I crouched next to the concrete patio, dressed in my slacks, heels, and a scarf that matched my blouse and coat, wishing vainly for a hammer. All I had was a metal rod, and I hoped it would be strong enough to do the job. What option did I have anyway? There was no one around to help me; I took a deep breath.

Brenda,* a shut-in, Bible study drop-offs contact who used to be connected with the church in another state until some sort of misunderstandings pulled her away, she has been warming up to me over the past few visits. Every week I find her sitting in the same chair, facing her apartment's north-side sliding door that opens onto the patio. It seems she sits there most of the time, taking in the never-changing view.

As with my other contacts, I've tried to pay attention to any little clues about her interests; two large bags of birdseed gave that one away, so I asked if she was a birdwatcher. Usually, yes, however she explained that her bird-feeder had been taken down a while back for some repairs to be done to her apartment.

And so it was that I came to be crouched down beside Brenda's concrete patio, dressed in my high heels and matching professional attire, pounding one metal rod into the hard December ground with another metal rod for the bird-feeder pole. Maybe it was an interesting sight; I don't know. Maybe Brenda will enjoy reading her study guides when she is not watching the birds; I don't know.

I do know that it was precisely one week before Christmas, and I realized that sometimes smaller, ordinary, every day gifts of caring can mean more than the most beautifully wrapped package under a tree. Sometimes you don't need to deck the halls, you only need to hang a bird-feeder.

"Logic is one thing and commonsense another..."

So said Elbert Hubbard...what a pity we can't all at least possess one of the two.

The epitome of the word "counterproductive" was walking down the street--literally. She pulled my eyes away from the road in front of me as I maneuvered my car along the street that was being steadily pummeled by relentless raindrops. In the pouring, freezing rain, a woman in her slick, work-out, exercise outfit was ambling down the sidewalk...smoking. Perhaps she assumed that, as long as she was smoking to keep down her weight, keeping a regular rate of speed or a fast-paced walk was unnecessary --and she didn't really have to worry about the cigarettes stealing years from her by means of lung cancer since she was about to contract pneumonia anyway.

Sometimes peoples' logic utterly baffles me, I must admit.

It was about 4:00 p.m. as I pulled my car into one of the many vacant parking spaces at the end of the parking lot for a local business. It was a small neighborhood and I was headed to a house down the street to give a Bible study, however I first needed to get into the trunk and retrieve the lesson guide. The less than busy parking lot won the bid for convenience.

Walking to the back of the car, I saw some people standing up by the building, but (unobservant soul that I am) it went in one brain cell and out with the other. By the time I turned to go back to the driver's door, however, a large dog was walking somewhat parallel to my path, and I turned to see a couple burly men approaching.

"What are you doing here?" One of them asked. The other stood there.

"I just needed a place to park...am I in the way?" Since there were only about 25 other empty parking spaces and no other apparent customers, my car certainly presented a serious inconvenience. I smiled. He didn't.

"Who are you with?" The same one asked. The other one still stood there.

Confusion wrinkled my forehead into a question mark for a second. "Who am I with? Well, I work for the Seventh-Day Adventist church over on ___th Street."

He nodded his head. "Just push along out of here," the same one motioned. Mr. Mute still stood there.

"Alright," I said in as amiable a voice as possible, attempting to offset the rather hostile tone of the conversation.

It struck me as funny since leaving was exactly what I was trying to do if they hadn't detained me to play 20 Questions. It also struck me as incredulous that they, standing and watching me get out of my car in a long skirt and long hair, had labeled me some sort of religious worker; hence they deemed my car in their near-empty parking lot a significant annoyance. And the need for two burly messengers and a beefy pit bull to order a 98 lb. teenager away was, of course, undeniable. I mean, my car is a veritable tank and intimidating, I know, but seriously...

Sometimes peoples' logic utterly baffles me, I must admit.

