Beyond The Pale

Wichita Camp

Here is a clip from my clay animation class in Wichita.  They did the work.  All I did was help them shoot it.  They made all the backgrounds and characters.  They did a great job.

Noah's Remix from Tammy Pruitt on Vimeo.

Posted at 11:49 PM in Camps | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Here is a clip from my clay animation class in Wichita.  They did the work.  All I did was help them shoot it.  They made all the backgrounds and characters.  They did a great job.

Noah's Remix from Tammy Pruitt on Vimeo.

                                                  

Ugandan top negotiator urges rebel leader for direct talks

                                                                                                                                                   

www.chinaview.cn                   2008-06-27 21:38:08

                                                                                                                       

KAMPALA, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The Ugandan government's top negotiator has urged Joseph Kony, the elusive leader of the rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) to engage himself more directly in the stalled peace talks mediated and hosted by the southern Sudanese authority since mid-2006.     "The government now wants direct contact with Kony through the chief mediator and UN special envoy," said Henry Oryem, deputy head of Uganda's peace negotiation team and State Minister for International Relations.     Riek Machar, vice president of southern Sudan, and Joachim Chissano, UN special envoy to war-ravaged northern Uganda and former Mozambican President, have been mediating the talks.     "Kony should now take full responsibility of the talks," he added following local media report saying seven rebel negotiators on a 12-member team resigned in protest of the reappointment of David Matsanga as head of LRA's negotiation team in Juba, southern Sudan.     Matsanga was sacked as Kony's top negotiator shortly after the rebel leader snubbed an expected signing of a comprehensive peace deal in mid April negotiated by his delegates for the last 20 months in Juba.     The withdrawn rebel delegates accused Matsanga of misleading Kony not to sign a final peace deal in April. Matsanga in response claimed those members were removed by the order of Kony.     Kony, who has been indicted for war crimes and the crime against humanity by the International Criminal Court, has shunned the peace talks in Juba for fear of arrest. His team based in Jubacan only consult him through satellite phones or venture into the rebel hideout in the jungles at the remote border between Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo for a direct meeting.     The Ugandan side, however, downplayed the effect of the rebel's inside wrangling on the peace process.     The Ugandan government has been lobbying for a joint military solution in the region to the LRA's two-decade insurgency following the recent setback by Kony's dodging the signing, but Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and other officials on the negotiation team noted that a peaceful solution is still open if the rebel leader chooses to sign the final peace deal.     Ugandan army has deployed more troops as well in the north recently to deal with attempted rebel infiltration to the region as Museveni repeatedly assured the people in northern Uganda, which was hit the hardest by the LRA's insurgency, of the region's peace and stability.     The LRA's insurgency has left tens of thousands of people dead and over two million people homeless in northern Uganda before they fled to southern Sudan, then the DRC and recently the Central African Republic.

                                    

Uganda Rebel Negotiators Quit, Further Jeopardizing Peace Talks
By Derek Kilner Nairobi 27 June 2008

Kilner report - Download (MP3)
Kilner report - Listen (MP3)

Eight members of the negotiating team for the Lord's Resistance Army rebel group have resigned. The negotiators said the group's leader, Joseph Kony was frustrating efforts to pursue peace talks with the Ugandan government. Derek Kilner reports for VOA's East Africa bureau in Nairobi.

A column of Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) fighters emerge from thick bush (File)

For the past two years, representatives of the Lord's Resistance Army, or LRA, have been in negotiations with the Ugandan government to end a two-decade-long conflict centered in northern Uganda. In April, the two sides reached an agreement, but the LRA's elusive leader Joseph Kony failed to turn up for the signing ceremony on the border between Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Kony has demanded that arrest warrants issued in 2005 by the International Criminal Court for him and his top deputies be lifted before he lays down his arms. The court wants to prosecute Kony for charges of rape, amputations, and forced recruitment of children during the conflict, which killed tens of thousands and displaced some two million.

Following Kony's refusal to sign the agreement, countries in the region agreed to launch a joint military operation against the LRA, with troops from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and logistical support from Uganda, southern Sudan, and the U.N.'s peacekeeping mission in the Congo. In recent years the LRA has shifted its main areas of activity from northern Uganda to southern Sudan, eastern Congo and the Central African Republic.

