The Very Old and the Very Young

Our last day in Surabaya was also a day of contrasts. We visited two Kindergartens, saw the mobile library truck in action, and visited a home for elderly women, and a children's home / orphanage. Pondok Kasih (House of Love) has many, many ways of ministering to the impoverished people around them.

Cemeteries seem to be common places for these people to live. So it was that we had to walk through one to reach the first Kindergarten.

We didn’t get to do much at either of the kindergartens other than observe, but we did get to take some pictures of and with the kids.

After visiting the first group of kids, we walked to a different part of the cemetery where the mobile library truck makes regular visits. We found fifteen or more kids sitting on a plastic tarp singing and listening to stories. Another plastic tarp was stretched overhead to protect them from the blazing sun.

Two amazing gentlemen, one an artist and the other a well-known puppeteer, used their skills to enrich the lives of the children.

 I did the “Bear Hunt” with the kids. That is always a good stand-by when you need an easy, on-the-spot activity.”

I was especially touched by our visit to the home for elderly women who, for various reasons, have been left destitute. The woman who directs the home has been faithfully serving there for twenty years.

If I understood correctly, this home also ministers to younger women who had been caught up in the sex trafficking trade. They are being helped to find a way out of that profession. As they live at this home, and receive vocational training, they also help with the care of the older women. It was a truly beautiful community.

We arrived slightly later than we had planned, but they were ready and waiting for us. The older women were seated around the room. The younger women who serve them as caregivers sat at the side. Several of the children of the workers sang some songs and did a tambourine dance to welcome us.

The oldest resident is a 94-year-old woman who has the unique talent of playing the harmonica. We were blessed to hear her play.

Several of the ladies, as they felt led, sang songs of praise to Jesus. A couple of the dear ladies had lost their singing ability long ago, but their songs of praise, I am sure, brought a smile of pleasure to Jesus’s face.

Finally, we paid a visit to a children’s home run by Ponok Kasih. We met most of the children who live their. They range in age from about three through high school I can’t even begin to tell about everything this home provides for the children they serve. All I can say is that the children seemed happy, well cared for, and are given educational opportunities they never would have had otherwise.

Oh yes, we were asked to teach English while we were there. This time, we had about one and a half hours to fill…on the spur of the moment. Between all of us on the team, we managed it, though. It was exhausting, but fun.

These visits on Monday were a great reminder that God’s love extends to all. The very old. The very young. Regardless of wealth. Regardless of background. God’s love encompasses them all. Seeing His love at work through His people was a beautiful thing.

Life in the Midst of Death

Rachel and I are now back home after nearly two very busy weeks away from our regular activities. Before we left, I wrote about our expected activities, although I didn’t actually know precisely what all we would be seeing and doing.

One thing I thought we would do was visit a slum community where people live under a bridge. We didn’t get to go there, but we did see work being done in a number of other interesting places. I’ll share about a few of them in my next few posts.

One of our first visits was to a slum community where people have made their homes in … of all places … a cemetery. The idea of living in a cemetery seems very strange to most of us. It is a necessity for these people

We walked along the outer edge of this community, where a body of bright green stagnant water was no doubt an excellent breeding ground for mosquitoes of all types.

Along the banks, we passed one tiny cement block shelter after another. Old women, young mothers with tiny babies, and small children stood in the doorways watching the visitors pass by. Most of our group couldn’t speak Indonesian, but I was thankful that Rachel and I could at least speak to them for a little bit.  

Once we left the small pathway past the green water, we returned to the side of the strip of dwellings that faced the cemetery itself. A few monkeys were tethered to trees. Geese and goats roamed freely through the area, lying down to rest wherever they wished. Plastic bags and other rubbish could be seen everywhere.

The graves at the edge of the cemetery were in such close proximity to the shelters that in some cases, people used the fences around them as a place to dry clothes. Tables were set up right over some of the grave sites. In a couple places, I saw broken-down seats from old cars placed among other graves as a sort of open-air living room. As people step out of their doorways, those reminders of death were right there only a step or two away. In some cases, I am pretty certain that there were actually grave sites inside their dwellings. 

I am struck with the thought that we were seeing life in the midst of death. At the very least, we were seeing people living in the midst of death.

