Wrapped Up the Wrong Way

We had a devo the other day with the workers at the Swanson's "sitio," a place they hope will one day become a children's home, but that currently houses the church. It is still under construction, so the Swansons cook food for and have devos with the workers. The point of the devo was to refocus our attention on the core of the holiday: Jesus. Amid the rush of buying presents, cooking food, inviting family over, and singing popular carols, we must remember the birth of our savior. Carlos, one of the workers, wanted to know how it was that the Jews didn't accept the Messiah. We explained that the Bible says they were so wrapped up in their traditions that they missed the signs of the Messiah. Which, we said, should be a reminder to us, as well. Don't get so wrapped up in the Christmas traditions that you forget to look for the Messiah, the very reason why we celebrate. Later on in the week, a small group of us were talking about what Chileans do for Christmas, what Mexicans do, and what Americans do. Carlos smiled and said, "But don't forget to remember Christ." I gave him a thumbs-up.

For Christmas Eve, the church had a little celebration that they called, "Jesus' Birthday." They had games, songs, dancing, clapping, and laughter. They presented a little drama about Joseph searching for an inn for Mary. I was reminded of days of old, when plebeians would write a drama extolling the adventures of their monarch. They would then perform their plays before the king. It was their way of creatively expressing their praise. But I digress. At the end of the church celebration, the church lit candles on a cake, turned off the lights, and sang Happy Birthday to Jesus.

One of the games struck me especially. It involved rolls of wrapping paper, tape, ribbon, and lots of laughter. "Today we celebrate Jesus' birthday," said the leader, "and for birthdays, we give the birthday person a gift. We don't bring gifts to the other guests. We only bring a gift to the one celebrating the birthday. The greatest gift that we can give to Jesus is ourselves, simply and wholly." Two volunteers then stood on a chair while the rest of their team wrapped them up like a present. Guests to the church served as the panel of judges to decide who won.

I realized then that we tend to wrap ourselves up the wrong way. Rather than wrapping ourselves up as presents for God, we wrap ourselves up in holiday traditions, forgetting Who's birth day we're celebrating in the first place. I know that this year's Christmas has taken me so far away from my Christmas stereotypes that it has forced me to remember why I celebrate Christmas at all.

I wish to remind you to think about Christ today. It is, after all, the day we celebrate His coming to a world in need. It is, as a friend reminded me some Christmases ago, the night that God touched man in a physical way. He was the baby and we were the adults, and yet He was God and we were His creation. It is . . . all about HIM. Wrap yourself up the right way this Christmas, not in traditions but in simplicity and faith.

Not wrapped up in customs, I,

Nor tied to old traditions,

Trying not to trap myself

In regular conditions,

No, I choose to wrap myself,

A present to my Lord,

Present myself a present to

The One I have adored.

Hi.

This is the speech I recently typed up to give to churches. I've only used it a couple of times, so I wanted to share it. Not everyone is familiar with what I want to do in Chile, so I thought this would be a good way to let you all know it. And since I'm much better at writing than I am at speaking, this is a more comfortable medium anyway. Blessings.

Hi.

I'm Tabi. I have two passions in life: art and missions. My favorite art form in writing, but I like to put ideas into pictures, so that others may see what I see.

I grew up on the mission field. I was born in Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico. My father produced a Christian magazine because he believed in getting study aids to the church in a way that way true to God's Word and easy to understand, but also laid out in a way that was attractive to the reader.

I went to Johnson Bible College to study media because I wanted to take my father's idea further and present God's Word in a way that is dynamic and attractive. It was during my time at JBC that I met Mike and fell in love. I admired his passion and enthusiasm for being a missionary. It was this driving energy that changed the direction in which I was taking my gifts. I graduated from JBC in May of 2007 with a degree in Bible and Media Communications.

Two passions came together for me when I decided to marry Mike: my love for art and my love for missions. Although I would never have seen myself going to Chile, I am well aware that God's plans are perfect, and that the plot pieces of His story come together better than any story I decide to write.

