Saturday, June 30, 2012

Rubbish

For the past week I've been in Seattle, enjoying the cooler weather, the change of scenery, and the amazing Christian Veterinary Mission staff.  It's been a really fun time of sharing about Bolivia and learning about the CVM Regional Representative position I'll be transitioning to in the future; making lots of new friends, and reconnecting with old ones I haven't seen in years.



Every year CVM focuses on a theme passage.  This year's idea is "Beyond Knowledge, Knowing Him," from Philippians 3.  
Studying to share a devotional on this scripture lead me to really ruminate on what are the credentials and the rubbish that I let get between Jesus and myself.  Here's The Message version:

"We couldn't carry this off by our own efforts, and we know it—even though we can list what many might think are impressive credentials....
The very credentials these people are waving around as something special, I'm tearing up and throwing out with the trash—along with everything else I used to take credit for. And why? Because of Christ. Yes, all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant—dog dung. I've dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ and be embraced by him. I didn't want some petty, inferior brand of righteousness that comes from keeping a list of rules when I could get the robust kind that comes from trusting Christ—God's righteousness. I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, experience his resurrection power, be a partner in his suffering, and go all the way with him to death itself."

To Paul, the credentials he'd been staking it all on were his birth into the right nation and the right family, his behavior, his zeal for religion and its rules.  He had no more control over where and when he came into the world than any of us, but I'm only half-joking when I brag that I was born on the day UofL won the national championship in basketball, seriously, it makes me a way better fan. I imagine you don't use your circumcision on the 8th day as an edge up at dinner parties, but I can't deny that I like to be called a veterinarian, and I don't hate the label "missionary". How many other titles or accomplishments do we take pride in, what statuses do we let define us instead of Christ? When I dug deep I discovered my identity as a tennis player in the past, my semi-radical decision to adopt as a single person in another country, and my really awesome fiancĂ© all gave my ego a boost, even made me feel like a better Christian.  But the only thing that makes me a Christian at all is Jesus' grace.

Even more than our degree, our profession, or our level of accomplishment, do we find our security in our things?  When I was sharing about Paul's thoughts on skybalon (or dog dung) I borrowed the idea to make it visual.  After bringing up the image of a child who can't fit anything else in his hands if they're already full of stuff, I brought in a garbage can and started throwing things out to figuratively empty my arms to make room for more of Christ.  It was easy to dump in my new work laptop with its overwhelmingly complex database, but a bit harder to put in my personal MacBook Pro. My veterinary license and passport were symbolic of who I am in the flesh. Dropping in my insurance card wasn't too stressful, but letting go of my picture with Angie and Jon stung a little.  And you should have seen the face of the only other female in the room when she heard my engagement ring crash to the bottom of the bin!

But even more personal and timely was thinking about someone I wouldn't have considered "rubbish", or even a distraction for me, until God took her away from me.  Ruby, the one who possibly loves me most unconditionally in the world, my sweet sweet puppy, ran away that very day.  At 4 o'clock in the morning when I found out she'd run off after a rabbit and never returned, I didn't think much of it, but by 4 o'clock in the afternoon I realized how important she was to me and how possible it was she'd be stolen or hit by a car. And while I prepared to talk about the rubbish we carry with us Matthew 9 came to mind, "Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter (or dog) more than me is not worthy of me."  So, I decided there was nothing to do but trust the Lord and refocus on the one thing that was truly important; knowing Christ. And minutes after finishing a discussion of the credentials and belongings the vets and staff around me subconsciously held tightly, God gave Ruby back to us!

During all of this, Angie was safe and blissfully clueless, visiting the beach for her first time ever with the family.
I'd challenge you to consider if your iPhone has become an idol, if you talk to Siri more than God, if you take more pride in your past than your friendship with Jesus, or if you're seeking that promotion more than you're seeking to know Him. 

"I've dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ and be embraced by Him." Philippians 3:8-9 TM








Monday, June 18, 2012

Somebody Just Hit Double Digits!