Whistling, Algebra, and Keys

There are three things in life that are persistently impossible for me. Alright, so there might be a few more, but these three head the list of things that render me absolutely incapable. For one, my mouth simply isn't designed to whistle. If God wanted me to, I would have been born with a silver whistle in my mouth. I wasn't. Algebra and refolding road maps almost tie for second place in the list of utterly incorrigible tasks for me, although algebra wins out. I suspect they are related in some way, on some dark, unknown level of conspiracy. Lastly, but by no means less obnoxious on the list of my inabilities, is the use of keys in locks...

No, I am not joking, keys are a riddle to me. Maybe that's why I love them, collect them, and misplace them regularly. No matter how fond I am of keys, how to manipulate one in a lock remains baffling to me. Give me an unfamiliar key and door-lock and you'll have me occupied for long minutes of attempts and reattempts at opening the door. I have said numerous times that someday I am going to learn to pick a lock--simply because it would be faster.

I remember one of my churches to which I was given a key; it was such a thoughtful gesture of them, giving me a key...You would be amazed at the many ways a new key will not open a door. I discovered them all.

To take my idiosyncrasies a step further, the other day I approached a door, my hands full, my brain brimming with more thoughts than it could process at one time. I stood in front of the door with my car keys in hand, clicking the remote 'unlock' button. The only trouble was, I was in front of the church door--not my car. I chuckled with some embarrassment, mentally wishing all doors would accommodate my handicap by opening remotely.

After a few tries, I let myself in with the right key...and I remembered this quote: "Why should the sons and daughters of God be reluctant to pray, when prayer is the key in the hand of faith to unlock heaven's storehouse, where are treasured the boundless resources of Omnipotence?"

Really, why should we be reluctant to pray? Well, if I compare it to my own experience with keys, it's because it doesn't come naturally to begin with--sometimes it takes multiple tries. Besides that hurdle, there's the fact that unused keys always are harder to work in locks...I leave you to draw the comparison there. And on top of that, maybe we don't use our key because we're so accustomed to an automatic, push-button life that we'd prefer prayer-by-remote.

I guess that last one could be the greatest obstacle for me. Prayer means putting our modern, fast-paced life on hold, shutting off the push-button mindset where we do everything by remote, and taking the time for conversation with God. At least for me, that can be very hard to do when life seems to have two paces: fast and faster. However, when I get too rushed for prayer-time, I'm reminded of the command to "Be still and know that I am God;" if that is a challenge for you as well, maybe it's time to prioritize.

For myself, I have a perfect strategy for getting my prayer time in...Every time I stand fiddling with my key in the lock at every door I encounter during the day, I will have long minutes to devote to prayer.

Something to Chew On...

This week's Healthy Holiday Meals program (which I am doing for one of the churches) is--believe it or not--half over already. I have to say it's been both stressful and very enjoyable on my end, but demoing the recipes keeps it engaging for both sides. Turnout has been impressive, all things considered. We've had a full house. While I wouldn't turn anyone away, at this point I am not sure where we would seat them if they came.

The audience is really fantastic; I could not ask for a more enthusiastic, attentive group. I think they might just be too nice to admit that they really don't like some of the recipes, however for the most part I can tell the ones that are "big hits" because all the samples are gone.

So you guys give it a try. Here are some seasonal dishes you might find different and fun. Let me know if you like them; I'll post more recipes from the upcoming nights (including desserts ;) Like I keep drilling the class...Don't be afraid to experiment!

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

1 tbsp. Smart Balance margarine

1 small onion, chopped

4 cups butternut squash, peeled and cut into chunks

1 small apple, peeled, cored, and chopped

1 qt. Vegetable broth (I like Swanson's Organic)

1 ½ tsp. Curry powder

1 Tbsp Chicken-Like seasoning (McKay's, Bill's Best, etc.)--optional

¼ tsp. Salt

¼ cup soy milk

Spike Natural Gourmet Seasoning to taste (like Vege-Sal, just a personal favorite)--optional

Heat Smart Balance in large stockpot with the onion, cooking until soft (about 3 min.). Stir in squash and apple. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, then allow to simmer until squash is soft and tender, stirring occasionally (about 25 min.). Let cool 5 minutes, then puree in blender (in batches, if necessary). Return to pot to reheat before serving, if needed.

