Bumblegum Blessings

When I was a child, not too long ago around age 7 or 8, I loved to hang with my cousins (still do of course). On occassion when we were at his house, my sister and I would play a Bubblegum Bible game with our cousin Tim. I am ashamed to say that I cannot remember what the game was exactly I think it was Noah's ark, anyway, I know that after we were finished we collected our reward based on how we did in the game, which was bumblegum balls from the store down the road. I loved the rainbow pack, so many different flavors in one! In the same way, I think God gives us lots of great things, wait I know He does sometimes based on our faithfulness sometimes just because He loves us But sometimes
the blessings are not always big, but even if they are bumblegum pieces
of blessings, one pack can have all sorts of flavors! I think of David when he said
"Taste and see the Jehovah is good; blessed is the man (or woman) that trust
in Him." (Psalms 34:8)
I wanted to share some thoughts and insights, just little drops of ideas here and
there. They sort of pile up and I like to share them with. To me they are blessings
because they are gifts that God gives me to open my eyes to life around me.
Covet?
It has been a very interesting experience here in Benin to deal with poverty. In North
America there is poverty, but it isn't always that visible, and when it shows up, it's
a little easier to ignore. Here it's poverty all around. As a student missionary, my funds
are used to buy food enough for myself, with little to spare, so it's not possible for me to
about handing out bread and such to everybody. But when kids stop by our house, Manny
and I, may share some of our meal or a banana or orange. The other part is that even if I could
help, it's hard to know who and how. But some things more than just giving have come out
of living here in poverty.
In my neighboorhood, the next street over, a friend of my lives, you know him already, Fidard (by
the way he is doing well, committed to church and prayer again, and trying to get out of the
beer making operation he has at his house, praise the Lord!). There's a well near his house and
on it someone painted (on all three sides actually), "Ghetto Boys". When I first read this I was
intrigued. I had never thought of that place as a ghetto. It's that same where I live. But thinking
more on it, it's true, by some standards, much of Nati is ghetto, run-down mud houses, trash everywhere,
stray dogs (I see a dog fight, started by the dogs however, every day almost), and the like. But this
is my home. Not to say that I am so awesome for living in these conditions, but to say how
perspectives change. A missionary friend shared that at a church she visited in a small village the preacher shared
that in Heaven everyone would have tin roofs, even concrete floors! Glorious!? I have thought
often of being poor. I am certainly better off than many, but still some do seem richer. With their
TV's and stereo's, and paded couches, and fancy clothes. But still those poorer than I, what can I
do. I have often felt terrible for having so much. Doing my laundry at Suzy's one day, a church youth
was helping me (he said he enjoys doing laundry, but thought I wouldn't accept the help!), and commented
on how many clothes I had, and that was only 2 thirds of what I have here. Sometimes I just
feel like throwing all my stuff in the streets, here Merry Christmas. It's a confusing thing
to be so privileged, yet you can't do much about it, the best you can do is be a listening ear,
a friend, and light for God.
So I can definitely say I am content. I have what I need, sure there's always something handy that I might
like to have for the home or ministry, but nothing to complain about. But then without realizing it
I find myself saying to myself, hey self look over there those are some pretty nifty shoes. But wait
self I do not need those shoes. Or nice t shirt or nice motor bike, or whatever. I ask to God to help
me because in reality it's that ugly battle against self that causes the coveting. But it has helped to
understand why people want. Especially being not-black and everyone wants what I have, some of
is really out of the ordinary, digital camera, mp3 player, but other stuff is normal, clothes, shoes.
Coveting is evil for sure, but it's not the big ugly monster I have always thought of it as. It's more
like a fog, you don't know when you entered it, but by the time you are in it, you can't see, and
you don't know which was is out. For me I could see the fog early, and have asked God's help
continual, for many their still traveling blind. That's why a Christian life is so wonderful,
you can recgonize fogs, doesn't mean it's easy to get out of, but sure beats blindness.
What counts?
Was hanging out with Thomas the carpenter one evening last week and after he finished
his shower, some girls stopped by and asked to get a friend for them. So I tagged along
while he went to get a friend of his. I asked him why the girls did not just go to the guys
house. He responded that his friend was married and one of those girls was his girlfriend
and he did not want spouse and girlfriend to get acquainted, understandable but real sad at
the same time. Later as he was walking me back to my residence. I asked if this was
common, yes it is. He told me that marriage was not what counted, that there were forced marriages
all the time, so it was not marriage that mattered. What does count then? I countered. The answer
beat around the bush, but came to the same conclusion, it's not the marriage. In
a culture missionaries are told to watch out for unanswered questions, this one especially
for youth seems to be a big one, what does count, love, marriage, physical intimacy, a
united bond in Christ? I can answer it, but the goal is to have the people answer it themselves
on a Biblical basis.
