The Final Countdown

The countdown to my wedding is now measured in days.  It amazing how much effort is put into a couple hours of my life.  I remember recently someone reminding me that the wedding is such a small point in time that I shouldn't let the details cause me too much stress.  A few others chimed in to give their version of that sentiment. My favorite version came when someone said that if something goes wrong then the wedding will be more memorable.  Immediately I recalled scenes from home video TV shows of people tripping, passing out, etc.  I hope that something like that doesn't happen in this wedding, but if it does, I hope somebody records it.

Hidden in Plain Sight

If we just keep our eyes open to the world around us we would be surprised what we could see. I had recently bought a watch online, and as things often go, the band was too large for me. I took it to a local jeweler, and long story short, it got adjusted. Simone and I left the jeweler and were walking a short distance to a nearby grocery store to buy some miscellaneous items. As we were walking, I just happened to look a little bit down and to the side, and I noticed something. Less that two feet off my path, there was sitting on a bench in the shadows a young woman. Her face, illuminated by the bleak light of a nearby street lamp, was downcast, and her eyes were moist as though she was in the midst of crying. There was a couple things that struck me in that brief moment. 1) Aside from her saddened appearance, she seemed like a very average person. 2) There was probably nothing I could do to truly alleviate her suffering.

So many people today are suffering in relative obscurity. They are not languishing away alone on hospital beds. They are not homeless, wandering the streets in ragged clothes, or sitting at intersections with cardboard signs. They are people we pass by every day who seem to be doing alright who are actually wracked with pain, and for the most part, there is nothing we can do about it.

This pain is so often hidden beneath a facade of whatever mask they decide to wear at that time. It is only in darkness that many feel free to truly reveal what is inside, and even then only for a brief moment. If I had been bold enough to sit down and ask this woman what was wrong, the probability is high that not only would her mask have been put back on, but also she would have fled from my presence. Which brings me to the second point that there was probably nothing I could have done to truly help her. I could only pray that somehow she would find relief.

Despite compassionate hearts and good intentions, we just cannot help everyone. We can't even help the majority of people. We can only truly help the few, and leave the rest to God.

Lord help us to know who are "the few" in our own lives.

Time for a Change?

I've been studying the book of Numbers the past few weeks, and although it has given me quite a bit to think about, my study hasn't yielded many "Aha!" moments. That is, until a few days ago when I looked at what I like to call "The Quail Incident".

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the story, it's found in chapter 11, and what happened was that the Israelites, as was their practice, were complaining about something. The NIV has them "wailing. . . 'If we only had meat to eat (vs. 4)!'" Then God basically said, "You want meat? I'll give you meat! You'll get so much meat that it'll come out of your noses!" God caused a wind to blow and it blew in so much quail from the coast that the minimum gathered per person was about 60 bushels. Now that's a lot of quail! Sadly, they didn't get to enjoy it much, because before it could even be swallowed, God struck dead all the quail eaters. That place then, for obvious reasons, became known as "Graves of Craving" or "Craving Graves".

This passage has often been used by dedicated vegetarians as an illustration of the perils of eating meat, but I think that if one focuses solely on that aspect, they are missing the point. One commentator said that the Israelites had more food variety than one may think. The manna could be prepared in a couple of different ways, plus they could get milk and curds from their flocks, plus there were sacrifices in which the person offering would share a meal with the priests. A meal mainly comprised of meat. Also the majority of the things the Israelites were pining for were non-meat items (see vs. 5). The main problem wasn't so much that they were craving meat. It was that they were craving Egyptian meat; meaning that they would rather be slaves in Egypt than to be free under God's guidance.

The lesson that struck me this time around was the whole "We want something else!" concept. I had found myself recently wanting a change simply for change's sake. Sometimes the routine of life can seem a little tedious, but if the routine is of divine design, then we should think twice before demanding something different.

A Second Job

It's been a while since I've posted anything, but as most of you know, I've been busy doing other (more important) things. Wow, who would have thought that planning a wedding would be so much work, and, of course, it's more work when you're on a budget, and we can't just pay people to do everything for us. It's not that the work is difficult, it's just that it is constant. It's my second job.

Thankfully, things are coming together rather nicely, esp. considering that we have only two months to go (Yikes!). Simone is very good at finding deals (on materials, food, etc.), as well as finding people who will help out for little or no compensation.

I might go into a bit more details in future posts, but I thought that I'd just give you all a little update on what's going on in our neck of the woods.

A Quick Summary of My California Adventure

Wow, I can't believe that it has been so long since I've posted something on here! The past few months have been so crazy/busy that I don't know where to begin. I will try to sum up events so far:

- I flew here (Loma Linda, CA) in the middle of April to visit Simone, my romantic interest/girlfriend not really knowing what the future might hold.

- Despite the fact that I was in a bad economy and now a bankrupt state, I ended up getting a full-time (and decent paying) job with a SDA ministry.