Creamy Pumpkin Soup

½ cup chopped onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp. Olive oil

1 (15 oz.) can unsweetened pumpkin puree

1 (15 oz.) can diced potatoes, drained (opt.)

2 cups unsweetened soy milk (Westsoy recommended)

salt to taste

½ tsp. Ground sage

1 tsp. Spike

Sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour into a large stockpot.

Add the pumpkin puree, soy milk, salt, sage, and Spike and cook until the soup begins to boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 4 to 5 minutes. Garnish with sage leaves, if desired, and serve hot. {No More Bull! pg. 219}

Nut Loaf

1 1/4 cup cashew pieces, ground

2 cups Morningstar Farms Recipe Crumbles

1 cup onions, chopped fine, or 2 tablespoons dried minced onion

1/3 cup celery, finely chopped

1 cup bread crumbs (I like Pepperidge Farms, Country Style or Herb Seasoned)

¾ cup soy milk

2 tbsp. Cornstarch

2 tbsp. Chicken-like seasoning

1 Tbsp. Spike

1/4 Tsp. Salt

1 Tsp. Sage

1 Tbsp. Dried Parsley

Mix well in a large bowl. Oil-spray 1 large or 2 small loaf pans. Pour mixture into pan(s) and spread evenly. Bake at 350F for 45-60 minutes or until brown on top. Remove from oven and let sit 10 minutes before serving. {The Optimal Diet, pg. 133}

Green Bean Casserole

¾ cup cashews

3 cups soy milk

¼ cup cornstarch

1 tsp. Onion powder

½ tsp. Garlic powder

1 ½ tsp. Spike

Bragg's Liquid Aminos to taste

1 small can mushrooms

3 cans green beans

French Onions

Blend cashews and soy milk on high for several minutes until completely smooth. Add all seasonings and cornstarch and blend again. Add mushrooms and whiz briefly. Drain green beans well and place in a casserole dish. Pour the blended mixture in over the green beans and work in half the package of French onions. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, spread remaining half of French onions on top, and return to oven for 5 minutes longer.

Chunky Apple-Cranberry Sauce

4 large apples

¼ cup Florida Crystals

2 tbsp. Maple syrup

½ tsp. Cinnamon

¼ tsp. Salt

1 cup cranberries

1 ½ tsp. Lemon juice

Peel, core, and cut apples into 1 in. chunks. Place in large pot with ¼ water and all remaining ingredients except lemon juice. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low and cook covered for 20 minutes (or until apples are tender and sauce is thickened). Uncover pot and mash apples with fork until pulpy. Stir in lemon juice.

...For the rest of your life

In general, I must admit, I have a low opinion of facebook quizzes, surveys, and apps in general. This is not just because I no longer have time to do them but because they have such a tendency toward the utterly frivolous and irrelevant. Who seriously cares "Which Converse Color" you are, or if you are, in fact, a potato? Do any of us need to take a quiz to find out how old we are? Apparently there are too many people with an unlimited amount of time and curiosity, and so there will always be those who must try to determine who they were in a past life or what zombie they will become.

For all their downfalls, facebook quizzes, surveys, and apps do occasionally give one something of a more serious nature to think about. And when I say occasionally I mean very, extremely rarely. However, one of those rare occasions was a question that was on a facebook survey I was filling out.

Let me clarify. Actually, it was a question that was not on the survey I was filling out. The questions were basic and general, things such as "Where is the coldest place you've been," and "Which food describes you best," until I got to one that read: "Do you want to live for the rest of your life?" I chuckled...like I have an option. Then I noticed I'd missed the word "Where" on the above line at the other side of the page. "Where do you want to live for the rest of your life" was a much more understandable question, but it was the one I thought I read that stuck with me.

