Sunday Scriptures

Shedding Some Light

I did something for the first time ever this week.  I went to the dentist in Ghana.  My husband has been to a couple different dentists to try to find the cleanest facility.  He has made several trips to the dentist, but it was my first time.  It was quite an experience. 

We arrived and went to a seat to wait in line.  Everyone has to have a card to be checked in.  So that was the first step.  Since my husband has been there several times and had already made friends with everyone, they did all of the legwork for me.  I just sat and waited.  Just after we got checked in, the power went off.  This dentist’s office is part of the main hospital in our city.  You would think that the main hospital would be firing up a generator right away.  But, everyone just sat there waiting for the light to come back on.  We waited and waited some more.  My husband explained that the hospital did have a generator that was donated by another country, but they had no fuel to run the generator; so, it just sits there.  After waiting a while, we decided that we would leave and come back the next day.

The next day, the power was on.  We were first in line to be seen by the dentist.  As they were seating me in the dental chair, they were taping a flashlight to their overhead light.  Apparently the overhead light had quit working; so, they just taped a flashlight on to the overhead arm.  I got tickled when the dentist was saying, “Light, light!” to his assistant. She had to reach over and turn the flashlight on for him.  What a difference that little bit of light made!

Later, I thought more about that light.  Just as that flashlight made a difference in that room, what a difference the light of Jesus makes in a dark world.  How many people are just sitting there in the dark waiting for the Light?

Matthew 5:14-15 “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.”

Each time that a soul is won to Jesus, it is like reaching over and turning that flashlight on.  Are you shedding some light? 

Until next week, keep your sunny side up!

Belonging

We came to Spain in 1984 with a ten-month-old baby in our arms. We hadn’t made a survey trip. We knew no Spanish—not one word—and no one besides our co-workers and the Spanish pastor’s family. When we arrived in the Madrid airport in the early morning, we had lost almost two nights of sleep. Our co-workers met us in a very strange looking, Siata van, something like a squarish tin can on wheels. We piled in along with their family, and one of the first things the lady said was, “Husband, we need to find a bar.”

I was suffering from jet lag and from wrestling with a very active baby the whole trip. And this wonderful Christian lady was looking for a bar? (I had never set foot in a bar in my life!)

Several miles down the road, we pulled into a spacious parking lot outside a lovely cafeteria where we got breakfast rolls and coffee—or in my husband’s case, hot chocolate. Lesson Number One: a bar in Spain is not the same thing as a bar in America.

Lessons Number Two and Three soon followed. Two: there are different kinds of bars—those for men, and those for families with children. Always look before entering. Three: bars always have public restrooms. It’s a very helpful thing to know.

I would say that our whole first term—five years—we felt like strangers in a strange land. We got to be fairly fluent in Spanish, but people still stared at us like we came from another planet. (I was clueless about dressing to blend in, and there weren’t many non-Spanish/Basque people living in the Basque region in those days. Plus, those were the Reagan years, and the sentiment was very anti-American.)

After our first furlough, when we returned to Spain, we felt oddly “at home.” Oh yes, there were still some big challenges and many learning experiences, but we knew that God had called and we were where He wanted us to be.

Fast-forward sixteen years from our arrival. Our daughter called home from college in the States. “Mama and Daddy,” she began, “should I say the Pledge of Allegiance?” Our eyes were opened to the reality of third culture kids. Our daughter wanted to know if it was honest to pledge allegiance to a country she had never lived in. Oh yes, she was a U.S. citizen from birth, but . . . .

Are there days when you feel like you don’t belong? (After twenty-nine years in Spain, we still have them.) Do you wake up sometimes, look out the window, and want to turn over and pull the covers over your head? Do you long for the things you had back in the States? Do you miss ________________? (doughnuts, Starbucks, Wal-Mart, creature comforts, people looking up to you as a missionary; you fill in the blank.) Do your kids struggle with being in between? Or do they already feel so much a part of their adopted country that they think America is the foreign country?

Belonging . . .

Let me share some important concepts and Scriptures with you.

• To the new missionary: hang in there. Eventually, this crazy foreign place will feel like home. It is very important to go back for that second term. Give yourself time to learn and adapt. It won’t happen in one or two years. Be patient. Moses said, Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations (Psalm 90:1). Home is where God is.
• To the single missionary: We admire you. 1 Corinthians 7:34 tells us how important single women are to God’s work: The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. Serve the Lord and keep yourself pure. Make friends of everyone—male, female, all ages, and complete families. You will find your “family” in the people to whom you minister.
• To the mother of little ones, who would like to be more involved in the ministry, but you’re barely keeping your head above water: there are seasons in every life. Your ministry now is to your family and what you can do in the church. Ask your husband what he would like you to do. (You’ll probably be surprised by his answer.) Follow his leadership. She that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband (1 Corinthians 7:34b). Be sweet. Depend on God’s strength daily, and make sure you have a regular quiet time. Your impact is greater than you think.
• To the homeschooling missionary: your children are an important part of your ministry—the most important part, excepting your husband. When you homeschool, you are not only imparting knowledge and school subjects; you are also pouring your values into your children. Deuteronomy 6:5-7 is a good outline for homeschooling. And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. First, you love the Lord with all your being, and then you share the Word of God with your children—all day long and in every life context.
• To the tired missionary: Jesus said, Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30). Lean on the Lord. Leave your burden. Find soul rest in the Lord. 

You do belong.

You belong—right where you are, right in this moment. God has led you, and He will never leave you nor forsake you. You belong to Him. (Hebrews 13:5; Romans 14:8)

God bless you, dear sister.

Cow Manure and Dirty Hands

Ten large baskets full.

That's what she toted. Ten heavy baskets full of fresh, smelly, barely-stopped-steaming cow manure.