Earlier this week, Kony raised hopes that the peace process could continue when he affirmed his commitment to the talks in a rare phone interview with Radio France International. But the resignation of the eight negotiators - two thirds of the mediation team - casts renewed doubt on the prospects of the negotiations.

Ugandan military spokesman Paddy Ankunda says he hopes Kony can be persuaded to sign the agreement reached in April. But he ruled out further negotiation on the contents of the deal.

Joseph Kony, leader of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), answers journalists' questions in Ri-Kwamba, southern Sudan (2006 file photo)

"We hope whoever will stay will tell Joseph Kony to turn up and sign the already drafted agreement," he said. "We are not going back to the process. Because we already have an agreement which he simply snubbed and has refused to sign."

Throughout the peace process, the relationship and the level of communication between Kony and his negotiators has been unclear, raising questions about Kony's commitment to the talks.

We had a great camp in Wichita.  We had around 70 kids come for our fifth camp at Church of the Savior.  Our theme is Love=God.  In the next few days, I will post some of the things the kids did. 

Right now I am really tired and I am going to watch a movie and go to bed.

Remember - BE GOD'S

This is astounding!!!!! My friend Dennis sent me this link. He said it was amazing and he was not kidding. I wonder how long it took this man to do the film. He has an incredible mind.

MUTO a wall-painted animation by BLU from blu on Vimeo.

I just bought tickets for the Midnight showing of Indian Jones.  I loved the action and myth of the previous films.  I hope this one is as good as the others were.  Although many of the films coming out this summer are not new, it is still fun to relive the past.  I do feel much older though because many of the kids in my youth group are clueless when it comes to Indiana Jones.

Here is a clip

This week Prince Caspian comes out which looks great.  I am glad they are finally doing justice to C.S. Lewis' timeless story.  I like them so much better than the BBC's take.  Look and see.

The following video is an amazing tribute to Mothers.

Lately, I have been reading the poetry of Mary Oliver.  She creates wonderful word pictures that allow me to see the wetlands of the East that I love so much. 

Often she writes of the simplest acts of nature but allows us to glimpse the miracle of it all. 

Little Summer Poem Touching The Subject Of Faith

Mary Olive

Every summer
I listen and look 
under the sun's brass and even
into the moonlight, but I can't hear

anything, I can't see anything -- 
not the pale roots digging down, nor the green 
        stalks muscling up,
nor the leaves
deepening their damp pleats,

nor the tassels making,
nor the shucks, nor the cobs.
And still,
every day,

the leafy fields
grow taller and thicker -- 
green gowns lofting up in the night,
showered with silk. 

And so, every summer,
I fail as a witness, seeing nothing -- 
I am deaf too
to the tick of the leaves, 

the tapping of downwardness from the banyan feet -- 
all of it
happening
beyond any seeable proof, or hearable hum. 

And, therefore, let the immeasurable come.
Let the unknowable touch the buckle of my spine.
Let the wind turn in the trees,
and the mystery hidden in the dirt

swing through the air.
How could I look at anything in this world
and tremble, and grip my hands over my heart?
What should I fear? 

One morning
in the leafy green ocean
the honeycomb of the corn's beautiful body
is sure to be there. 

This is the sermon I preached on Sunday - Peace Sunday.  There are a few reflections on Advent week 2.

I love the book of Matthew – especially the birth narrative. When I knew that I was to preach an Advent service from the book of Matthew, I was so excited – then I saw the passage – suddenly I am not so excited after all.

 

I mean seriously, I could preach the genealogy of the first chapter better than John the Baptist. Why, I could even do the happy dance if I could have preached about the wise men seeing a star in the East and going West because they knew where to look for the Messiah. But no – I get John the Baptist. I mean really – who wants to preach repentance in the middle of Advent – Go God!!!!!!!! I ask myself – who figures the lectionary any way.

 

But alas, the fact doesn’t change – the Gospel for today is John the Baptist. Yes, I could have preached one of the other scriptures but they are equally about judgment and stuff. Then I came to our Romans reading and it all made sense – repentance, judgment, wilderness – its all about HOPE.

