Rasberry Lime

We have made a fatal mistake. In my discussions with Juliana last night (most definitely my favorite freshmen at Roberts Wesleyan College), we came to the conclusion that chocolate, clearly, is not a fruit. We were too delirious with heat stroke that fateful day two years ago to see our error and now, alas!, Julie has been the one to suffer for it.

Before I divulge all the sordid details of the mystery of "The Fruit Factor" (I just made that name up), I must begin with a disclaimer:

The three female landscapers for Cape Organics-Christina, Juliana, and Carolyn-were suffering from severe heat stroke on said fateful day during the summer of 2006.

It all began with Carolyn (my favorite freshman at Houghton College) bringing a Kiwi as part of her lunch everyday and announcing (on more than one occassion) that if she were to be a fruit, she would be a Kiwi. This, of course, began rather deep and intellectual discussions as to which fruit each of us would be, according to personality and life goals, if we were fruits. All in all, this is perfectly natural. For those suffering from heat stroke, that is. For reasons which now seem dim, we decided to take "The Fruit Factor" to the new level of not only figuring out which fruits we would be, but what type of fruit we need to look for in a future relationship. Of course this fruit would have to complement us (if we were fruits of course), and also have all the characteristics which we, as fruits, find so compelling.

The rest, as they say, is history. I'm hesitant to reveal which fruits we decided would describe us and which fruits we decided would complement us. Suffice it to say that chocolate went very well with Juliana's Fruit Factor. Looking back, I can now see that chocolate actually goes quite well with numerous fruits and, therefore, is not a desirable match in the least (this is not counting the aforementioned fact that chocolate is not a fruit). So now, in the absence of heat stroke, our minds have been cleared and we can see how perfect the combination is of Rasberry and Lime.

I now feel like I am more complete as a person after coming to this conclusion. The only thing that remains is for me to find my Coconut so we can start making some Pina Coladas.

All coconuts, please apply to me for a personal interview. Pineapples will only accept Coconuts still attached to the tree. Some restrictions and limitations apply.

It Is Finished

It is finished.

Perhaps some of the greatest three words in history. I'm sure if "I love you" wasn't thrown around at random, those "three little words" might be able to compare to the above. They don't.

It is finished sums up the entirety of life. And I don't just mean in the context of the Cross ('though what greater context is there?). I mean, in the context of every day, those three words finalize, complete, bring closure.

Maybe it's just because I'm slightly obsessive compulsive, the notorious list maker, who glories in seeing my tasks accomplished and saying, "It is finished!" Maybe it's because sometimes, occasionally, frequently, I measure my worth by how much I'm able to do in a 24 hour period. Granted, I'm not half as cumpulsive as when I was in college, riding the rapids of trying to grow into a mature adult. Now that I am said mature adult, I still have my moments of beating myself up for procrastinating, but for the most part, I know that the mind needs these moments too to absorb and refresh.

My Samaritan's Purse application: It. Is. Finished. It is finished and stamped and mailed off as of Tuesday, March 25, 2008. This should have been done three weeks ago. No matter, it is finished now. I'm not sure whether to celebrate or bury my head in a pillow and wait in quiet agony until my response comes back next month. I'm leaning towards the latter. Here is yet another area in which I doubt myself. Which is really quite a ridiculous notion. I know that there is nothing good in me apart from Christ, so why should I worry knowing that He has everything under control? Should I really be concerned one way or another? Whatever happens is apart of something so much bigger than I.

For the moment, I'm trying not to over-analyze the possibilities too much. There are plenty of things I want to do that could be "back up plans." But, I don't really want to go down the road of planning my life so tightly that God has no room to move. Been there. Done that.
If I am accepted, praise God. If I am not accepted, praise God.

Now that I know God's call on my life is to full time missions, I'm much less concerned about what I have to do and much more concerned with what God needs to do. So, in that same breath I can also say unhypcritically that I am trusting Him completely to supply the $1200 I need to pay my taxes.

Yes, my taxes are finished as well. And apart from that $1200 I owe the Federal Government, everything is filed and organized as it should be. All I can do now is sit back and say, "Lord move in a way that I've never seen before/'cause there's a mountain in the way and a lock on the door/I'm drifting away, waves are crashing on the shore/So Lord move/Move me."

And that goes for all of the above.

Vocation

Someone recently told me that it was pointless to pursue my dream of living a life of service in Africa because the whole undertaking was hopeless and I would never accomplish anything. It wasn't the first time I had heard this. In fact, it wasn't the first time someone told me that there was plenty of work to be done here in America and that my efforts would be much more appreciated and effective at home.

This brings up several issues for me. I understand how much poverty, homelessness, and brokenness permeates our society. I understand how frequently it is brushed under the carpet and ignored. I understand how much work needs to be done here at home. I understand and I am involved in a great many outreach initiatives while I am still here. However, just as some people have a desire to pursue a career in the field of engineering or teaching or law or medicine, so some have callings to travel internationally and fulfill work that needs to be done abroad. One cannot point the finger at a teacher and tell them that they would be more effective as a doctor because there are so many sick people that need care, as there is just as great of a need for teachers. Futhermore, one cannot point the finger at a teacher in a small town and tell them they would be more effective teaching in an inner-city school because there are so many troubled children in need of good teachers, as there are just as many children in need of good teachers in a small town setting.

It all comes down to calling. It makes me wonder how many people in our current popular culture take into consideration the idea of vocation. When one is choosing a career, is it based on monetary gains and a "getting paid for having fun" mentality? How many people actually consider where they can be most effective with the skills that they have?

Frederick Buechner once described vocation as "the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet." Do all the good you can for all the people you can whenever you can. For some that may mean supporting small business development, as the company for which I work now. For others, it may mean giving up material possessions and working with AIDS victims and refugees in Eastern African countries.

There is too much work that needs to be done for one person to accomplish, but that never stopped Mother Theresa or Florence Nightengale or Winston Churchill from abandoning their visions.

If one is blessed enough to have a clear sense of their calling in life, shouldn't every step be taken to acheive it?