These missionaries are working in a poverty-stricken area and help with basic life needs and skills as they preach the gospel.  One interesting project Tamara does is helping women make necklaces to sell using extra buttons.  So feel free to collect- and then help us send- your extra buttons to Uganda.  An odd way to share the gospel, certainly, but it helps meet their basic needs.  Enjoy some pictures from our morning:

Welcoming Jeremy and Tamara.

Friendly, gospel-preaching talking heads.

What a great surprise!

The images from Uganda were captivating.

Construction unimaginable to our western mindsets.

It was an interesting presentation for adults too.

Beaded bracelets will remind us to pray for Uganda.

In the early days of our parenthood, it sometimes seemed that life would go on forever as it was going then. We’d never have any money, we’d never have a child old enough to babysit the siblings, and we’d never have air conditioning in the house or own a dependable car. I was so tense as a young man that I made life harder for myself and for those I loved. I let the stresses of life rob me of a lot. Ben Franklin was right when he said that there’s “no putting an old man’s head on a young man’s shoulders.” Still, I’m irritated with myself for letting seasons go by without fully tasting the days.

I’ve heard Marilyn say that life was tougher when she had three children than it was with eight, because when she had only three, there were no big helpers. Two were in diapers, and firstborn Rickey was a little fireball. Now, our youngest is almost a teenager and we have young adults in the house who pretty much run the home operation for us. We are also blessed with some wonderful children-in-law and grandchildren, but the extra needs of the family are felt, too. It takes a tremendous expenditure of time, finances, and effort to do what we do.

But by now we know it won’t always be this way. We’ve had better times and worse times and probably both kinds will visit us again. All we know for sure is that everything that comes to pass, passes….

If you’re a young parent with young children, your life isn’t easy. That’s why God gives you those responsibilities while you have the energy of youth with which to handle it all. If you don’t mind a friendly word of advice from a guy who has spent the last few decades trading energy for experience, I’d ask you to stop and smell the roses. They’re right there in front of you–in your preschooler’s cheeks. Beware of the tendency to get wrapped up in getting everything done; it will never be all done. This season of your life, like every season of life, will pass before you know it. Savor it while it’s here.

Turn off the vacuum cleaner for a minute and go hug your kids.

You can read the entire article here.

But running it has made me think about how people change.  Typical Lenten fasts, new year’s resolutions, and gym memberships all seem to carry a common theme: you can change if you just behave differently.  Consider this marriage illustration from the Gospel Transformations book:

A contemptuous husband has received some advice to change his ways toward his wife.  Instead of criticizing her, he is to give his wife flowers every day for a week.  The implication is that as he does this, his heart will change.  He will become a better person and his marriage will improve.

Do you resist the conclusion you suspect this book will make?  I feel resistance in my own heart.  I want this husband to be nicer to his wife.  Sticking to a race-training plan is good for me.  Accomplishing my resolutions ought to make me feel good.  What’s wrong with changing behavior?  What could possibly be wrong with bringing roses?

…this husband (might) only become worse.  He would just incorporate his “doing” into his life of disobedience and would become more proud.  This husband is still in “god-mode:”  You must serve me; I must control my circumstances; I have the right to judge.  When challenged about his life, he now replies to his wife, “Look what I have been doing for you.”  If this wife had a choice, what do you think she would prefer: flowers or a repentant heart; roses or humility?

Permanent change only happens when repentance is the foundation of the change.  Otherwise it is a shifting of allegiances to newer idols- from the idolatry of consuming food to the idolatry of controlling food; from idolizing one’s time through slothfulness to idolizing one’s time through gym memberships; from controlling one’s wife by harshness to controlling her by gifts.

So today I’m trying to repent for letting sugar become an addiction and for my laziness that keeps me from exercising with any amount of passion.  I’ve proven to myself I can temporarily change my behavior, but I want God in this spring season to permanently change me.

I’m not doing this for Lent.  If I were, it would need to be much more intentional and worshipful than it has been.  But I feel like I’ve learned some things about myself that have made it a worthwhile experience.

1. I like rules.  A lot.  Give me rules and boundaries and I feel free.  I don’t need the rest of the world to keep my rules- but I like the rules to constrain myself.
2. Restrictions make me more creative.  When I have wanted something sweet, I have created recipes that I never would have tried without these restrictions.
3. Even a temporary restriction needs company.  I am very thankful for the two women who have done this crazy sugar fast with me.  It’s nice to know someone else is giving it up too.
4. The fast has changed my taste buds.  Ever tried cooking whole unsweetened cranberries in water with a cut up apple and a little bit of honey?  Man- it’s as sweet to me as you would imagine your grandma’s apple pie.

And where’s the gospel application here?  Honestly, it gets mixed up in my head.  Having a sugar fast save me is kind of like letting religion save me.  I wish eating were such an act of worship for me that I didn’t use it as a crutch for my boredom, depression, or lack of planning.  But at the same time, a temporary discipline can be useful for resetting the tastes and refreshing the palate in more ways than one.  I feel like my head is on straighter- like I can think clearer, look outside myself more, and listen for the whisper of God.