 

One of the key factors in the birth narrative in Matthew is KAIROS – in the Greek language Kairos is a passing instant when an opening appears which must be driven through with force if success is to be achieved. It’s the fullness of time in God’s purpose – it’s when God acts. The birth of the Messiah was definitely such a time but we also see Kairos here with John the Baptist. In fact, it is the first point on which all four gospels agree. They all mention John preaching in the wilderness a message of repentance. They all mention that Jesus’ public ministry began with John and Jesus meeting in the desert. This is a moment when God pushed through with force to act. NOW that makes me want to do a happy dance!!! So what is God saying to us today?

 

Well let’s see – I don’t think God is telling us to market a new diet called JTB diet – although we could probably market it. Perhaps we could find an example here – there are many modern theologians, ministers and preachers that take a view that miraculous gifts have ceased – much like the religious folks of John’s day. The religious leadership of John’s day was probably just as surprised and aggravated when God’s sovereign activity challenged their presuppositions. It is kind of funny to watch the different reactions when God shows up – much less the Son of God!!!!!!!!

 

All of these things are great points but the thing that caught my eye the most was, “the voice of one crying in the wilderness…” It reminded me of my time in the desert. While I lived in the desert Southwest, a Christian musician moved to my neck of the Navajo reservation and we learned a lot together about wilderness. When Rich first came to the Southwest, I wished he had stayed in

Wichita

. Because with him came hoopla and I liked quiet. However after he had been there a bit, we developed a friendship and we learned about the desert. We would go hiking at Canyon De Shelly and we did a lot of exploring there as well. It was great. We came to realize that the significance of what David Douglas meant when he said, “wilderness is not who resides there, but what we ourselves have left behind in coming.” I think John the Baptist knew this and who could know it better then Christ himself.

 

When I first went to the desert, I went kicking and screaming. I had planned my missionary path well and the desert Southwest was NOT in the plan. However, I knew the Lord had spoken and I went but I was not happy and I let him know as often as I could. Why Oh Lord in your infinite wisdom did you lead me to the armpit of Arizona? Don’t you know, I was supposed to be in Croatia? Do you remember how many languages I had to learn to be a missionary in Europe? Did you forget how many ministries wanted me to work for them? God do they have deity refresher courses – I mean really GALLUP, NEW MEXICO to HOLBROOK,ARIZONA! They don’t even know what a brook is in Arizona!!! You get the picture.

 

I also remember the moment I surrendered to the desert. I remember the moment I realized what a wonderful grace God had allowed me in being there. I repented for fighting what was truly a gift from God. It was a truth Rich recognized as well and allowed him to write, “I’ve come to the desert just to find my way to forever…” I found hope in the desert. I found forgiveness. I found grace there. It was the moment I learned that grace rarely comes as a gentle invitation. More often it is the John the Baptist type grace. The grace of a crazy prophet screaming in the desert – REPENT for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Often grace comes as an assault and we are tempted to run.

 

God’s grace comes sometimes comes like a punch in the nose, leaving us broken and wholly unable to deny our need any longer. We are force to recognize that we cannot escape from our sin. We cannot be imposters because the desert doesn’t allow that. There is nothing to prostitute in the desert – it’s a come-as-you-are party with God. In the desert, we come to the end of ourselves and we are ready to embrace God – that’s what repenting is all about.

We recognize our limitations and our deep need of the Messiah. A prophetic function is served and we are disturbed into accepting the fact that we need a Savior.

 

John the Baptist was absurd and that is exactly where grace bursts forth. That is where God is found. We need to reconsider the way we picture God because God is not what we expect. Our image of God often doesn’t prepare us for a truth realized in brokenness. We need to be shaken out of our expectations.

 

God isn’t what we expect nor is he what Herod expected. Herod the Great – King of the Jews – threatened by a babe lying in a manger. I mean it is rather comical when you think about it. Herod was shaking in his sandals because some astrologers from the East came looking for a baby. It is almost as comical as whom God decided to about the baby first. Imagine – the Messiah is born, angels appear in the sky (who wouldn’t listen to them?) Do you think if they appeared to Herod there would have been any questions? But no – the angels show up to tell shepherds standing in a field of sheep excrement that the King of the Universe is born – the long awaited Messiah and he can be found in a cave wrapped in rags!!!!!!!!!! Go figure! It seems to me that Biblically – what you see is not always what you get – God’s funny like that.

