This is a great book that tackles some tough questions head-on. It is a quick read, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to digest. If I had to sum up my thoughts in one sentence it would be something like this: If you’re an American then you need to read this book. I say that because it seems that most Americans (including myself) think we deserve so much. We have become spoiled and for some reason taken on this great sense of entitlement. If this is you then this book will definitely challenge you.
Altrogge does a great job handling the issue of contentment from a biblical perspective. One thing that has bothered me for the past several years are those pastors who tell us that God’s blessing includes good health and lots of money. Have they never read the Bible? Now that this book is out there those guys have no more excuses for leading people down that path.
If you’re at a place where you feel like getting your hands on one more material possession, or that “perfect job,” or the right boyfriend or girlfriend, or whatever, will make everything better for you, then I challenge you to pick up this book. Before you read it pray that God will soften your heart and then read it carefully. But be aware, you will be confronted with some tough words, and it just may change your life.
When I asked NavPress to send me this Jerry Bridges book, I wondered to myself, “How can I possibly write a review of one of his books?” Bridges is an authority on weighty topics of the faith, and this book is no exception. One thing I love about his books though is that he takes a tough topic and makes it easy to understand. Grace is one of those things that we, as Christians, talk about all the time, but I fear we never really understand what it is all about. If you fit into that category, then you need to read this book.
Bridges begins the book by talking about the “Performance Treadmill” and how we are conditioned, as believers, to still think that doing good things is part of what grace is all about. It only takes him a few pages to tear down this myth. He uses Romans 3:10-12 to remind us that none of us are any good, none of us seek after God, and that all of us are worthless. That is a tough pill to swallow, but unless we understand this we cannot understand why we need grace.
Once he tears us down, he then begins to build us back up and explain to us why grace stands on its own. He does a masterful job explaining grace to us by using Jesus’ parable from Matthew 20 about the generous land owner. Anything I can say here will not even scratch the surface of this book. I absolutely recommend this book to everyone who says they’re a Christian. I will warn you though; you may have a hard time not being convicted while reading it.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NavPress Publishers as part of theirBlogger Review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
The True/False Film Festival made its summer debut this past Saturday with the first ever Boone Dawdle. The Boone Dawdle consisted of a bike ride on theMKTandKatyTrailsfromColumbiato the Les Bourgeois Winery inRocheport(a 20 mile ride), a nice dinner at the winery, and then a showing of the documentary film, Best Worst Movie. At the conclusion of the movie the Boone Dawdlers were taken back toColumbiaon shuttle buses where they were able to pick up their bikes which were magically transported back to town.
If you readmy postearlier in the year about True/False, then you know that I worked as a volunteer with my friend Rob as part of his Tourniquet Team. Rob asked me to take part in the Boone Dawdle and my job was to transport all the bikes from Les Bourgeois back toFlatBranchParkinColumbia. Rob provided me with a team of people, aPenskeRental Truck, a few ideas, and the rest was up to me. I had a great team and with their help, along with several other folks along the way, we somehow transported 155 bikes from the winery to the park in about six hours. I know at some point there was some doubt as to whether or not this was even going to happen, but after a lot of hard work, a few blisters and bruises, too many bottles of water to count, and a whole lot of sweat, the mission was completed.
Saturday was a long, tough day, but it was also tons of fun. I don't know about you, but accomplishing something that seems impossible is good for my soul. I felt good when we got done and it really seemed like we had conquered something. Maybe that's my ego talking, but there was some kind of satisfaction that working this event brought to me. It was also fun to be able to do this with my wife Janice, who was part of my team.
Since Saturday, I have been trying to think of how I can "spiritualize" this whole thing. How did volunteering at this event help further God's Kingdom? How did my involvement at the Boone Dawdle help someone see Christ? I mean, I didn't stop and tell anyone about Jesus. I didn't open my Bible and read Scripture to anyone after they checked their bike in with my team. So how was my involvement a witness of who Christ is in my life?
Wouldn't you know today I received my daily email from John Fischer, an old Jesus Movement guy from the 70's who is still around singing, writing and changing the world one email at a time. He is a guy who believes that Christianity and "culture" can and should come together and he talks about this in very practical ways. He has been on this topic for awhile now and today he put out a list of what he called "10 Prerequisites for being effective in the marketplace." He also called it a "manifesto for global change." So, to avoid the risk of plagiarizing John, I'm just going to copy and paste in his whole email from today. So here it goes:
10 Prerequisites by John Fischer
An ongoing theme of the Catch of the Day has been a Christian's place and testimony in the world. Much has been done in the last 20 years to damage a credible and trustworthy image of Christians in society. The attempt of Christians to gain an influence in culture using tools and weapons that are not of the Spirit of God has been costly to the gospel in that those who so desperately need the hope the gospel provides have been driven away by the fear and anger of those who should be carriers of that hope.
We know that Jesus did not come to condemn the world (John 3:17), but most of those whoare not Christians today are convinced his followers did. We have exchanged the good news of the gospel for the bad news of a culture war, and the battle continues to rage in many sectors and in many minds. In light of this, The Catch is seeking to help advance a different worldview and redefine a Christian's role in society.
Today I share with you a work in progress-a new manifesto for global change. Reflect on it. Comment on it. Pray over it. We will be looking more deeply into all 10 of these as the days go by, but this will get us started.
"For as he thinks in his heart, so is he." (Proverbs 23:7) What you think ultimately effects who you are.