Thankfully, we did not see only the sad living conditions of the people. We also saw a group of medical professionals – a doctor, a dentist, a nurse, and a pharmacist – who give of their time to regularly visit this community and others like it to offer free health care. By giving of themselves in this much needed manner, with no strings attached, they share the love of Jesus with these people who are dearly loved by God.

As they do, they also reflect the One Who is THE LIFE in the midst of death.

Live Free

Freedom is Precious

Freedom from things that hold us captive is a theme I hold near and dear to my heart. Perhaps this is because for many years, I lived the life of a captive. Oh, everything looked good on the outside. As far as people around me knew, everything was fine. I wore a carefully designed mask so no one could see the mess hidden behind it.

I was not bound by something obvious such as a drug addiction. I was held captive by self-hatred that I had allowed to take root in my heart. This self-hatred took hold of my thoughts until virtually all my creative capacity was taken up by dark, violent fantasies. Eventually, some of those fantasies started to show up in action and acts of self-abuse. I will not go into more detail than that. It is not needed, and I don't want to give glory to the Enemy.

I want you to understand something important. Although these patterns started when I was an adolescent, they continued and worsened for twenty-six years. For the final nine of those years, I was actually in a position of ministry. If anyone knows that someone in ministry can still have serious junk going on in their lives, I understand.

So You Think You Can't Tell Anyone

I have great compassion in my heart for anyone who is held captive. I am especially burdened for those in ministry who struggle in an area they think can't be shared with anyone else. Let me tell you, that thought is a lie. It is one of the primary tools our Enemy uses to hold us captive. I know how it works. I've been there. 

Praise God, I am not there now. I lived for so many years as a captive. I am so thankful that God lifted me up and is training me to be a conqueror.

That is the background for my very first ebook, From Captive to Conqueror. Inspiration for this book came when I ran across 2 Samuel 22 in my daily Bible reading shortly after God set me free from captivity. You can read that story in my post entitled "God Captures My Attention". I will not habitually use my posts to promote my writing, but I would like to share this particular ebook at this particular time. 

Would You Help Me Spread The Word?

From Captive to Conqueror  will be available for free on Amazon.com for a limited time between October 14-16. I hope that you will take advantage of this offer, share this post with your friends, and encourage them to pick up their free copy as well. You don't have to own a Kindle to read the book. All you need is a Kindle reading app that is available on many different platforms.

Why should you go to Amazon to get your free copy? 

• Perhaps you are in the middle of a struggle that holds you captive and are looking for hope.
• Perhaps you have been through such a battle in your past, and you would relate to how David saw God at work in 2 Samuel 22.
• Perhaps you have a friend or loved one who might be touched by God's work as described in this book.
• If for no other reason, pick up your copy because it is free. You never know when you or someone you love might need the hope they will find as they explore 2 Samuel 22.

Why should you help me spread the word? Simply because others who you know and I don't may need the hope for freedom that God offers. This little book is just my way of saying thank you to God for setting me free. It is my small way of sharing the hope I have. Let's work together to share that hope with others.

****************************
From Captive to Conqueror
Available for free for a limited time.

October 14-16

Click picture to go to Amazon

My ebook, entitled From Captive to Conqueror will be available on Amazon.com on those dates for free. You can find out more about the book now by clicking the title above to go to the Amazon page.

This devotional book explores the riches of 2 Samuel 22. In this passage, we see a person who is struggling mightily in some area of life, and is losing the battle. We see that person finally call out to God for help. We see how God responds to that cry for help, rescues, restores, and equips that former captive to be a conqueror.

God used 2 Samuel 22 in a powerful way in my life. I trust He will use it in your life, as well as in the lives of others you know.

If you happen to miss the free promotion window, From Captive to Conqueror will still be available on Amazon for only $0.99. 

And the Hammer Fell

I was browsing through my computer files tonight when I ran across this piece that I wrote over seven years ago after a particularly moving Good Friday service. Although it is not the Easter season right now, the message is still and always a good one to remember.

********************************************

clip

One Good Friday Night ...
During one particularly moving Good Friday service at the church I attend in Indonesia.  They did something I had never seen done before.  In the early part of the service, as the congregation sang, one man carried in a simple wooden cross that was about five feet tall.  He laid it down, propped up against the platform. The service continued.  