Ten times I opened the gate for Nirmala to bring the manure to our garden. I must say... She reeked! It was in her hair, on her face, on her hands and clothes.

Taste of Fall: Pumpkin Spread + Bonus Links

Today I'm back with a taste of Fall ~ but this time it is sweet!
This recipe comes from dear ol' Martha Stewart so you know it must be good!
Pumpkin spread can be used for all sorts of things ~ on your toast, as topping for pancakes, or as a dessert dip for cookies or sweet crackers.
Decide which way you and your family like it best!

Pumpkin Spread

2 sticks softened, unsalted butter (each stick a 1/2 cup = 1 cup butter)
1/4 c. plus 2 Tbsp. pumpkin puree
3 Tbsp. maple syrup
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice OR cinnamon
1/2 tsp. coarse salt

Beat together butter, puree, syrup, spice, and salt with a mixer on high speed until pale and fluffy.
Refrigerate and use within two weeks.

Enjoy!

Bonus Links:
Can't get enough pumpkin? Look no further than Martha's fab collection of pumpkin desserts!

Missing your Pumpkin Spice Lattes? Here is a recipe for both Pumpkin Spice Lattes & Pumpkin Spice Chai Lattes {courtesy of Rebecca}:
         

Ingredients

For the Pumpkin Spice Base:
• 1 cup real pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 pinch of salt 
For the Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte:
• 2 tablespoons Pumpkin Spice Base
• 1 cup milk (whole, 2%, skim, almond, coconut, soy, what have you...)
• 1 chai tea bag
Optional for serving:
• Whipped Cream
• fresh nutmeg
• 
  

Instructions

To Make the Pumpkin Spice Base:

Mix all of the base ingredients together until it is evenly coloured and darkened. Scrape it into a clean jar with a tight fitting lid. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

To Make a Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte:

Pour about 4 ounces of boiling water over the chai tea bag (unless you're using green or white chai, in which case you use under-boiling water!) Let it sit while you prepare the pumpkin milk.

Stir the Pumpkin Spice Base and the milk together in a microwave safe 2 cup container or a saucepan until smooth. If microwaving, heat on high until steamy and frothy. If heating in a saucepan, heat over medium high heat until steaming hot.

Pour the hot milk into the tea. You can leave the tea bag in if you'd like it very strong or remove it according to your own preference. Serve as is or top with a thick cap of whipped cream and a few scrapings of nutmeg. 

To Make a Pumpkin Spice Latte:

 Replace the specified chai with a shot of espresso or a small cup of strongly brewed coffee.

Sunday Scriptures

Hanging by a Thread

The phrase “hanging by a thread” is used to describe many different things – a loose tooth, a spider web, and at times even one’s sanity.  It is not a good thing when the only bridge in and out of your neighborhood is “hanging by a thread.” 

When the bridge was built, it was not built with the thought that big, heavy trucks would be coming in and out on a daily basis.  Over time, the bridge has become more and more unstable.  Last year during rainy season, the bridge shook when anything drove across it.  People were saying then that the bridge would not last much longer.  Instead of doing something about it then, the daily traffic continued – cars, taxis, tro-tros (public transport vans), buses, dump trucks, and other large trucks carrying heavy loads. 

We had a heavy rain this week.  That along with the heavy traffic caused a small hole in the middle of the bridge.  The hole was big enough to put one’s arm through the hole.  Instead of trying to patch the hole, the village people decided that if they made the hole bigger, the bridge would have to be replaced. (There is a Chinese factory out past our house; they bring a lot of big trucks in.  The village people are saying that the Chinese should build a new bridge, although there are many others who pass through with much heavier loads.) Meanwhile, they were not allowing any traffic to cross the bridge.  This creates a problem when that is the only way to get to your house.  They got busy with their hammers and made the hole bigger.  If anyone tried to cross the bridge, they were rewarded with a shovel full of water in the face. 

My husband was allowed to cross the bridge in the morning when he took the kids to school, but they were not allowing anyone to cross when he returned from the trip to the school.  He spent the day in town so that he would be able to get the kids from school.  They still were not allowing any traffic to cross after school.  So, they parked at a friend’s house a couple miles away and made the two-mile walk home from school.  We had received a package at the post office that day.  So, Danny, our six-year-old, was carrying the package.  He lost his footing on the trail and fell, spilling the package contents on the hillside.  They retrieved the items and continued on their way home. 

This was no ordinary two-mile walk down a nicely paved road.  It was a two-mile walk on little foot trails through the jungle.  It involved going up and down two rather large hills on slick clay.  More falling was involved than actual walking.  Everyone was a little tuckered out by the time they reached the top of our hill.

As soon as they got home, my husband had to make the two-mile walk back to the car to go out to a village.  When he returned from the village and had left our vehicle with another missionary for the night, he discovered that they were allowing cars to cross the bridge.  So, he went back to get our vehicle and finally made it home.

At this point, we do not know how long the bridge will be passable.  The hole is only going to get bigger. The bigger problem is that the main support beam underneath the bridge is cracked and shifts each time the bridge is crossed.  We tried to find an alternate route to the house.  There are a few little roads and foot trails.  Any road that might have made it back to our house has been blocked by debris in the road.  So, for now, we will just praise the Lord that they are still allowing vehicles to cross the bridge.  When the bridge is no longer passable, we will definitely be getting our exercise.

In times like these, it easy to let frustration and discouragement move in.  But, it is in such times that we must bring Scripture passages to mind and go on.  Psalm 118:24 “This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”  We can always find something to be glad about if we just look for it.  Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I say, Rejoice.”

If you have a story that you would like to share with us, please e-mail it to me at lo@consfords.com.  Until next week, keep your sunny side up!