- And due to the two above items, I am now planning on flying back to MN with the goal of having Simone meet my family and to drive my car back to CA.

Who would have thought of such a series of events would have taken place. There is no way I could have planned such a thing as this, but I know Who could.

Are We Playing it Too Safe?

I saw one of those eHarmony ads that seem to be everywhere these days, and it got me thinking. The ads give me the impression that if one uses their program that they will find the ideal mate simply because their screening process is so thorough. If one were to join the site they wouldn't have to worry about finding that special someone. They will be lining up to meet them, and it would be just a matter of time before you and your soul mate will be grinning and gushing on one of those ads.

It made me wonder. Are we playing it too safe? Are we so afraid of getting our hearts broken that we will spend hundreds of dollars (the site is expensive) to simply get introduced to someone via an elaborate, copyrighted program? I think that people spend so much energy looking for that perfect someone because they are too afraid to risk their hearts with a person that may seem less than ideal. People often don't realize that even with all that matching that there are still risks involved. They still have to open themselves up and run the risk of getting hurt.

Even sincere Christians can fall into that trap. They think that if they pray hard enough, and live a Christian life that the right person will simply fall into their laps. That one day they will hear a knock at the door, and the person who knocked will say, "Hi, how are you? I am the one God has chosen for you to spend the rest of your life with." True, prayer will help us make better decisions, but we still have to put our necks out there sometimes. We have to take a chance and open up to people that may not line up 100% with our criteria. Prayer doesn't eliminate pain. It simply helps us grow through our painful experiences.

I think that our fear of failure may be standing in the way of our personal growth. I look back at my relationships that didn't work out (or for that matter, never even got off the ground), and I know that I am a better person because of the lessons I learned from those failures.

I am not advocating that single people should just go out and get into relationships with people they know for certain that are wrong for them. I am writing this for those people that are in the "should I, or shouldn't I" stage. Go ahead, and take a risk. You might get hurt, but you could be a better person because of that experience. You could find the person you always wanted, and at least you won't have to go through life wondering, "What if . . ."

Pyramid Witnessing

I'm still getting used to having a blog, and have been keeping my thoughts mainly in my head (often a good place for them), but I've decided to let this one slip out onto the web.

I was talking with someone a couple weeks ago and they were telling me how they recently got involved in some program selling acai fruit juice. They were quite aware that this was one of those pyramid marketing things, and naturally I was a bit put off by their interest in it. That was, until, I discovered their motive behind getting involved. They were using it as a springboard into witnessing to the other marketers because a good way to witness is to befriend somebody first. It got me thinking about the Bible text where the apostle Paul wrote that he was all things to all people that he might save some.

Now, I'm not advocating that well all go out in search of the latest "business opportunity" and use that as a means of witnessing. However, I think that we should give more thought into being more creative in our witnessing. So often so many of us get stuck into narrow means of sharing our faith. Therefore, I'm asking that you keep your eyes open for new ways of getting in contact with people for the gospel's sake.

Change of Status

First off, it was a pleasant surprise that this event has gotten as much buzz. It's nice to know that I am liked or at least am a source of curiosity. There have been a few requests from friends for more details, and I was thinking about emailing all of you and giving you said details. Then this morning when Nadya asked me for the rest of the story, I thought that there must be a way to tell multiple people at the same time. Then I remembered that I have this blog, and decided to put it to use to accomplish this goal.

As always, the best place to begin is, well, the beginning. Not too long ago I got a friend request on Facebook from someone I didn't recognize. Not a totally unusual occurrence, and as my general policy about such things is, I accepted (I figure that if someone wants to be my friend, I'll let them because I like making new friends). I noticed that this woman went to the same school I went to for my undergraduate degree, Southwestern Adventist University (SWAU), so that meant that at least she had good decision-making skills when it came to choosing schools. However, I didn't give her too much thought after that.

Some time later, I noticed that she said that she was going to drive from Southwestern to Loma Linda, CA. I'm not a big fan of moving or driving long distances, so I wrote her that I wished that I could be of some assistance. I didn't do this as a means of gaining favor. I just wanted to be helpful. She then responded, stating her appreciation for the thought. We corresponded a little bit, then I did something that I don't usually do, I wrote back and said that once she gets settled in Loma Linda, if it would be OK to call her. She said it was OK, gave me her contact info., and I waited. I wasn't anxious as though I was expecting something great to happen. I simply felt good that I was making a new friend.

A few days passed, and I notice that she posted something regarding her being in Loma Linda, and shortly thereafter, I called her. Turns out that she thought I was somebody else when she put in the friend request. There was another Brent that went to Brazil (where she's from) on a recruiting trip for SWAU. She didn't remember exactly what he looked liked, and thought I was that guy. I guess that sometimes our "mistakes" are in fact, God's leading.