Which Way Is Up?

photo

When Rachel was about nineteen months old, I watched her do something rather interesting.  She loved to look at the pictures in her board books.  One book in particular got a lot of attention for a while.  The title of the book is “I Can…”  Each page shows a cartoon-like baby doing some action.  A single corresponding word is printed on the page.   

Have You Ever Had One of Those Days?

Have you ever had one of those days..? I have. I had "one of those days" today.

image

Early Start Aborted

I planned to get an early start so I could get to the airport on time for an 6:20 AM flight. I loaded my suitcase on the back of my motorbike, only to find that I couldn't find my keys. I took the suitcase off the bike and did a quick search. Nothing. I tied it back on. I took everything out of my purse and backpack. Nothing. So I took the suitcase off the bike again for a second investigation. After searching for twenty minutes, I found the keys in the bag that holds my various chargers...in the suitcase, of course.

When I Am Weak ...

Photo

When I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12:10b

There are certain times in life when this verse means more than others. 

• Times when schedules fill up
• Times when stresses pile one on top of the other
• Times when you don't feel well physically, and wonder how you can do all you need to do.

Right now is one of those times for me. A lot is happening this week including a medical visit to Singapore, catching up with some of my work responsibilities, as well as planning for my daughter's 7th birthday party.  And the list goes on.

Not Your Average Geico Gecko

I haven't actually had a blue one...but I have had lots of other colors

I thought it might be fun to use one post every week or so to share something kind of light-hearted, funny, or depending on how squeamish you are ... appalling.  There may or may not be any spiritual application to these particular stories. I won't try to force one, but if it is obviously there, I'll share it.

I live in a southeast Asian country where there is no shortage of wildlife. That wildlife has no qualms whatsoever with adopting a "Your home is my home" philosophy. Consequently, my daughter and I share our home with a variety of creatures ... most of them NOT by choice.

God's Motive for Coming to the Rescue

Find on Amazon

After six posts about how temptation is very similar to an odd 6 foot tall feline who brings chaos to the home of a pair of bored kids, it is about time for something else. It is not an entirely different topic, though. 

Today, I'd like to share with you a chapter from my book From Captive to Conqueror, a series of reflections on 2 Samuel 22.   You can find two other portions which I shared in previous posts by clicking these links.  

• God Captures My Attention
• God Draws Near

In this chapter, a person who had been nearly drowning in stormy seas has cried out to God for help. God has heard and come swiftly and powerfully onto the scene.


And then ...

What the Cat in the Hat Teaches Us About Temptation - Part 5

clip

In the previous four posts, we've taken a look at the children's classic The Cat in the Hat to see how has strong similarities to how temptation works in our own lives. If you haven't read the earlier posts, you can easily link to them here.

• Part 1
• Part 2
• Part 3
• Part 4

We left the kids "looking down the business end of the mother of all messes". I believe that is a quote from the movie version of the story. Their fish has repeatedly sounded the alarm, but the kids didn't heed the warning. They were likely taken by surprise at first, but after a while, they may have been a bit impressed by the cat's antics.

Today, we will take a look at what happens when it all is about to catch up with them.

About To Be Caught

The fish in the story sounds a new alarm. 

“Your mother is on her way home, do you hear!”

“As fast as you can, think of something to do.

You will have to get rid of Thing One and Thing Two."

The kids are about to get caught with their house in chaos. End of the line, kiddos. Crash and burn. There is NO WAY they want their mother walking in and finding those two Things tearing through the house. How the kids wish they had never let them play. For that matter, why had they ever let the cat stay in the first place? 

Those of us who have ever allowed the “cat” and his pals to have free reign in our lives know how bad that situation is.  We are about to…or finally have…hit bottom. What will it take to put on the brakes?

Here is where we see something new happen in the story.  The boy finally takes charge.  He gets his net. He takes action. He catches the two Things and makes them stop.  Then he looks the havoc-wreaking feline in the eye and says,

“Now you do as I say.

You pack up those Things 

and you take them away.”

The Will Kicks In

 

The boy’s will had finally kicked in.  He decided that enough was enough, and then some. Of course, the cat was not happy to be kicked out of the place he had overrun, but he had to go.  The boy didn’t apologize for kicking him out.   

Neither should we apologize to the Tempter for kicking him and his pals out of our lives.They don't belong. They have no right there unless we give it to them. If we have already given them the right to wreak havoc in our lives, we have the authority to kick them out.

