iPad and Haiti

I really want an iPad. I know the name is silly. I know it doesn't seem like much, but it will be. I really want to enjoy my books and magazines on a single device while sipping my hot chocolate at the local hip coffee shop. I really would, but...

I am not one to be over dramatic about things. I am not an activist and I barely vote (my brother in law spent a whole year in Kuwait away from his family, that loyalty demands me voting). I don't put much hope in our government and just want to follow 1 TIm. 2, pray for my leaders, promote peace so the gospel can be spread most effectively.

Haiti demands that we don't by an iPad for awhile. I am not sure for how long, but I am sure Jesus does not desire me to have another toy, amongst all of my other toys. Not now, not yet, maybe never (let's not get to radical). This is convicting for me because I write this post on my 17" laptop, next to my fully charged iphone, in my home filled with food for a week, and when I am done with this post I am going to my church to pick up my boys who spent the day with loving teachers learning about Jesus and playing with friends.

And this picture doesn't leave my mind... (I don't need an "i" anything)

Mark Driscoll on Haiti

Piper on Abortion

This makes me want to become a church planter

Redeemer City to City from Redeemer City to City on Vimeo.

Redeeming Stuff

The soccer flyer came, a conversation pursued, and decisions need to be made. Will we join the masses and become parents living out of control? Soccer is just the beginning for our twin boys and we know it will take off from there. The goal, not to let the next fifteen years disappear before the blink of an eye.

Everyone fills their life up with stuff. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you live, we need to do something. Some people find lots of different stuff to involve their families and themselves in while others choose one thing and place all of their energy towards it.

For a long time I have allowed my judgmental nature to criticize those who filled there lives with non-church stuff, or non-religious stuff. I would preach and teach they should eliminate their ungodly stuff, and instead fill their lives with godly stuff, specifically my programs, at my church because this would equate to being with God, having a relationship with Jesus.

In the parable of the Prodigal Sons, the younger builds a life on stuff and then loses all of it. Strife enters his life when a famine sweeps the land. You can see his friends dropping away one at a time, as his funds dry up and he can’t keep up with the neighbors across the street anymore.

The older son also fills his life up with stuff. It leaves him just as starved for the Father as the younger he just hasn't realized it yet.

When the younger son finally wakes up, and goes home, what do we expect the Father to do? Remind him of his iniquities, ask him his future plans, tell him to rethink the stuff he is doing in his life so he can change. Nope!

He runs. Right towards him. No regard for anything but his son. He plows into his son, dives straight for his heart and tattoos it with his signet ring. Game over, he belongs to the Father, what was lost is found!

From this point forward the stuff that the son does is not important, what the son has learned is that stuff itself is not the most important thing, but it is the heart behind the stuff. It is doing the stuff with the Father’s heart. This is gospel living.

So today and everyday I need to evaluate my stuff and remember how is my stuff opening my eyes to a deeper understanding of Jesus.

Churches Helping Churches

A couple of pastors have gotten together and are visiting churches in Haiti. They are looking for opportunities to help the church rebuild in Haiti so those churches can then support the community again. I remember visiting New Orleans when the disaster hit there and listening to the brokenness of pastors sharing about their lives as well as the lives of their congregations. I think the one thing that stood out was pastors sharing that even without the great flooding peoples lives were in a wreck. The flooding only added to that and made it exponentially worse. I can now imaging there are entire church communities wiped out with only a remnant left. I am hopefully that these men will be able to help organize churches to help churches. Check out the site it is very simple and not a lot on there yet. Here is an example of just one video.

Haiti Survivor

HT: Z