Is there some option other than living for the rest of our lives? The idea seems to have an inherent contradiction in terms. It seems there simply is no way to avoid living for the "rest" of our lives--not even a car accident or suicide can prevent us from being alive as long as we are alive.

I pondered the notion only briefly before I decided the question wasn't nonsense after all. As I thought quickly past the purely physical and literal approach to it, I suddenly sat back in my chair and turned to make a note on my bulletin board. Immediately I knew I would use it as an illustration in the future.

The thought that struck me so forcefully was how valid the necessary pretext of that question is--that it is possible to not live for the "rest of your life." I know it because I walk streets dotted with houses full of people living pseudo-lives, carrying out their existence more dead than alive. The quip "I hope life isn't a joke because I don't get it" is all too real to them.

This isn't a local concern, however; it's the chronic condition of the human race. If it wasn't, why would so many people chose suicide to end the charade? Why do we drive ourselves in the pursuit of anything and everything that offers to give us hope and meaning--to put "life" in our lives?

Before I turn this into an entire sermon, lecture, or thesis, I'll cut right to the point--the solution. It comes in the form of a Person. In Him, the Word, was life, and He came so that we might have life more abundantly--a life that is alive.

It should follow then that the degree in which we have Him and His word in us is the degree in which we will live...and I mean really live, in its truest sense. I love the way this author puts it:

"The Word of God contains our life insurance policy. To eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of God means to study the Word and to carry that Word into the life in obedience to all its precepts. Those who thus partake of the Son of God become partakers of the divine nature, one with Christ. They breathe a holy atmosphere, in which only the soul can truly live." (White, The Upward Look, pg. 78)

Did you catch that little qualifying word--truly? How much we truly live will be directly proportionate to the amount of "life" we choose to accept from the Word. There is a life that is not living, an existence that is not alive, but it doesn't have to be that way. There is another option, and it is found in Jesus.

So how about your life--do you feel 100% alive? Are there those days when you go through the motions, but you feel more mechanical than human? Has your life felt lacking in meaning, direction, purpose...and life?

Would you like to live for the rest of your life?

Marble Elephants

I love quotes. If you've known me very long, you've probably noticed I post them regularly for instant messenger and facebook statuses; if you took a look around my room, you would find them posted to my wall, on the bulletin board, and on my desk. Some are funny, some are inspirational, and most I can't remember. Still, I'm always on the hunt for new quotes and clever sayings.

So it was that in my recent quote hunting one morning I came across one that made me laugh. Not so much because it was funny...it was ridiculous.

"A fool-proof method for sculpting an elephant: first, get a huge block of marble; then chip away everything that doesn't look like an elephant."

That piece of advice seemed laughable to me. A huge block of marble does not resemble an elephant in any way, shape, or form to begin with, so chipping away everything that does not look like an elephant is likely to leave you with...a large pile of marble chips? Maybe it's just me, but that seems like doing things backwards. It would make more sense to look at a picture of an elephant and chip the marble to match.

Strangely, though, we seem to live our Christian lives with a similar motto.

"A fool-proof method for sculpting a Christ-like character: first, get a huge block of sinful humanity; then chip away anything that doesn't look like Christ."

Isn't is absurd? But tell me you haven't done it. I know I have. I look at a lump of bad habits, thought patterns, and sinful tendencies and think, "If I could just get these things out of my life, I wouldn't have such a hard time being a Christian. Just quit doing this, thinking that...Shape up, Character!" And that's when I set about to chip away every bit of marble that doesn't look like an elephant.

Why don't we quit trying to do it backwards? Progress in our Christian walk simply won't happen by carving off whatever we think doesn't look like Christ. To be formed in His image we have to follow the pattern and pray, "Let this mind be in me which was also in Christ Jesus."

Next time you start focusing on ridding yourself of the bad, try refocusing. Just follow the pattern. And remember, Jesus is the Master Sculptor. Let Him guide the fashioning of your Christian character and it will come out to be a replica worthy of the Original.