It was after I decided to marry Mike and go to Chile that I finally saw how I could use my gifts to serve God. I saw that a media gap had developed between missionaries and their churches. While the churches were moving forward in technology, missionaries were falling farther and farther behind. When a missionary would return with an armful of photographs, they would find their churches unimpressed. The people had just gotten too used to fancy videos full of music and special effects. I decided that the missionaries needed someone who would help them present their mission in a way that would appeal to their forward-thinking churches.

As for my original goal of presenting the gospel through media-- that remained unchanged. Seeing all of the creative projects done in the United States made me want to carry these ideas and techniques overseas to a rapidly changing world. Consequently, I decided to set up a media studio where I could produce videos and record music. That way, I can help the missionaries make videos to take home, make media productions that shared the gospel, and help the Chilean Christian artists record their music.

I plan to make this media studio as mobile as possible. It must be able to go where there is a need, and capture images anywhere. The cost and time required for me to reach my goal will be substantial, but I know that if it lays within God's Will, He will provide for it. With the world changing as quickly as it is, I strongly believe that God will bless this venture.

Media is everywhere. It has reached almost all corners of the world. Whether for better or for worse, media has become an inextricable part of our lives. What better way to spread the gospel of Christ than on the wings of a wind already blowing across the globe?

I like to put ideas into pictures, so that others can see the things that I see. Perhaps, in my own small way, I will persuade you to do the same thing with your own life. Let us try to show the world the Christ that we know.

So they may see what we see.

Sunday School today opened with a question: Is it easier to forgive or to forget? It got me thinking.

See, I think that we tend to believe that it is easier to forget than to forgive. Why else would we try to "keep the past in the past," or "not look back," or just simply run from traumatic events? We try to bury the bad memories, leave them behind. Unfortunately, they have a habit of trailing behind us and hanting us. The only way to truly lay them in the past is to face what hurt us and forgive. Forgiving takes effort and even pain. To pick up a memory that we wanted to never remember again and look at it is difficult. The longer we avoid it, the worse it is when we face it anew. I know I have many things in my past that I regret. Things have happened to me that require me to love people I don't even want to remember. The people (and the memories they elicit) I have truly forgiven in my heart don't often return to haunt me.

You can't forget, and hope that once you've forgotten, you will forgive.

You must forgive, and though you may find it hard to forget, God will help the memories become more distant.

Meandering Thoughts on Balance

Some people strive for great emotion in their walk with God: rage at injustice, ecstasy in God's Spirit, grief over sin, and so forth. I strive for balance.

I want balance in my emotions, balance in my spiritual life, and balance in my physical life. I don't want extreme emotions. I don't want extreme faiths. I don't want extreme activities. I want to feel comfortable, stable, and most importantly, safe. When I go outside of my comfort zone, I want something that will re-establish the harmony in my life. I have often read that you should not feel comfortable, that comfort will make you unwilling to work. Honestly, I don't know.

I grew up on the mission field, and am returning to it in December. I don't think I lack in any desire to serve. I do, however, find it very hard to evangelize. I am, by nature, a helper or an encourager. I hate telling people that I think they're wrong. I realize that it's a responsibility we all have, but it doesn't make it any less hard to do. On the occassions that I do work up the courage to "make a stand," I feel so awful, so off-kilter, so unlike myself, that I must retreat into a quiet place and regain my inner stability. Sometimes, I wish I could let everyone know how much I hate conflict; how far I would go to keep the peace. I wish people understood that I love them, no matter how wrong I think they are, and that it hurts me that they would think I hate them or belittle them. I would never see anyone as being "beneath me."

But I digress.

Stability. Balance. I want a world around me that is balanced. I want a walk with God that does not hate, but that does not become over-zealous. I want a relationship with Jesus that finds peace in the knowlege that He saved me, but that finds urgency in the knowledge that some do not know Him. I want a love for the Holy Spirit that will understand Him as deeply as I can, but that won't drown, swimming in waters into which I was never meant to dive. I want to be comfortable so that people can see that comfort and desire it. I want a balance that keeps me able to minister and serve. I want a safety so assured that I fear nothing around me.

