Again?

So, we just said bye to one fellow missionary family last week. Now this week, another.

I really don’t like this goodbye business. Yet, missionaries have to do it over and over again. It’s a reminder in a way…not to cling to tightly to this world I guess.

Glad for Facebook though. I could not have survived as an Mk twenty years ago. Snail mail would have killed off all my friendships. I’ve been quite blessed to have been born to this generation! I’m also even more glad I serve a God who is sovereign and gives us only as much as we can take. He is so AMAZING!

Little Mexican Fishing Village

I read a friend’s post today about mourning her MK past. It reminded me of a lot of feelings I’ve had over the years about missing the past…reminded me of a poem I wrote a few years back too…

Little Mexican fishing village

Little Mexican fishing village down by the sea

Little Mexican fishing village loved by you and me

We lived our lives, dealt with strife

We thanked God for prosperity…

But times changed, as they are apt to do

Times, changed, greatly affecting me and you

Change brought horses, carriages, money

Things we just can’t live without

Machines, communication, progress

They called it…

Even though drugs and diseases came, too.

Tis said Saint Luke is more progressed

I say Saint Joe’s just fine.

At least it was…

But now, the paleteria’s been painted.

The plaza’s been re-vamped.

And now, for the first time in my life,

The town clock tells the time.

Connection Break

Today, as I tried and failed to revive a dying Facebook chat session, I was reminded of another kind of break in connections. A friendship connection.

I have made so many friends over the years. Illinois, Pennsylvania, California, and Mexico for the most part are sprinkled with friends, family, and acquaintances.  I want to be on a close friend basis with every single one of them…to be there for them and to know what they are going through.

But I can’t. I rely on broken and repaired connections to get me along the social calendar of life.

I hope heaven is like being best friends with everyone. Knowing everything that is going on in their lives and living alongside like that… No, I don’t think so.

I’ll bet it’s better!!

Media Egoism

While egoism has its faults (it’s quite outrageous in many ways!), it’s applicability is a huge support.  Our society gives into our megalomaniac tendencies in so many ways, especially through the media and social networking.

A few years ago, when I first started using Facebook, I definitely began thinking about myself more. I even began to think in “status” mode. Every time I did something, my brain would focus on it as an act by ME. Especially when Facebook statuses could only be Your Name is____.

While I still use Twitter, Facebook, and blog, I realize how they tend to push me to focus more on myself rather than others. Who cares whether I mowed the lawn, think a certain child pop star needs help, or the fact that my history final is going to kill me! Yet, I still put such random self centered statements up for the world to comment on. Companies and organization understand that we have egoistic tendencies and take advantage of them to make money (thus acting in egoism themselves). Even the government takes part by not taxing money we give to charity. The society we live in today makes egoism seem more applicable than ever!

Yet, we must strive to not give in! And  as Christians, we can. By the power of His Spirit, we can focus on God first, others second, and ourselves third.

We must be  the thr33. Let’s do it!

Hear Me Now?

Communication is a wonder. Especially today! We have so many ways, particularly through the internet. Facebook, Skype, twitter, email, you-tube and more! A myriad of elements!

They can be used for good, evil, or neutrality. The question that comes to my mind is are you really communicating?

“The single biggest problem with communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” George Bernard Shaw

Emotions

Sometimes, I wish I could be emotionless. Yet, in an Internet world, emotions are keys. Keys to success or downfall. It all depends how emotions are wielded. You can never truly understand what the human on the other side of the screen is feeling, nor can you fully convey your own emotions.

It’s a high risk enterprise. Yet, we gamble our lives again and again. Sometimes, I wonder is it worth it?I guess this depends on what your purpose is in gambling…will you come out in the red? Or will you rise with victorious black figures?

Pedestal

We all have them.

Someone who we look up to and admire. We’ve all looked to the great ones, whoever they may be. Parents, teachers, stars, athletes; the list is long. They are the famous ones in our world, however big or small that may be.

A month ago, I had an interesting conversation with a friend. She was telling me about her attempts to share her faith with a friend who was quite skeptical. His claims against her faith was that she failed at being good just as he did.

My friend and I talked about how the Christian life is a journey to try to be like Christ, even though we know that in this life we will never achieve it. We desire to become like Him, because we admire Him and are grateful for His saving death on the cross for us. We seek to be good and glorify Him out of admiration, not in search of salvation.

Because my friend was a basketball player, we ended up coming up with a comparison.  It ran something like this…

All basketball players want to be like the great Jordan. Good old number 23.  He’s admired by anyone who’s ever played the game and loved it. Players strive to be him. But they can never be Michael Jordon. No one can. There’s only one Michael.

Same with Christ in a way. Christians want to be like Christ and we try to, but its not gonna happen here on earth. We fail, and try again. Our whole life should just be one extended attempt to be like Jesus.

This week, I wrote on the Facebook wall of one of my favorite YouTube stars. She’s been making videos for the last four years, and is a wife, mom, and professional nurse. She is a hilarious comedienne and has quite a following.  She responded to my comments twice, and I was ecstatic! I admire her for what she does, and find myself wanting to be like her in a way.

I wonder how different would our Christianity be if we channeled our desires to be like the fallible human beings around us to being like HIM.