New Light

Twilight was beginning to descend on the countryside out my car window as I drove back from working in a town in the north section of my district. I reached to turn the knob on my dash for the headlights and then stopped to look at the vertical selector knob to its right. Of course it wasn't anything new, it had been there the whole time. I don't know how many times in all the nearly 30,000 miles I had sat behind that wheel I had seen the rolling selector knob mutely staring at me from the dashboard .

But for some reason I never used it...not even once. For a few seconds I put my hand back on the wheel and watched the fall colors whiz past in the glory of the last rays of the October sun. I tried to remember what that knob was supposed to do. I wasn't sure. I'd never used it. Why? I wasn't sure of that either. Presumably because I thought I already knew everything the car did. Or maybe it was because I when I went down the checklist of locating all the necessary functions of my car (brakes, windshield wipers, stereo volume, etc.) I found everything I thought I needed--before encountering that odd little vertical selector knob.

I looked back at the knob. It could have been a brand-new addition to my dashboard for all practical purposes. Obviously, since I had been driving thousands of miles without it, it was rather insignificant. That or it was an emergency activation switch to launch my car into oblivion.

Was that to deter me? Of course not. My initial incredulity at the realization that there was actually something about my car I didn't know only stunned me for a second, and then I reached forward again to experiment with my discovery.

Tick. The knob rolled up to a level even with a small white circle beside it. I stared at my dashboard in disbelief and then laughed. For two years I had wondered why, whenever my headlights were on, my dash lights would dim to almost no visibility. A simple flick of selector knob, and suddenly my dash lit up, as bright as the Fourth of July, except in neon green only.

Pushing the selector up one more level added an overhead light that otherwise operated separately. Imagine that. Not only did the knob resolve a known problem, it added an entirely new capability.

For the next several minutes I drove along quietly admiring all my new lights. I couldn't help smiling when I thought how long I'd driven my car without ever trying that particular knob.

Then I thought of my Bible study contacts. I thought of all the people who turn down studying the Bible because they've "already read it from cover to cover." And I drove my car for 30,000 miles thinking I knew everything there was to know about how to operate it. Guess what--there just might be some new light you didn't already know about.

A Fair Trade

You just never know why a person may decide to visit your church. During my surveying today I met a friendly middle-aged woman who told me how she was raised Lutheran, has been one all her life, and has sent her son through about 6 grades of the Lutheran educational system so far. Knowing I was with the local SDA church, she explained how her son is a very dedicated Christian kid, attending church and church school faithfully.

At first I thought she was just telling me all this as a proud mother--when people find out I work with a church they seem to begin presenting their most religious side anyway. She went on to tell me that her son's school offers a yearly certificate to the students who have perfect attendance of Sunday School and church. I nodded, waiting for the punch line: "And he's been awarded perfect attendance consistently for the last 3 years!"

That wasn't where she was going with the story. Apparently sometime not so terribly long ago, the boy found himself upon the horns of a real dilemma. A team performance for a hobby of his was scheduled for Sunday morning, and though he couldn't bear to miss it, neither did he want to lose his perfect Sunday School/Church attendance record. They began to look for some alternative, and found an evening church service on a Saturday. But what to do about Sunday School? Obviously, those are only held on Sunday morning.

Oh wait, there is one exception: The Seventh-Day Adventists. Their "Sunday School" is on Saturday; it's just called Sabbath School. So her son went to Sabbath School at the local SDA church on Sabbath in order to keep his perfect attendance record for his Lutheran church school.

Ingenious. I think it's a great idea. Perhaps the Lutherans could bring about a reformation in private religious education practices. Maybe the Catholic parochial schools could grant merit for students attending Sabbath evening vespers instead of Mass. Mennonite students might substitute attending an Adventist baptismal service for Christian history class. Baptist colleges could possibly grant Public Speaking 101 credit for taking notes on David Asscherick's sermon delivery. Muslim students...well, I think exchanging Ramadan observance for joining a vegetarian fellowship dinner would be an excellent choice.