I'm not there yet, but I want to be . . . I strive to be.

On Saving

     I hadn't really thought of it before, but I saw a commercial this morning.  It was no different from any other commercial.  If anything, the dull presentation had very little with which to catch my attention.  At least he wasn't a screaming car salesman.  This car salesman spoke slowly, with a near-perfect monotone.  He explained how people could save money by purchasing cars from his company.  That's odd, I thought, you're not really saving money, you're just spending less.  Since that thought, I've noticed that the predominant definition of "save" is to "spend less."  And what do we do with the money we "save"?  We spend it.

     What if Jesus had the same definition of saving us as we have of saving money?  What if He considered us "saved" by simply not doing anything to us.  I'm glad the salvation of our souls is not the same as saving money.

     To set aside or reserve-- that was the definition that I associated with saving money.  What changed?  When did it change?  We work and earn money.  Then, we either save it or spend it (I consider investment a form of spending).  That's how the money works.  When did we decide that not doing anything with the money was saving it?  In the parable of the talents, it was the servant who did nothing with his money who lost everything.

Getting God's Go-Ahead

     I've heard it many times: "God has a special plan for you.  Make sure you find out what it is so that you can live up to your potential."  The view does have a positive outlook on individuality and the special calling of each person.  My only qualm with this statement is that it tends to paralyze the believer.  Fearful questions whirl through their minds as they watch trials coming their way.  They wonder if they have truly followed God's calling, if they have truly listened, if perhaps they ought to wait a little longer.  Frozen in their tracks, they look to their leaders, who say, "God has a special plan for you.  Make sure you find out what it is so that you can live up to your potential."

     I've been reading through Exodus.  My imagination soars as I picture the scenes playing out before me.  The Israelites have escaped from Egypt and have stopped to camp at the shores of the Red (not Reed) Sea.  The heat of the day is just beginning to ease as the sun slowly sets in the horizon.  For them, the view is astounding, because they can see the setting sun in the West, and giant pillar of fire lit in the East.  

     As some look at the setting sun, they see something disturbing.  A dark cloud has risen in the West.  Not too long after they see the forboding cloud, they see a mighty army approaching them.  Terrified, they run back to the camp and spread the word, "The Egyptians are coming!  We will all die!"  The news reach the ears of Moses.  The die-hard cynical comidians mutter, "Were there not enough graves in Egypt, that you had to bring us out here to die?"  Not amused, Moses rises up and the panicked mass grow a little quieter.

     "Don't be afraid.  Stand firm and you'll see the deliverance the LORD will bring to you today.  The Egyptians you see today you will never see again.  The LORD will fight for you; you need only be still."  Still frightened, the crowd turns to the West.  They must wait.  

     Moses prays, and then a surprising message comes from God to him.  "Why are you crying out to me?  Tell the Israelites to move on."  Instructions follow.  It is then that one of the most astounding displays of power in the Bible plays out for the Israelites.

     The pillar of fire breaks away and smashes down in front of the Egyptians.  For two entire days, it holds them back.  Meanwhile, God has told Moses to put his staff in the water.  A strong East wind carves through the water, marking a dry path for people to walk, lined with massive walls of water.  When the Israelites have passed safely through, the Egyptians are allowed to pursue.  The walls of water rush in on them, churning, crashing, and roaring.  I cannot help but wonder if they even had a chance to scream.

     "Tell the Israelites to move on," God told the leader.  And then He took care of things for them.

     I think that perhaps God might say the same thing again.  "Tell the Christians to move on."  He'll take care of you, and you'll see your pathway as you walk.

Where To Go

Perhaps the most useless type of compass would be one that says, "You are lost."  It would not point where to go, give no direction.

A study of the Word of God that doesn't lead anywhere or trigger any kind of thought would say nothing more than "You are lost."  It ought to direct the reader, and give him or her a goal in life.  Here I place my thoughts on my studies.  Perhaps I may not do more than "You are lost," but I hope they lead me somewhere useful.  Toward life.  Toward truth.  Toward God.