 

The God of the Bible is equally revealed in vulnerability and in triumph because both actions are rooted in love. God’s love is incessantly restless until He turns all woundedness to health, all deformity into beauty, and all embarrassment into laughter.  God is funny like that – He brings hope into impossible situations.

In C.S. Lewis’ tale The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, the little girl Lucy is frightened by the dragon like terrors of the White Witch. But when she hears Mr. and Mrs. Beaver speaking of the lion Aslan, a fierce King who’ll come to put things to right, she’s not entirely sure the unknown danger will be any better than the known. Of this Aslan, the wild promised King, she asks with trepidation, “Is he safe?” and Mr. Beaver, as honest as he is wise, responds, “Who said anything about safe? ‘Course, he isn’t safe! But he’s good! He’s the King, I tell you.”

 

Christ isn’t safe either, but he’s good and he is the king and he shows up in the strangest places. He shows up in the desert to begin his public ministry with a crazy prophet who has questionable food and dress. He is hailed in Revelation as the Lion of the tribe of

Judah

yet when all turn to look they see a slain Lamb. He comes as a leper to St. Francis and St. Francis heart is so full of recognition and joy he embraces and kisses the leper. We have to learn to have those “Oh there you are moments” – where we find Christ in the strangest places. Perhaps in the wilderness, our brokenness, or maybe even in All Saint’s Hall. A few weeks ago the youth helped at Martha’s Kitchen and I saw Christ!!!!!!!! A couple of our youth girls were serving ice cream and a young girl came through the line. The girl attends Marshall High and asked Hannah and Jodi if they attended

Marshall

. Hannah and Jodi said yes. The girl felt ashamed and said that she didn’t want anyone to know that she ate here. Hannah looked at the girl and said, “Well, I eat here too.” The girls then grabbed a plate and they sat down with this young girl. They talked and laughed as only Hannah and Jodi can make you laugh. I saw Jesus!!!!!!!!!!! My heart swelled with love, my eyes burned with tears, and I said to myself, “Oh there you are Jesus.”

 

To find Jesus, we have to come to the end of ourselves, we have to let go of our expectations, we have to look for him and then we have to go to him. It is only then that we understand what John the Baptist meant when he said, “Repent for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

                                                  

Ugandan top negotiator urges rebel leader for direct talks

                                                                                                                                                   

www.chinaview.cn                   2008-06-27 21:38:08

                                                                                                                       

KAMPALA, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The Ugandan government's top negotiator has urged Joseph Kony, the elusive leader of the rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) to engage himself more directly in the stalled peace talks mediated and hosted by the southern Sudanese authority since mid-2006.     "The government now wants direct contact with Kony through the chief mediator and UN special envoy," said Henry Oryem, deputy head of Uganda's peace negotiation team and State Minister for International Relations.     Riek Machar, vice president of southern Sudan, and Joachim Chissano, UN special envoy to war-ravaged northern Uganda and former Mozambican President, have been mediating the talks.     "Kony should now take full responsibility of the talks," he added following local media report saying seven rebel negotiators on a 12-member team resigned in protest of the reappointment of David Matsanga as head of LRA's negotiation team in Juba, southern Sudan.     Matsanga was sacked as Kony's top negotiator shortly after the rebel leader snubbed an expected signing of a comprehensive peace deal in mid April negotiated by his delegates for the last 20 months in Juba.     The withdrawn rebel delegates accused Matsanga of misleading Kony not to sign a final peace deal in April. Matsanga in response claimed those members were removed by the order of Kony.     Kony, who has been indicted for war crimes and the crime against humanity by the International Criminal Court, has shunned the peace talks in Juba for fear of arrest. His team based in Jubacan only consult him through satellite phones or venture into the rebel hideout in the jungles at the remote border between Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo for a direct meeting.     The Ugandan side, however, downplayed the effect of the rebel's inside wrangling on the peace process.     The Ugandan government has been lobbying for a joint military solution in the region to the LRA's two-decade insurgency following the recent setback by Kony's dodging the signing, but Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and other officials on the negotiation team noted that a peaceful solution is still open if the rebel leader chooses to sign the final peace deal.     Ugandan army has deployed more troops as well in the north recently to deal with attempted rebel infiltration to the region as Museveni repeatedly assured the people in northern Uganda, which was hit the hardest by the LRA's insurgency, of the region's peace and stability.     The LRA's insurgency has left tens of thousands of people dead and over two million people homeless in northern Uganda before they fled to southern Sudan, then the DRC and recently the Central African Republic.