Like I said, you just never know why someone might be visiting your church. Even if it isn't for any of the above reasons, I hope you make them feel welcome.

Harvest of Blessings

It's fall in Central Illinois, and everywhere you go cornfields are being harvested. Autumn leaves are just starting to show a change of color; pumpkins symbolizing fall festivities squat on every corner. The shrieking winds that accompany the arrival of autumn yield deference to the peals of a church bell. It's small town America at its finest with little trace of finery.

If I have just painted a picture of a quaint country town with religious country folk, it would not be an entirely inaccurate depiction of where I have been working lately. On the surface, one could appreciate the romantic, whimsical charm of the small town atmosphere. The work of a Bible instructor doesn't call for a shallow involvement in any town, however; and the deeper I look, the picturesque scene becomes traced over with reality.

Since I began working in this district I can scarcely get down a single street without being invited into countless homes as I give my survey. The less well-off seem to be the most generous in this respect. Perhaps they just have pity on me as I walk the streets in the increasingly chilly temperatures; in a way, inclement weather is quite an ally.

Sharon* invited me in to talk to her. Already a Christian, she told me how she has struggled to read her Bible; only recently she graduated from a child's Bible to a simple translation of an adult Bible. As health topics came up and I told her about the upcoming cooking school, she informed me that she had been praying God would send a woman into her life to teach her some better cooking to improve her health. We prayed before I left.

Norma* came to the door to answer my survey. In answer to the question, "Have you ever wondered, 'If God is so good, why does He allow so much suffering?'" she responded by telling me she had been asking that all afternoon after finding out that her son had broken his back. She then invited me in to visit, saying that she hadn't at first because she had just decided to get a drink. My coming by, she said, was just what she needed that afternoon and agreed that I could come back to study the Bible with her next week.

So I find that no town is ideal--there is suffering everywhere. There are those who are prejudiced, hurt, confused or simply uninterested. But I have been blessed already this fall to see the promise of two harvests. I am already reaping blessings, and I think that harvest value may be a great deal more significant than the corn being harvested in the field by my house.

"Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!" John 4:35

*Pseudonym

Old News--some history for this blog...

I grew up hoping I could find a mission field where cannibalism was still practiced; it struck me as a thrilling lifework (albeit with a decent chance for an abnormally early...umm...retirement).This was not because I am fearless, don't misunderstand--only this morning a spider robbed me of innumerable years of life from pure fright--it was simply a dream of being a missionary where my work was really, truly needed. I mean, if cannibals don't need you, who does?

Regrettably, I must inform you I have not yet been recruited to such a blood-tingling place as a missionary, however, I have a thrilling mission field nonetheless. I'm moving to a land of unparalleled splendor and adventure--the cornfields of Central Illinois!

Before you scoff (shame on you, you already did...), let me assure you I'm not (entirely) overrating it. Being a Bible worker is an exciting privilege anywhere, and that's what I'm headed to do. Four churches have hired me to spend a year in their area as a Bible worker, and I begin in October.

On a more serious note, I have rarely been so convinced in my life of where God was leading me, so I am looking forward to this experience with a lot of enthusiasm. Soul-winning should, I presume, be the passion of every Christian. Still, the prospect is daunting in many respects since I am new to Bible work and since I know the devil will work over-time now to create obstacles. This is where your part comes in...I am soliciting the prayers of all my friends. If you can't be a Bible worker, pray for a Bible worker. If you are a Bible worker, pray anyway!

So you know I am moving--and that I need your prayers. *smiles* If there is anything else you want to know, questions, comments, or anything, please respond to this note...I am considering starting a blog to keep everyone updated on this new adventure--if anyone is interested. Let me know what you think and if you might follow it.

For those of you who are local, I will miss you immensely...For those in my new district, I am eagerly anticipating being your Bible worker...For those who aren't near either location, I will hope to see you at GYC or some other event soon...And wherever you are, I hope we meet ultimately in heaven.