Saturday, May 28, 2005
"The Angels will follow us."
I was eating oatmeal with Rebekah and Benjamin this morning. In 8 days we'll leave for Florida. In 15 we'll be in Honduras. It's hard not to be a little anxious.
There was a great story I heard of a parent who overheard an older brother, say four or five, asking his younger sibling who was one or two, "Do you still see the angels? I can't see them anymore."
To be honest, for most of my life I did not believe in Angelic creatures. I'm not 100% sure I believe now but I'm closer to it. As a child of science and modern culture we are not too prone to believe in anything we can not see. I know it is difficult for me. I spent many hours scoffing at those "religionists" proclaiming angels and the devil. As a child of our culture I thought such ideas outmoded. I thought it infantile and anti intellectual. I believed my view, somehow more evolved.
I'm not so sure anymore.
The story above planted a seed in my head. What if small children can "see" what we can not. Maybe we forget. Maybe it is a gift that lasts only a short while in the spectrum in life. I started asking my little ones if they saw angels. It can't hurt to ask right? There answer does not prove anything but everytime I ask Benjamin if angels are in the room he points and nods his head. It is curious. Maybe this is the reason Babies can stare at lights and things for hours? I don't know.
The reason this is my topic is that at breakfast this morning I asked my four year old if we would experience God in Honduras. Rebekah nodded enthusiastically. "Yes" she said between bites of oatmeal, "The angels will follow us."
Sounds good to me.
Link
There was a great story I heard of a parent who overheard an older brother, say four or five, asking his younger sibling who was one or two, "Do you still see the angels? I can't see them anymore."
To be honest, for most of my life I did not believe in Angelic creatures. I'm not 100% sure I believe now but I'm closer to it. As a child of science and modern culture we are not too prone to believe in anything we can not see. I know it is difficult for me. I spent many hours scoffing at those "religionists" proclaiming angels and the devil. As a child of our culture I thought such ideas outmoded. I thought it infantile and anti intellectual. I believed my view, somehow more evolved.
I'm not so sure anymore.
The story above planted a seed in my head. What if small children can "see" what we can not. Maybe we forget. Maybe it is a gift that lasts only a short while in the spectrum in life. I started asking my little ones if they saw angels. It can't hurt to ask right? There answer does not prove anything but everytime I ask Benjamin if angels are in the room he points and nods his head. It is curious. Maybe this is the reason Babies can stare at lights and things for hours? I don't know.
The reason this is my topic is that at breakfast this morning I asked my four year old if we would experience God in Honduras. Rebekah nodded enthusiastically. "Yes" she said between bites of oatmeal, "The angels will follow us."
Sounds good to me.
Link
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
The message is to BE
I admit I'm a human doing. We're called to be human beings. I forget this.
The message that keeps coming about our journey is that mission work is to be. To be of service. To be a witness of God's transformative love. To receive that love. To be present to the Roses as they need. To be willing to be open as to how God will use us, not for the mission, but to tell His story in their story upon our return.
To be is to be bold. To be bold is to leap out in faith. There is so much to tell already and we have not even left. I pray to find the time in the next two weeks to tell the story of Dennis Sawyer and St. Mary's, the connections and open doors I am finding at St. Benedict's and Grace Church, the discussion with Doug Drouin, the incredible openness of Rev Lauren Stanley and St. Albans, my initial discussion with some of the other Spanish Students who will join me this summer.
The Petersen story is beginning to unfold. My son and wife and I spent an hour simply trying to understand the reason for our calling, the life amongst the roses, the poverty of Honduras, how we might be challenged. It took a reminder from Rev Stanley. It was an "oh yea" moment. In all my contacts, presentations, communication's I had not simply asked my son and wife, "What are your questions about this?" They came and we shared seeking where God might be in this. It was a blessing. From God to "they have cable?" the talk ranged the gambit. As Laurne pointed out, "to mission does not mean you have to suffer."
The message that keeps coming about our journey is that mission work is to be. To be of service. To be a witness of God's transformative love. To receive that love. To be present to the Roses as they need. To be willing to be open as to how God will use us, not for the mission, but to tell His story in their story upon our return.
To be is to be bold. To be bold is to leap out in faith. There is so much to tell already and we have not even left. I pray to find the time in the next two weeks to tell the story of Dennis Sawyer and St. Mary's, the connections and open doors I am finding at St. Benedict's and Grace Church, the discussion with Doug Drouin, the incredible openness of Rev Lauren Stanley and St. Albans, my initial discussion with some of the other Spanish Students who will join me this summer.
The Petersen story is beginning to unfold. My son and wife and I spent an hour simply trying to understand the reason for our calling, the life amongst the roses, the poverty of Honduras, how we might be challenged. It took a reminder from Rev Stanley. It was an "oh yea" moment. In all my contacts, presentations, communication's I had not simply asked my son and wife, "What are your questions about this?" They came and we shared seeking where God might be in this. It was a blessing. From God to "they have cable?" the talk ranged the gambit. As Laurne pointed out, "to mission does not mean you have to suffer."
Sunday, May 01, 2005
Second Grant Came
Miracles upon miracles
For as much motion I have put into this mission I have done very little work. Was incredibly blessed a week ago finding out that EEES has decided to grant our second grant. We were set on going but this allows us to go without having to reach as deep in our pocket. It makes quite a difference.
We bought tickets and will be in Honduras on June 12th. Currently I'm trying to set up times at both my field site here in Virginia and my home parish in Florida. My goal is to try and get some attention to the mission through this blog.
I have not quite got into the swing of weekly messages. We'll get there though. Next time I'll write about some of the contacts made and hopefully will have gotten together with the asst rector of St. Albans. They go to Our Little Roses each summer.
For as much motion I have put into this mission I have done very little work. Was incredibly blessed a week ago finding out that EEES has decided to grant our second grant. We were set on going but this allows us to go without having to reach as deep in our pocket. It makes quite a difference.
We bought tickets and will be in Honduras on June 12th. Currently I'm trying to set up times at both my field site here in Virginia and my home parish in Florida. My goal is to try and get some attention to the mission through this blog.
I have not quite got into the swing of weekly messages. We'll get there though. Next time I'll write about some of the contacts made and hopefully will have gotten together with the asst rector of St. Albans. They go to Our Little Roses each summer.