                                    

Please Pray

Uganda Rebel Negotiators Quit, Further Jeopardizing Peace Talks
By Derek Kilner Nairobi 27 June 2008

Kilner report - Download (MP3)
Kilner report - Listen (MP3)

Eight members of the negotiating team for the Lord's Resistance Army rebel group have resigned. The negotiators said the group's leader, Joseph Kony was frustrating efforts to pursue peace talks with the Ugandan government. Derek Kilner reports for VOA's East Africa bureau in Nairobi.

A column of Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) fighters emerge from thick bush (File)

For the past two years, representatives of the Lord's Resistance Army, or LRA, have been in negotiations with the Ugandan government to end a two-decade-long conflict centered in northern Uganda. In April, the two sides reached an agreement, but the LRA's elusive leader Joseph Kony failed to turn up for the signing ceremony on the border between Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Kony has demanded that arrest warrants issued in 2005 by the International Criminal Court for him and his top deputies be lifted before he lays down his arms. The court wants to prosecute Kony for charges of rape, amputations, and forced recruitment of children during the conflict, which killed tens of thousands and displaced some two million.

Following Kony's refusal to sign the agreement, countries in the region agreed to launch a joint military operation against the LRA, with troops from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and logistical support from Uganda, southern Sudan, and the U.N.'s peacekeeping mission in the Congo. In recent years the LRA has shifted its main areas of activity from northern Uganda to southern Sudan, eastern Congo and the Central African Republic.

Earlier this week, Kony raised hopes that the peace process could continue when he affirmed his commitment to the talks in a rare phone interview with Radio France International. But the resignation of the eight negotiators - two thirds of the mediation team - casts renewed doubt on the prospects of the negotiations.

Ugandan military spokesman Paddy Ankunda says he hopes Kony can be persuaded to sign the agreement reached in April. But he ruled out further negotiation on the contents of the deal.

Joseph Kony, leader of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), answers journalists' questions in Ri-Kwamba, southern Sudan (2006 file photo)

"We hope whoever will stay will tell Joseph Kony to turn up and sign the already drafted agreement," he said. "We are not going back to the process. Because we already have an agreement which he simply snubbed and has refused to sign."

Throughout the peace process, the relationship and the level of communication between Kony and his negotiators has been unclear, raising questions about Kony's commitment to the talks.

Wichita

We had a great camp in Wichita.  We had around 70 kids come for our fifth camp at Church of the Savior.  Our theme is Love=God.  In the next few days, I will post some of the things the kids did. 

Right now I am really tired and I am going to watch a movie and go to bed.

Remember - BE GOD'S

BLU

This is astounding!!!!! My friend Dennis sent me this link. He said it was amazing and he was not kidding. I wonder how long it took this man to do the film. He has an incredible mind.

MUTO a wall-painted animation by BLU from blu on Vimeo.

Indiana Jones

I just bought tickets for the Midnight showing of Indian Jones.  I loved the action and myth of the previous films.  I hope this one is as good as the others were.  Although many of the films coming out this summer are not new, it is still fun to relive the past.  I do feel much older though because many of the kids in my youth group are clueless when it comes to Indiana Jones.

Here is a clip

Movies

This week Prince Caspian comes out which looks great.  I am glad they are finally doing justice to C.S. Lewis' timeless story.  I like them so much better than the BBC's take.  Look and see.

Mother's Day Tribute

The following video is an amazing tribute to Mothers.

A Wonderful Poem by Mary Oliver

Lately, I have been reading the poetry of Mary Oliver.  She creates wonderful word pictures that allow me to see the wetlands of the East that I love so much. 

Often she writes of the simplest acts of nature but allows us to glimpse the miracle of it all. 