Look out! Angie just turned ten and she's sassier than ever! Also, more beautiful, more confident in her English, more ticklish, and taller!  We put her up to the door frame where my sister and I were measured growing up and she's already surpassed her aunt's notch from when she was 12!  Sorry Tia Kiki. 
Until her time at Talita Cumi she'd never had a birthday celebration, nor even known when to celebrate one.  Two years ago, we joined 7-8 other kiddos, with birthdays estimated to be in that quarter of the year, for her first birthday ever.
First birthday presents for her 8th birthday.
Then last year she had her first private birthday party, where we took ~30 of her closest friends bowling, then topped it off with a sleepover at our house!
So, this year, since we've yet to make any friends here in the U.S. she's been anxious about how her birthday could be a success, we may have set the bar a bit too high last year.  But I don't think she was disappointed.
Friday, the spoiling began with a bouquet of fruit from her aunt Kira, a party with some of her favorite foods, and her favorite thing; presents!  Thank you all who sent birthday wishes and/or sweet gifts.  She's already enjoying the clothes and scattering her new art supplies around the house in traditional don't-finish-one-project-before-you-start-another fashion.  
But we wanted to do something uber-special for her first birthday away from Bolivia to prove the US could be just as fun, so Saturday we loaded up seven of us and headed to Holiday World for her introduction to amusement parks.  Turns out she's not super fond of things that go fast or high, which really limited our options, but the other five adults along for moral support and to help ensure she had an awesome time were fabulously flexible and stayed positive even when things sometimes looked bleak.  Overall, the wave pool was the place to be, unfortunately not only for Angie but for 4 million others as well, but she didn't mind the underwater mosh pit and she was really the only one that mattered that day...
Now, as long as we can transition her back into normal life where the world's not actually revolving around her, we'll be fine.  Yesterday, was a great start, as we celebrated what I'd imagine was her first Father's Day in ten years with a truly good dad. She so sweetly told Jon that I've been there for all three of her birthdays. I'm pretty sure he'll be there for all the rest.  
I praise the Lord for Angie's amazing Daddy, for Coach Bulo her awesome tennis coaching grandfather, and for Her heavenly father who brought her to us all and is guiding her so gently through this big change.

Friday, June 1, 2012

Angie Update

So many of you have been so good to ask how we're doing and offer your prayers in this time of huge transition.  Thank you, with God's grace we're well.  As I guessed it would be, the trip to Baltimore was tough on Ange.  Even before we took-off from the runway in Santa Cruz she was ready to go back to Bolivia, and comments like that escalated throughout the weekend until the third night when she was "never going to get used to this place or like this family." But Monday we had a long drive to KY with lots of time for her to decompress without the stress of meeting new people or trying new things. And then we were reunited with Ruby and her grandparents, "The Bulos!" 


Since then she's had a week of settling, vegging, and watching cartoons (which I'm counting as some serious English learning.)  Yesterday, we found her shoes and dress for the wedding then ran across the street to Krispy Kreme for some "hot now" donuts. But even more fun than all that was joining Jon at Lost Sheep, the homeless ministry where he serves every Thursday night.  On Wednesday, I asked her if she'd like to go with us and check it out.  That night she prayed for the people we were going to meet, that they would come to know Jesus.  Last night, as she passed out forks, dished out pasta salad and sat on Jon's lap during the Max Lucado video she was glowing. On the way home she said, "Mommy, I'm happy. I've always wanted to do something like that. Maybe we can bring them some of my clothes after my birthday when I get new things. Some of them know the Lord. God answered my prayer. But I'm not going to stop praying for them." And she didn't.  At bedtime she thanked God for answering her prayer and asked that the people she'd met at dinner would have families and homes, and know Christ better.  


Wow, if only Lost Sheep were every day!  I think we'll be looking for more ways to serve as a family. Ironically, I remember when I was first in Bolivia, experiencing some of my own culture shock, visiting the orphanages and getting outside of my own little pity party was the best therapy. Thank you for your prayers, God is so good!