We had a good rapport on the phone, and bemoaned the fact that we lived so far apart because we thought it would be nice to hang out sometime. The phone calls continued, and the friendship deepened. Then we discovered that we both had Windows Messenger and webcams, so we thought that it would be fun to actually see each other while we talked on the phone. This was helpful because now there wasn't just a disembodied voice on the phone, there was an image on the screen that corresponded to said voice.

Things progressed nicely because we found out that we have a lot of things in common, not just interests, but also personalities. We understand each other, where we're coming from, where we want to go. I was more reluctant than her to publicly declare our relationship. I'm not exactly sure why, but most likely because I had been burned in the past (not something I want to get into). However, the other night I came to the conclusion that I was just fooling myself, and soon afterward I told her that I was totally committed to making the relationship work. Without skipping a beat, she asked if we should change our status. It was late, so I said that we should do it in the morning, and that was on the top of my list of things to do that day. I must say that I feel better now that it is changed. It's not an ecstatic feeling, just the feeling you get when you do the right thing.

So, I'm asking, and I'm sure she would ask the same, that you keep us in your prayers. We want to do things according to God's will and we want things to work out so that we can be together for an extended period of time, as in, forever.

An Emotional Christian is Not an Oxymoron

During the Bible study at church this morning, one of the things we talked about is the role of emotions in people who are called by God. The subject of emotions is something that has been on my mind for quite a while.

I've done a sermon series of sorts on the subject, mainly focusing on negative ones (anxiety, fear, and anger). I focused on these not because I like being negative, but because the negative ones are the cause of a lot of confusion, esp. in Christian circles. I think that many of us have the convoluted idea that it is bad for a Christian to have strong emotions; that somehow we are to rise above them to the point where we are unaffected. Sadly, such concepts are not found in the Scriptures.

The Bible is full of emotional people, and often God does not chastise them for being that way. A prime example of this is Elijah. During the whole Mount Carmel experience, he was riding pretty high. Shortly afterward, he was pretty low, but did God tell him to get a hold of himself because he had things to do? No, He let him sleep, gave him some food, and let him sleep some more, so that his emotions could recover. Emotions, in and of themselves, are not a bad thing. They are not some sort of design flaw; a glitch in the system. God gave us emotions because He Himself is emotional.

There are many examples of God expressing emotions, even supposedly negative ones. In the Ten Commandments God depicts Himself as "a jealous God", and there are other accounts of Him being angry, sad, vengeful, etc. Many people think that such things are confined to the Old Testament portion of the Bible, that when you get to the New Testament it's all "Gentle Jesus, Meek and Mild". However, a further reading shows that this is far from the truth.

In the New Testament you read about Jesus overturning tables, brandishing a whip, confronting hypocritical leaders, and casting out demons. (I have an active imagination, but even I have difficulty picturing Jesus doing such things with an even tone, and an expressionless face.) You even have Jesus expressing such things as loneliness in the Garden of Gethsemane. Someone once told me that I shouldn't be lonely because I have God with me, but then how does one explain why Jesus wished His disciples would have prayed with Him even for a little while. He had His Father, but He still wanted His friends there as well.

So now you may be thinking, "O.K. I get it. Emotions are not bad, but how do I deal with all these conflicting feelings that I have?"

1. Acknowledge your feelings: Don't think as though you can just dismiss them as though they do not exist. You are just fooling yourself if you think that'll work. It just causes more problems.

2. Try and think as to why you feel this way: This is not always easy because there is often a lot of overlap (your emotions from one thing go into another unrelated thing), but with some practice you can do it. For example, yesterday I was frustrated with myself because I forgot to do something. Then someone asked me to do something small, and I felt angry at them. I wasn't angry with them, I was still feeling the emotions from the previous incident.

3. Be in control: This overlaps a bit with the previous two. Remember that you don't have to do what your emotions tell you to do. Their advice is not always correct.

4. Be under His control: The most important rule. Many times we get emotional when our selfish desires are thwarted. The only way to overcome this is through the power of God. God will help you if you simply let Him.

All this may be an oversimplification of the matter, but it helps me get a handle on this topic. Don't think this is the final word on the matter. Feel free to share where you agree and/or disagree, and what can be changed. Don't worry, you won't hurt my feelings.

Living a Wonderful, or at Least, a Better, Life

Now I'm not one that usually passes around material that has been forwarded to my inbox, but in light of my previous post, I thought this one was worth passing on to you. I mentioned earlier how people are so stressed out about so many things lately. This stress is often warranted, but too many people deal with it in the wrong way (i.e. addictions, violence, etc.). The following is a list of things that we can do that will have a positive effect on our lives and the lives of those around us.