Little Summer Poem Touching The Subject Of Faith

Mary Olive

Every summer
I listen and look 
under the sun's brass and even
into the moonlight, but I can't hear

anything, I can't see anything -- 
not the pale roots digging down, nor the green 
        stalks muscling up,
nor the leaves
deepening their damp pleats,

nor the tassels making,
nor the shucks, nor the cobs.
And still,
every day,

the leafy fields
grow taller and thicker -- 
green gowns lofting up in the night,
showered with silk. 

And so, every summer,
I fail as a witness, seeing nothing -- 
I am deaf too
to the tick of the leaves, 

the tapping of downwardness from the banyan feet -- 
all of it
happening
beyond any seeable proof, or hearable hum. 

And, therefore, let the immeasurable come.
Let the unknowable touch the buckle of my spine.
Let the wind turn in the trees,
and the mystery hidden in the dirt

swing through the air.
How could I look at anything in this world
and tremble, and grip my hands over my heart?
What should I fear? 

One morning
in the leafy green ocean
the honeycomb of the corn's beautiful body
is sure to be there. 

Advent Week 2

This is the sermon I preached on Sunday - Peace Sunday.  There are a few reflections on Advent week 2.

I love the book of Matthew – especially the birth narrative. When I knew that I was to preach an Advent service from the book of Matthew, I was so excited – then I saw the passage – suddenly I am not so excited after all.

 

I mean seriously, I could preach the genealogy of the first chapter better than John the Baptist. Why, I could even do the happy dance if I could have preached about the wise men seeing a star in the East and going West because they knew where to look for the Messiah. But no – I get John the Baptist. I mean really – who wants to preach repentance in the middle of Advent – Go God!!!!!!!! I ask myself – who figures the lectionary any way.

 

But alas, the fact doesn’t change – the Gospel for today is John the Baptist. Yes, I could have preached one of the other scriptures but they are equally about judgment and stuff. Then I came to our Romans reading and it all made sense – repentance, judgment, wilderness – its all about HOPE.

 

One of the key factors in the birth narrative in Matthew is KAIROS – in the Greek language Kairos is a passing instant when an opening appears which must be driven through with force if success is to be achieved. It’s the fullness of time in God’s purpose – it’s when God acts. The birth of the Messiah was definitely such a time but we also see Kairos here with John the Baptist. In fact, it is the first point on which all four gospels agree. They all mention John preaching in the wilderness a message of repentance. They all mention that Jesus’ public ministry began with John and Jesus meeting in the desert. This is a moment when God pushed through with force to act. NOW that makes me want to do a happy dance!!! So what is God saying to us today?

 

Well let’s see – I don’t think God is telling us to market a new diet called JTB diet – although we could probably market it. Perhaps we could find an example here – there are many modern theologians, ministers and preachers that take a view that miraculous gifts have ceased – much like the religious folks of John’s day. The religious leadership of John’s day was probably just as surprised and aggravated when God’s sovereign activity challenged their presuppositions. It is kind of funny to watch the different reactions when God shows up – much less the Son of God!!!!!!!!

 

All of these things are great points but the thing that caught my eye the most was, “the voice of one crying in the wilderness…” It reminded me of my time in the desert. While I lived in the desert Southwest, a Christian musician moved to my neck of the Navajo reservation and we learned a lot together about wilderness. When Rich first came to the Southwest, I wished he had stayed in

Wichita

. Because with him came hoopla and I liked quiet. However after he had been there a bit, we developed a friendship and we learned about the desert. We would go hiking at Canyon De Shelly and we did a lot of exploring there as well. It was great. We came to realize that the significance of what David Douglas meant when he said, “wilderness is not who resides there, but what we ourselves have left behind in coming.” I think John the Baptist knew this and who could know it better then Christ himself.

 

When I first went to the desert, I went kicking and screaming. I had planned my missionary path well and the desert Southwest was NOT in the plan. However, I knew the Lord had spoken and I went but I was not happy and I let him know as often as I could. Why Oh Lord in your infinite wisdom did you lead me to the armpit of Arizona? Don’t you know, I was supposed to be in Croatia? Do you remember how many languages I had to learn to be a missionary in Europe? Did you forget how many ministries wanted me to work for them? God do they have deity refresher courses – I mean really GALLUP, NEW MEXICO to HOLBROOK,ARIZONA! They don’t even know what a brook is in Arizona!!! You get the picture.