Centimetres in Kilometres
If you need to, you can say "Inches in Miles", but I am Canadian, so I try to stick to the culture.
To my right there is a highschool student, to my left a middle aged man, behind me are a couple of other
mid-twenties men, in front of me is a small window, and a lady at a desk, crunching numbers and taking
money. This place is one of the most used places in all Natitingou, on due day it's the busiest too. It's the
electric company's head office, where everyone pays there electric bills. It's the only office, so the whole city pays here.
And if you choose a bad time or day, you'll be in line for hours. Today I am okay, there are maybe
two people in front of me. I get through quickly. But as I stand and I wait I sense an strangeness. This thought
that these people just centimetres from me, waiting to pay the same sort of bills, how did they get here?
I do not know there names, their age, their birthplace, anything. One is a teacher, he told someone else in line,
another a police officer by his uniform. I stand close physically but by knowledge we are like kilometres part.
It's like between the small place is eternity of time. That we should cross paths here. It's the same thing
I think about every time I am on a airplane, bus, or some public transport. This person I may see
again, yet in the eons of time God saw this meeting, for ten mintues, an hour, or half a day (Toronto-Paris, ugh a little long)
we are here. The biggest part is just to let God fill the gap. To ask Him the next step, perhaps a smile for their day,
or a long chat on creation or home problems. Maybe a prayer (if possible always great). All in all
we are not just one lost in a sea of faces (Kutless), but each person someone that matters to God.
Desmond Tutu said in the book "Wisdom" by Andrew Zuckerman, "Too frequently we think we have to do spectacular things.
Yet if we remember the sea is actually made up of drops of water and each drop countes, each one oc us can do our little bit where we are...
Happiness is a shared thing." In God's plan it's too true, we each do our part, each drop counts, whether it's a drop
a lot of people notice or one that silently fills the sea, Heaven will tell.
The Idea Pancake Theory
I am a thinker, sometimes to my detriment. Not really always a smart thinker.
Meaning I have not come up with the newest theory of quantum mechancis in biomolecular
cellular tissue (sounds cool even though I made it up), but I have been known to have
a few good ideers. So here's a little idea on ideas. There are so many ideas and theories on
how to make bread to what makes a good leader to how prophecy should be interpreted.
In every case there is usually a standard to base it upon, the food board, when the good
leader goes bad, the Bible. But still some bad ideas get out there and cause havoc. The main
problem is people soak up ideas and forget to think about them. But another cause
of these bad ideas getting out is that their creators forget to think as well, well they think but
maybe a little sideways. So I present the idea pancake theory. One of Manny and I's favorite breakfast
is pancakes with bananas and peanut butter and left over condensed sweetened milk from making
banana bread (if there is any, although it's 46% sugar so we try to take it easy on the stuff). We make
them from corn flour, or sorgum flour (a grain that is like red and white little balls), or a combinations
if milk and eggs are available that too, or else just water. Manny has the art down pat. He can make some
grilled to perfection. But if you were to be novice and you started cooking a pancake, it would be hard
to know when to flip, you cannot see the side that cooking. But you watch for bubbles and then
decide it's time, sometimes it falls apart, sometimes it works. Then you still have to wait
for the pancake to finish on the other side, this is even harder, you can only see a cooked side
not indicators of cooking on the other side. So if black smoke starts pouring out you've waited too
long, but if not you may get it right when it just starts smoking a little. If we treated ideas like
pancakes it may help. If you've got an idea cook it first. As a Christian, I put in the frying pan
of prayer and Bible study. You have to trust God as the one side cooks, but He gives answers
and such that show that it's ready to flip. To flip I use the flipper of community, trusted
friends and mentors. As we flip it over, they get a better look at it and let me know what they
think. Now we both put into God's hands. Is it useful for others, is it edifying, does it contradict
the Bible, etc. When we can see that is great the smoke of the Holy Spirit approval comes but, if
it's not worth the time, the black smoke of a bad idea comes out. And the idea burns and is sent to the
garbage, but a good idea is brought out and served to everybody for nutrition, enjoyment, and
joy! I see it important that we let ideas cook on both sides, that they are really well tested. I sure
I hope my idea on ideas cooked, but this is a part of the process, what do you think flippers?