winter

Christmas day greeted us with a blanket of new snow.  Before the snow ended there were about 10 inches of the white stuff covering everything in sight.  This was the first major snow on Christmas day in Western North Carolina in over 30 years (or so we are told).  After several days of dealing with the snow, ice and the cold wintry air that blew in after the snowstorm, you might wonder why someone would dream of a "White Christmas".  As I checked my email, Twitter, and Facebook and talked to friends and family I heard over and over again a myriad of laments about the snow.  I was reminded of a truth the Apostle Paul discovered in his life.  To be content on matter what the circumstances of his life.

Winter has started off as a very brutal season, here in the mountains.  I don't mean to minimize the problems it presents for many people.  The family struggling with heating needs, the widow who cannot get to the grocery store, individuals stranded at airports or even on highways, folks who are missing much needed hours at work are just a few of the realities of what the winter weather has brought into individual lives.  However, if we are talking about a life of difficulty, I don't think any of us would not acknowledge that Paul's life experiences contained more calamity than ours.  Yet he found a way to not be discouraged or have a complaining spirit amid beatings, jail time, misunderstandings, disputes with friends, and some many of the things that would have surely discouraged any of us.  So how bad are my circumstances, anyway?

The truth is "God is in control" and "God is good all the time, and all the time God is good".  So let's find the beauty in our situations and thank the Lord for His presence and guidance even in the most difficult times.

Winter

New morning light

Shows a layer of white

Hiding the dead

Bringing beauty instead

Fence post and tree limb

Clad in a pale skin

Icy and cold

Outlining each fold

Gray curling smoke

From a fire being stoked

Wind blowing strong

Icicles long

Bed covers pulled tight

Embers glow bright

Steam from a cup

Kids bundled up

Frost laden glimpses

Rousing my senses

Reminders I know

Of wintertime's glow

Challenges

These last few weeks have been somewhat of a blur.  As I opened up this blog to write another post, I was amazed to discover that more than a month has passed since my last post. I also was surprised to realize that I had started a previous entry while in Korea and had never completed that effort.   It doesn't seem possible that it has been so long since I last sat down to share.

There is no way to recount or adequately convey all that recent travels have brought into my life.  New friends and faces, old relationships renewed, places visited, foods I haven't even imagined existed, are now a part of my collective life story.  New horizons and new challenges are also a part of my newly revised view of life.

I have now had the opportunity to watch videos of children in Africa listening to and responding to words that came from my heart.  That is an incredible life experience.  I have shared with students and adults in Asia and watched as they were drawn into Dorothy's tale.  How exciting was that?! 

We are now contemplating new story lines, additional markets, and a much wider scope of opportunity.  All of this also brings new and more complex challenges to a plate that in many ways already seemed full.  I wonder if I am up to the tasks ahead. 

I have been drawn back to the life story of Joshua - God's statesmen, general - who had the unenviable task of following Moses as the leader of God's people.  Joshua was thrown into that position in part because he had been one of only two individuals (along with Caleb) to have had the courage to suggest that the "promised land" as within Israel's grasp. Yet the message God had for Joshua was "be strong and courageous, do not be terrified for I am with you".  Out of all the individuals whose exploits are recorded for us, Joshua seems to be one of the least likely to have needed this message.  Still, it is to him that God spoke these words.

One truth I take from this glimpse into Joshua's life experience is that we all struggle with how to deal with the challenges that God given opportunity brings into our lives.  If my life is without challenge then I most certainly am not where God wants me to be.  The fact that I am facing a myriad of challenges does not ensure that I am where I am supposed to be, but their absence would provide absolute evidence that I need to find my way back to His path for my life. 

A second insight comes as I read the account of Joshua's early morning encounter with the "captain of the Lord's army".  Joshua was all about doing what I would be doing, when faced with obstacles and challenges.  He was developing a plan.  In truth, he was seeking God's guidance in developing this plan, but he saw it as "Joshua's plan" for Israel, that needed God's blessing.  This "captain of the Lord's army"  quietly but firmly reminded Joshua that He was not on Joshua (or Israel's) side.  In fact when Joshua asked him "whose side are you on"?  the response was a shocker.  This commander whose alliance Joshua sought was not interested in taking the side of Joshua.  He had His own plan, agenda or "side".  Joshua needed to be on the Lord's side, and not be so consumed with gaining God's favor for his plans.

The challenges of life that I encounter because I am following God's plan for my life will be met and conquered because, it is His plan.  He utilizes His insight and resources to accomplish His purposes.  If I become convinced of this reality, then courage in the face of challenges, obviously larger than than my reservoir of resource, can be my experience. 

I am writing this post from Korea.  We have been here for just over a week and will be leaving in a couple of days.  Our time here has included so much.

I have had the privilege of sharing with nearly 20 student groups from preschoolers to high schoolers.  Joyce has also shared with many of the groups.  Today's events were all held at Central Christian Academy in Suwon.  These were especially interesting because the students were all Korean and were speaking English as a second language.  Sharing with them about such topics as rhyming words, rhyming sequence, and meter patterns was challenging, but they seemed captivated by the books (especially the Dorothy book).

Last Thursday, Friday, and Saturday we were excited to be apart of the ACSI International Teachers' Conference.  There were almost 1000 international educators who gathered from nearly 30 countries.  Both Joyce and I led workshops.  We are thrilled to have been able to meet with some incredible leaders in the International education community.  We learned a great deal and feel we have seen some awesome doors of opportunity begin to open. 

As has been happening in recent weeks, the Lord continues to connect us with individuals who have a desire to minister to orphans and other disadvantaged children.

I opened up this file to post a new blog and discovered that I had never posted this entry.  Rather than complete this, I am posting it "as is" and will post another that will hopefully provide some follow up to these thoughts.