 

I also remember the moment I surrendered to the desert. I remember the moment I realized what a wonderful grace God had allowed me in being there. I repented for fighting what was truly a gift from God. It was a truth Rich recognized as well and allowed him to write, “I’ve come to the desert just to find my way to forever…” I found hope in the desert. I found forgiveness. I found grace there. It was the moment I learned that grace rarely comes as a gentle invitation. More often it is the John the Baptist type grace. The grace of a crazy prophet screaming in the desert – REPENT for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Often grace comes as an assault and we are tempted to run.

 

God’s grace comes sometimes comes like a punch in the nose, leaving us broken and wholly unable to deny our need any longer. We are force to recognize that we cannot escape from our sin. We cannot be imposters because the desert doesn’t allow that. There is nothing to prostitute in the desert – it’s a come-as-you-are party with God. In the desert, we come to the end of ourselves and we are ready to embrace God – that’s what repenting is all about.

We recognize our limitations and our deep need of the Messiah. A prophetic function is served and we are disturbed into accepting the fact that we need a Savior.

 

John the Baptist was absurd and that is exactly where grace bursts forth. That is where God is found. We need to reconsider the way we picture God because God is not what we expect. Our image of God often doesn’t prepare us for a truth realized in brokenness. We need to be shaken out of our expectations.

 

God isn’t what we expect nor is he what Herod expected. Herod the Great – King of the Jews – threatened by a babe lying in a manger. I mean it is rather comical when you think about it. Herod was shaking in his sandals because some astrologers from the East came looking for a baby. It is almost as comical as whom God decided to about the baby first. Imagine – the Messiah is born, angels appear in the sky (who wouldn’t listen to them?) Do you think if they appeared to Herod there would have been any questions? But no – the angels show up to tell shepherds standing in a field of sheep excrement that the King of the Universe is born – the long awaited Messiah and he can be found in a cave wrapped in rags!!!!!!!!!! Go figure! It seems to me that Biblically – what you see is not always what you get – God’s funny like that.

 

The God of the Bible is equally revealed in vulnerability and in triumph because both actions are rooted in love. God’s love is incessantly restless until He turns all woundedness to health, all deformity into beauty, and all embarrassment into laughter.  God is funny like that – He brings hope into impossible situations.

In C.S. Lewis’ tale The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, the little girl Lucy is frightened by the dragon like terrors of the White Witch. But when she hears Mr. and Mrs. Beaver speaking of the lion Aslan, a fierce King who’ll come to put things to right, she’s not entirely sure the unknown danger will be any better than the known. Of this Aslan, the wild promised King, she asks with trepidation, “Is he safe?” and Mr. Beaver, as honest as he is wise, responds, “Who said anything about safe? ‘Course, he isn’t safe! But he’s good! He’s the King, I tell you.”

 

Christ isn’t safe either, but he’s good and he is the king and he shows up in the strangest places. He shows up in the desert to begin his public ministry with a crazy prophet who has questionable food and dress. He is hailed in Revelation as the Lion of the tribe of

Judah

yet when all turn to look they see a slain Lamb. He comes as a leper to St. Francis and St. Francis heart is so full of recognition and joy he embraces and kisses the leper. We have to learn to have those “Oh there you are moments” – where we find Christ in the strangest places. Perhaps in the wilderness, our brokenness, or maybe even in All Saint’s Hall. A few weeks ago the youth helped at Martha’s Kitchen and I saw Christ!!!!!!!! A couple of our youth girls were serving ice cream and a young girl came through the line. The girl attends Marshall High and asked Hannah and Jodi if they attended

Marshall

. Hannah and Jodi said yes. The girl felt ashamed and said that she didn’t want anyone to know that she ate here. Hannah looked at the girl and said, “Well, I eat here too.” The girls then grabbed a plate and they sat down with this young girl. They talked and laughed as only Hannah and Jodi can make you laugh. I saw Jesus!!!!!!!!!!! My heart swelled with love, my eyes burned with tears, and I said to myself, “Oh there you are Jesus.”

 

To find Jesus, we have to come to the end of ourselves, we have to let go of our expectations, we have to look for him and then we have to go to him. It is only then that we understand what John the Baptist meant when he said, “Repent for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.”