creative: all things new

Well, the Earth is completing one more lap around the sun, and it's time to celebrate. Then it's time to start all over again. Put like that, it sounds monotonous. The same old winter, spring, summer, fall; rainy season, dry season; days, nights; breakfast, lunch, dinner; and so on.

But for most of us, these cycles are actually refreshing. Why? Because they are never actually the same. We grow older, wiser, move to new places, meet new people, have children, have new life experiences, and so on.

See, God is making all things new. The crappy things don't have to stick around forever. We also might lose some of our comforts, because when we are uncomfortable, we grow, experiencing completely new things or experiencing old things in new ways. God is making all things new, and we are also making all things new, because God commissioned us as co-creators as we steward this Earth. So go, create, re-create, and have a blessed new year!

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
‘See, the home of God is among mortals.
He will dwell with them;
they will be his peoples,
and God himself will be with them; 
he will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
for the first things have passed away.’
And the one who was seated on the throne said, ‘See, I am making all things new.’
Revelation 21:3-5a

giving it all away

Well, it’s Christmas Eve. I didn’t write anything super Christmas-ey, but I thought I’d just share a brief reflection as I’ve been reflecting on the life and impact of my Grandma Elsie, who passed away recently. At 97 years old, she lived a long, full life. While it’s hard to see her go, the time she spent with us was beautiful, and I’m glad she’s with Jesus now.

Grandma loved to crochet, and she was a one-woman scarf and blanket factory. A few examples:

She, with assistance from my Grandma Betty and my Mom, put together a beautiful granny square blanket that took tremendous effort. Indeed, many couches and beds in our family are adorned with blankets crafted by the crochet master herself. Each year, all of the kids in my Mom’s (her daughter’s) elementary school class took home a handmade scarf for Christmas, courtesy of Grandma Elsie. Grandma crocheted baby blankets for newborn children of friends and family, and for stillborn babies as a comfort to the mothers and families of the lost child.

Her impact was far reaching. She touched the lives of so many people – so many people that she would never have the opportunity to meet.

Crocheting was one of her gifts, and maybe even a calling. At her funeral, the pastor said something that really struck me. She crocheted so many things, and what did she do with her work?

She gave it all away.

This kind of giving was not like: I have so much and you have so little, so here you go; but was out of a posture sheer joy and abundance. This kind of giving looks more like: this is what I do, and I want to bless you with it.

I think that’s one more characteristic of a calling that I’d like to tack onto my ever-growing list. It’s a part of you that’s so valuable, and yet so abundant, that you can’t help but give it away, to the glory of God and all people. Maybe there is a Christmas message in there after all.

I hope this is true for my calling, and I pray it is true for yours.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:1-2

creative: one in seven

This is a poem I wrote during our US-2 midterms back in September 2014, which was a time for the missionaries in my class to come together in NYC for a time of reunion, reflection, and equipping. During one session, we were asked to write a short poem or prose about Sabbath, and this was my response. I pray we could all find a little more time for Sabbath in each day and each week.

One in Seven

Six days of the week are planned, scheduled, outlined, and detailed. The alarm rocks me to consciousness at 7:00am. These days are crammed with meetings, works, chores, duties, things to be excited about and things to deplore. It’s a race – can I get everything done that I said I would do before it’s time for lights out, tap out, conk out?

One day,
just one,
in seven is left,
set apart,
unstructured.
I finally get to sleep in!
With nothing but a blank slate ahead of me,
I get to decide with God what we will do together today.
My biggest responsibility is to make sure I get the rest and rejuvenation I need.

But that’s a huge responsibility in itself. It becomes a burden to set aside that time. I permit commitments and responsibilities to slowly leak in, crowding out the Sabbath, breaking the plan for having no plans.

But why do I allow this day called holy to become much like the other six?

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If you refrain from trampling the sabbath,
   from pursuing your own interests on my holy day;
if you call the sabbath a delight
   and the holy day of the Lord honorable;
if you honor it, not going your own ways,
   serving your own interests, or pursuing your own affairs;
then you shall take delight in the Lord,
   and I will make you ride upon the heights of the earth;
I will feed you with the heritage of your ancestor Jacob,
   for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.
Isaiah 58:13-14