Instructions for a Wonderful Life

1. Take a 10-30 minutes walk every day and while you walk, smile.
2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
3. Sleep for 7 hours.
4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.
5. Play more games.
6. Read more books than you did the previous year.
7. Make time to practice meditation, yoga, and prayer. They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives.
8. Spend time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.
9. Dream more while you are awake.
10. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
11. Drink plenty of water.
12. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
13. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
14. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with his/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
15. Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
16. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
17. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dine like a beggar.
18. Smile and laugh more!
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
20. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
21. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
22. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
23. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about. Don't compare your partner with others.
24. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
25. Forgive everyone for everything.
26. What other people think of you is none of your business.
27. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
28. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch!
29. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful, or joyful.
30. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
31. The best is yet to come....!!!! Imagine the possibilities!
32. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, and show up.
33. Do the right thing!
34. Call your family often...!
35. Your inner most is always happy. So be happy!
36. Each day give something good to others.
37. Don't over do. Keep your limits!

Is It All In Our Heads?

I have all but given up watching the news on TV as of late because the usual bad news is worse than usual, but during the commercial break of my sitcom rerun I switched over out of curiosity. They were talking about the usual stuff: how bad the economy is, how low the stock market is, etc. etc. After they ran their story about how some guy was ranting about how he didn't want his money used to help stupid people keep their homes that they couldn't afford, the news anchor was talking with their financial reporter in the studio. He remarked how it was all the foreclosures that started this whole economic tailspin. What was said next is what really caught my attention.

He mentioned how that he and the reporter often talk about the economy and that he was surprised to find out how many people actually pay their mortgage on time. The reporter then replied with this figure, 92%. (That's right, all this "Mortgage Crisis" is about the 8% of Americans who got in over their head and bought a home they couldn't afford.) The reporter continued and said that this just goes to show how much of today's economy is based on what might happen in the future. Companies, the people who run them, and the consumers that support them, are basically afraid that next month, next quarter, etc. might be worse than the one before and they act accordingly. We basically become a self-fulfilling prophecy; the cause of our own problem. Now I know that this is somewhat of an over-simplification, but you have to admit that if people were a bit less fearful, a bit less stressed out, things could be a lot different. Maybe not on a national scale, but definitely on a personal one.

Recycled Post

I was looking at some posts I had made in the past on another site, and thought that I would put one of them here. The date of original posting is July '06

A Christian Environmentalist is Not an Oxymoron

I was looking at the most recent edition of The National Geographic Magazine, and I came across an article that caught my eye. The title was "Land on the Edge" about the nation's coasts and humanity's impact on them. It featured a number of different stories about people who were making a positive impact (large or small) on the environment where they live.

One person that stood out was a man named Harry Richard "Skip" Frye. Skip is a 64 yr. old surfer in San Diego who, when most people are out surfing, will take the time to pick up garbage that has been left on the beach. What made him stand out most in my mind was an interesting statement he made regarding people's role regarding the environment. He said, "In Genesis, God lays it out. We're in charge of Earth, but we have a responsibility to take care of it."

That statement got me thinking. There are many Christians who think that taking care of the environment is unimportant because God will eventually destroy the earth, so why should we spend time taking care of it when it's all gonna burn anyway. And besides, so the logic goes, shouldn't we be spending our time dealing with people who have a heaven to gain and a hell to shun? In addition, many Christians often do not want to get involved with environmental issues because of the motives of those who are involved, namely those who think that we need to preserve the earth because it's all we got or are ever going to have. I believe that our thoughts should come somewhere in the middle.

Think of it this way. This earth is a house, and God is the owner. We are merely housesitting until He comes back to claim it. Because God is the owner, He can do with it what He wants. However, out of love for Him, we should do our best to preserve His property. What about the other people? They are also living in this house called Earth, and we should put most of our effort into helping them. We would severely criticize the man who puts more energy into remodeling his house than in caring for his family, but at the same time, how can a family truly be taken care of if their house is in disrepair?

There are other thoughts that are related to this, but I'll save them for later. However, I hope this post got you thinking, and I am curious to know what you have to say on this issue.

My Official Entrance into the Blogosphere

I had been thinking about starting a blog for sometime, but now I have finally gone and done it. I have written blogs that were part of other sites, but I've decided to do it this way so that people who are not members of such sites can still read my miscellaneous ramblings.

I chose the title "Educational Litter" because of something that happened when I was in high school. I was walking around campus when I noticed a piece of paper caught in the grass. I picked it up and noticed that printed on it was an explanation to a Bible prophecy. I thought "Hmm, educational litter." and figured that this would be a good title if I ever were to have my own editorial column in a magazine (blogs, as we know them, did not exist at that time).

Today when I went to start this blog, I went through the process only to find out that there was already an account connected to my email address. I went through the password retrieval process, and found out that there was an empty blog with a title involving butter and toast. I deleted it and hopefully nobody will hijack this blog in the future. So if you start to see exceptionally weird posts being posted, you'll know why.