the iron suddenly made my nice clean shirt dingy and covered in lint. So now I have to change shirts. Not a big deal, just having to adapt to the situation. I grab another shirt, and of course this one in completely wrinkled. I iron this one and finally get going.

Next up, the drive. I start driving down a two lane road that goes through the woods only to see traffic stopped. I didn't even wait to see what the problem was. I just turned around and went back to the Glenwood Ave to try and make up some time but to no avail. There was slow people crowding up the road like they were purposely trying to make me late. I called up and was able to get someone to let them know that I was running a few minutes behind (thanks Sean).

I walked into the interview and was extremely nervous. I still can't put my finger on a reason why. There were two members of the committee in the room and three were on the conference call. The questions that were asked of me were not difficult questions but my nerves made some of my answers not as clear as I would have liked. I remember at one point struggling to remember the word accountability. In the end, I don't feel that it went bad, but I do know that I didn't answer and say all that I feel I should have. I am not concerned about the outcome of the interview, as it is in God's hands. I just wish I hadn't sweat through my shirt!

Time for an interview.

I officially have an interview date set. On 11/11. I will be meeting with the district committee for my first interview. It is both exciting and scary at the same time. Every day is like that. One minute I am in a rush and feeling like there is so much I could be doing right now if I was already there. Then out of nowhere, I am hit with the feeling that I am unprepared. I haven't been praying enough, studying enough, Do I know enough about the country, etc. I've had this conversation with a missionary friend as well as with future missionaries who have all been where I am.  They all have said that if you aren't having these feelings that something is wrong. If you think that you are fully prepared to go to a foreign land and do battle with Satan on your own, you are mistaken. We can achieve nothing of significance without the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit.

(p.s. I thought I posted this a little over a week ago. Sorry)