Lent can be like this too (and even better) when it’s celebrated in a spirit of worship.  Restrictions shouldn’t be rules to gain God’s approval; restrictions can clear our heads to think about and worship Jesus.  If you are following this path for the weeks leading up to Easter, let your temporary fasts make space in your soul for worship.  And be thankful- as I have been- for the fellowship of multitudes of believers who are also denying something right now while seeking to know Christ more.

Most men are not satisfied with the permanent output of their lives.  Nothing can wholly satisfy the life of Christ within his followers except the adoption of Christ’s purpose toward the world he came to redeem.

J. Campbell White

Since the weather has made it necessary for us to take a month off of Little Globetrotters, perhaps these meditations on missions from the Advance ’09 conference sponsored by Acts 29 will help focus you as you continue to teach your children to care for the whole world.

Little Globetrotters pray for the world

Everyone of you who confesses Jesus as Lord of the Universe signs up for a significance beyond anything that you ever dreamed….  To belong to Jesus is to embrace the nations with Him-that He will one day rule entirely.

Your heart was made for this!  Your heart was made to embrace the global dimension of missional living.  if you don’t have a global heart–if you’re not getting your arms around the nations and unreached peoples of the world–there will be a mild or serious sickness in your soul because your soul was made to do this.

Many people don’t know what’s wrong with their souls.  What’s wrong is that their souls have shrunk to the level of their concerns.

When you pray: “Hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come” that’s meant to take your heart and make it as big as history and as large as the globe.

Poppy and Tess

I also get to hang out with my grandparents (and whatever baby is not old enough to go to school- this time it was Tess.)  It makes me catch my breath a little to see Tess sitting with my grandfather.  He was born just before World War I, lived through the Depression, and put himself through college- though he was the youngest in a large family- by alternating semesters that he worked and went to school.  He taught me how to ask good questions to get to know people and, by example, how to see any conversation as an opportunity to both teach and learn.  He has always been one of the most special people in my life.

Still playing the piano

And my grandmother…I still can’t keep up with her.  I took her to the mall and was worn out after four hours of shopping.  I kept asking her if she needed to go home and rest- then finally had to throw up the white flag myself.  She can entertain for hours with stories of the creative ways she paid the bills while my grandfather was at the war.  And if you have a question about parenting or teaching toddlers, she’s still the one you want to talk to.

“For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.” (Psalm 100:5)  Spending the week with four generations- and ages spread over 90 years- has reminded me to be thankful for the faithfulness of the Lord from generation to generation.

Melody shows where Australia is on the globe.

Hearing instructions for a prayer game.

Moms help their preschoolers do crafts.

But I don’t like the mess. Last week they found the unfinished frames I bought because the price was too good to pass up. And in one day- nay, one hour- they painted all 10 of them. They painted “Best Friends” frames for each other. And presents for assorted friends. And, of course, a couple for Chris and me.

They had a blast. Their inner painters were unlocked and they painted with all their hearts. And what did I do? I’ll sum it up this way- I don’t think I’ve relaxed yet. I wish I had had the sense of humor to take a picture of Kate- when I walked in on her in the sun room with her paints and frames spread out all over the rug (of course she put her painted frames on top of a piece of construction paper to protect the rug.) I had just finished scrubbing the rug there when I went downstairs to the craft table to check on Mia and Kate. Mia was taking care of Kate- pouring paint on a paper plate for her. But in her limited experience she hadn’t figured out to hold the paint jars over the plate when she started to pour.

And did I say that I don’t send my kids outside to play much in the winter? Yep- the same reason. The mess takes just as long to clean up, but it looks more like this:

I had already put everyone to bed and cleaned up 9 coats (yes, I know that’s more coats than bodies in the house- don’t remind me) before I took this picture.

Our kids probably had a richer-than-normal week of homeschooling this past week in between their self-taught painting exercises, outside play, and lots of new library books. And me? I am dreaming of a hot bath.

But I am grateful- grateful that God has more grace for my mess and more joy when I am learning new things than I have shown.  He is my Father (as last week’s sermon reminded me) but he’s not the kind of dad that needs a break from me and my mess.  He rejoices over me- not when I have cleaned myself up, but because he sees through my sin the daughter he died to redeem.

One of the kids grandmothers gave Redemption Hill the gift of 100 gift bags that could be used to invite people to church.  Two weeks ago the kids took time out of their busy homeschooling schedules to write out all the invitations to put in the bags.  And earlier last week, they went to hang the bags on doors in an area neighborhood.  Each bag contained an ESV New Testament, a free download of a study Bible, and an invitation to church.

They were full of glee as they ran down the sidewalks and jockeyed for the next turn hanging a bag on a door.  Anyone watching them would never believe how much these kids wished they could be doing their schoolwork instead.   But- as Christmas is a time for giving- they were learning to give of their time for an important reason.

This self-sacrifice (along with their sweet prayers for more people to come to church- especially for kids their ages) are an inspiring reminder of the true meaning of Christmas.

Taking time to spread the word