Song Lyrics from the past
09/06/2011
Ever get a tune stuck in your head; well here are a few lyrics from one in the early 70’s that is always playing back in my head.
Well, don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you got till it's gone
They paved paradise to put up a parking lot. I can relate to that. When I arrived in Afghanistan I thought I had been well prepared for what I was getting into. Wow! Not as ready for this as I thought. It was hotter, dirtier, food and water taste worse than I thought. Then got sick the second week and feeling kind of down.(Absolutely everyone gets sick here when they first come) I miss everyone a lot. Then we drove to my job site for the first time, at that point came the real shocker. I have seen pictures, read articles; Dustin has given me second hand experience. But it didn’t really sink in till I experienced it firsthand driving outside of NATO’s Kandahar Air Field. People are living in conditions that seems intolerable to our standards. Granted this is not Somalia bad, they are not starving. But the living conditions and their merger amount of food they exist on. I have posted a few pictures on Facebook and will upload more soon. Anyway August is the celebration of Ramadan to the Muslims. So they fast the first 3 ½ weeks of August during the day. No food or water during daylight hours in temperatures’ over 100’. So they can only work about 6 hours a day then stop and sleep the rest of the day. Why I asked, do they fast the whole month? “So they understand and have compassion on those that are without” was the response. My initial thought was, you are already doing a pretty good job of experiencing that. My point that I want to make here is that I tend to dwell on what I don’t have, instead of what I am blessed with. And life’s experiences are relative to the beholder. I know now that my life experience has always been the cup overflowing, not ½ full. And in America ½ empty people are put to shame by third world standards. Matt’s sermon about grumbling hits home also. So my thoughts go back to the Israelites leaving Egypt and wandering in the desert for 40 years. One for a lack of faith and trust in God, But also for complaining, grumbling and not appreciating what God was doing for them. There is a comical radio commentary that always ends with “Wake Up America”, I guess I should be saying to myself Wake Up Christian. Be thankful, you’re blessed so much and you’re taking them for granted.Dave from Afghanistan
When Your Hut's On Fire
07/18/2011
The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him. Every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect himself from the elements, and to store his few possessions. One day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, with smoke rolling up to the sky. He felt the worst had happened, and everything was lost. He was stunned with disbelief, grief, and anger. He cried out, 'God! How could you do this to me?' Early the next day, he was awakened by the sound of a ship approaching the island! It had come to rescue him! 'How did you know I was here?' asked the weary man of his rescuers. 'We saw your smoke signal,' they replied.
The Moral of This Story:
It's easy to get discouraged when things are going bad, but we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of our pain and suffering.
Remember that the next time your little hut seems to be burning to the ground. It just may be a smoke signal that summons the Grace of God.
Dennis
The Building
06/21/2011
It is amazing being in our new building. I've been working on the website and I hope to have some pictures up soon. Both the building and website are a work in progress, but we are getting there.
After being at the school for 10 years, it sure feels good to have our "own place." I'm excited in the fact that now we have a building that we can use all throughout the week to help the ministry. A place that we don't have to schedule. A place that we can have events and really use it. I'm thankful that we had the school. They were good to us, and it was a good place to start, but I truely feel blessed by God and the direction he has led us.
I think it is wonderful to see the fellowship that takes place both before and after each service. Time that we used to spend setting up and taking down. Stacking the chairs, packing the musical equipment away and loading the truck. Time that is now spent talking with one another. My hope and prayer is that this time will continue to be used to draw us closer together and to show the community and vistitors that we have something special. We have the love of Christ in our hearts and we are not afraid to show it.
Have a great week, as you continue on your journey to become closer to God. Think of the ways that you can use our "new building" to draw others on our walk to be with Him. Thank you for your time. Matt