We cannot kick out our "cats" and his pals by merely saying, "I know this is wrong." That is no different than the fish shouting his warnings.

Our destructive visitors won't leave if we merely point out what a mess they are making. No, those pesky "cats" will stick around as long as we allow them to stay, breaking families apart, wrecking health, and drawing us into habits and patterns that would eventually destroy us if allowed to continue. 

We have to engage our will, our power to choose, if we are to ever get rid of them. We must bring our will into agreement with the voice of our "fish". This is not easy. Not at all. But when you are "looking down the business end of the mother of all messes", the alternative is far, far worse.

****************************

Today, we have seen the importance of engaging our will and bringing it into alignment with our conscience. We have seen that the "cat" and his pals have no right to stick around when we actively choose to evict them.

Tomorrow, in the final post in this series, we will see that the Cat in the Hat metaphor doesn't quite work all the way to the end as we face the monumental task of cleaning up the mess left by the "cat".

What about you?

If you have been following this series, have you gained any new thoughts or perspectives on this topic for yourself? I am writing these posts for adults, but have they given you any ideas for using the children's book to talk to the kids in your life about temptation? Feel free to share any thought in a comment.

What the Cat in the Hat Teaches Us About Temptation - Part 4

In the last three posts, we've considered what the classic children's book The Cat in the Hat has to teach us about temptation. We've seen how boredom and negative feelings set us up for temptation. We've seen how when we are not prepared to reject something that is wrong, we often will fall for it. We've also seen how our conscience and other people sound the alarm when we head the wrong way. It becomes clear that when we ignore the warnings, we can count on a real mess.

If you haven't read the first three posts yet, you can check them out here.

• Part 1
• Part 2
• Part 3

Today, let's consider why merely knowing something is wrong is not sufficient.

The Fish’s Voice Isn’t Enough

When the "cat" shows up in our lives sometimes, only our consciences protest, but our wills have yet to come on board.  In the story, we find the single voice for what is right saying:

“You get out of this house!” said the fish in the pot.

Unfortunately, the cat was already there.  He liked to be there and refused to leave.  The kids had given him a right to be there when they did not kick him out from the start.  This was actually the first parallel I noticed between the story and our experiences with temptation.   

In the story, the fish could protest the cat’s presence all he wanted, but the cat was not obligated to obey the fish. In the same way, our consciences can scream all day, other people can warn us till they are blue in the face, but no one can make our personal “cats” go away until we engage our wills, choose to kick the cat out, and take back the house, so to speak.

Out of Control

Some people will listen to the “fish” at this point and take action to kick the “cat” out of the house.  They still have a mess to clean up, but nothing compared to what they will face if they fail to take action.  

You see, the cat has another trick up his sleeve.  Another “fun” game.  In the story, the cat runs out and then comes back in with a box.  In the box are two things that wreak absolute havoc in the house. 

Of course, the cat tries to pass “Thing One” and “Thing Two” off as being tame, innocent, friendly creatures that just want to show the kids a bit of fun.  

Once again, the fish sounds the alarm.  Once again, the cat tells the fish to “Have no fear!”  Once again, the kids are unprepared to make a decisive response.

“And Sally and I didn’t know what to do.

So we had to shake hands with Thing One and Thing Two.”

Once we are so far gone down the wrong road, we find that other things take over. We feel that we no longer have any choice in what we do, or say, or think. It seems that we HAVE TO do whatever “Thing One” and “Thing Two”, (whatever those Things are to us), tell us to do. 

This is the point where addictions kick in, full-blown affairs wreck marriages, health is completely broken, and compulsive thoughts and actions dominate lives.

***********************************

Today, we have seen that the voice of the "fish" whoever or whatever you consider that to be, is not enough to get rid of the the "cat". Does this sound like a depressing scenario? Unfortunately, many people live every day in such a situation. Thankfully, this is not the end of the story.  

Tomorrow, we will see how bringing our will into line with our conscience and the warnings of others makes all the difference.

***********************************

What about you?

Do you have a "Thing One" and "Thing Two" in your life? Something that you know is not good, but has a strong hold on you until you feel you are powerless to resist?  Have you perhaps had a "Thing" like this in your life in the past, but now are free. You may share anonymously if you like. Perhaps we can encourage each other to find freedom from the "cat" that just won't go away.