10 Prerequisites for Being Effective in the Marketplace
1. A personal understanding of my own sinfulness
2. An overwhelming sense of God's grace for me, and for everyone else
3. A heart that forgives and forgets
4. An absence of agenda
5. An expectation that God is already in the world (I am joining Him there, not taking Him there.)
6. A sense of the church as the Body of Christ Universal
7. An insatiable curiosity for all that is not yet known to me
8. A belief in the intrinsic value of every human life
9. An assumption that I have something to learn from everybody
10. A deep and abiding desire for everyone to know what God has done for them through Christ
So there it is. After seeing this, everything came together. Especially number 5. Who am I to think that I can take God out into the world He created? How about I get off my duff and meet him there. Lots of people associated with True/False know that Rob and I and several others are part of Karis Church, and I know they respect what we have done for them. The fact that we can come to the table with no agenda (See #4) and work our tails off has to speak to these folks. So many believers have to "spiritualize" things instead of just getting out there and getting their hands dirty. I have even heard people say that the culture cannot be engaged. Well I beg to differ! We were engaged on Saturday.
Here is the bottom line: You will never win someone to Christ who doesn't like or respect you. I guarantee that if any of the folks we served with on Saturday ever have questions about Christianity I'll bet they will think of us if they decide to talk to someone. That is what engaging the culture is all about. As I continue on this journey I hope you will join in in some way. We live in such a great city. There are so many ways to serve. Find something that hits on one of your passions and get involved. Christ can change hearts and he can change our city and He wants to do it through us, but it can't happen if you're on the couch.
I put this blog post up last year after we returned from camp. I was looking through these photos and thought I would re-post them. This is the fifth year that Janice and I have been involved with Camp CUMCITO together, and I am really missing being there. The kids will arrive tomorrow (Monday) at noon. The staff is there now doing on-site training. Please pray with me this week for the staff and all the campers. I have been told they are expecting a full camp which means 48 boys and 48 girls. There will be a total of 12 cabins with 8 kids and 2 counselors per cabin.
I will be making the trip over to camp on Thursday afternoon to spend a few hours there, but I'm already looking forward to next year when I will be able to be back there serving with Janice and all of our camp friends. As I hear news from camp this week I will try to keep everyone posted on what to pray for.
NavPress sent me this book about six months ago to read and review and I have had a tough time trying to figure out what to say about it. Not because it has nothing to say, but because it has so much to say that I don’t know how to review it in just a few words. I must say that since receiving this book I have devoured it.
Yes, this book does have a funny title by a guy named Stoner, but you will realize quickly that his play on words is serious. This is a book about how out of control God is, out of our control, that is. He is passionate, compelling and dangerous, Yes, I did say dangerous. This book reminds us that we’re in the middle of a battle, and while God is good, He is not safe.
Stoner does a great job of exposing the EmergentChurch movement and reminding us that when it comes to God’s standards, there is to be no compromise. He looks at what Rob Bell has to say in his book Velvet Elvis and compares it to what the Bible says, and I think his conclusions will upset many Bell followers, but you can’t argue with Scripture.
So, do we as a church need to engage the culture? Yes. But, not at the expense of God’s standards. All I can say is that you should read this book. The fact that it is written by a lay-person and not a “theologian” was also very refreshing. This is one of those books that can change the way you think about a lot of things if you will let it.
I do have one criticism for the author. He makes a brief mention of Mark Driscoll from MarsHillChurch in Seattle. It sounds like from his footnote on page 281 that he thinks Driscoll and Bell are part of the same church, just in different cities. Make no mistake about it, the only similarity between Driscoll and Bell is the name of their churches. That is where it ends. Mr. Stoner, if you see this, please note these guys are in no way connected.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NavPress Publishers as part of their Blogger Review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
I posted this last year on D-Day, but it is always good to see this each year to remember what our brave soldiers did. And who better to explain it than one of the greatest Presidents ever. Enjoy and remember.
FROM LAST YEAR:
Today is the 65th anniversary of D-Day. Take a look at the speech Ronald Reagan gave 25 years ago at Point-du-Hoc. No one can say it quite like the Gipper. Let us not forget the men who sacrificed all so we can be free today.
Last week I had the once in a lifetime opportunity to sit in the cockpit of a B-2 Stealth Bomber and take it for a spin. OK, so it wasn't a real B-2 Bomber, but it was a real life B-2 Stealth Bomber Simulator.
Only three B-2 Simulators exist in the world and they are located at Whiteman Air Force Base near Sedalia, MO. Whiteman AFB is home to the 509th Bomb Wing, which is the only B-2 Squadron in the world.
So, I probably owe you a little background on how I got this opportunity. I belong to the Whiteman AFB Base Community Council. This is a group of folks from different cities all over Missouri who come together each month and support the men and women who live and serve at Whiteman. It is an opportunity for us to come out and meet them and let them know how much we appreciate their service to the country, and we also offer support, especially to the young airmen, at Whiteman. For instance, free tickets to Cardinals games to the airmen each year. Free tickets to the MO State Fair. Free tickets to various concerts, etc. Each month a different community is featured at the luncheon and Council members from that city get a chance to go on the flight line and get an up close tour of a real life B-2. Also, four people from the featured community get to go fly in the B-2 simulator.
Now I've been a member of the BCC for about three years, and my first simulator ride was scheduled about 2 1/2 years ago. A few days before my scheduled flight the B-2 Bomber, The Spirit of Kansas, crashed during take-off from Guam as it was heading home from a training mission. When the crash occurred security was tightened for all aspects of the B-2 program and my simulator ride was cancelled.
At some point the tours and simulator rides were re-opened for BCC members, so all that was left was the waiting. Last month, Columbia was the featured community at the monthly luncheon meeting, but I was not one of the four chosen to go on the simulator ride. I did, however, go on the flight line tour and that was an amazing experience. Now if you've ever been to an air show, and you've seen a B-2 Bomber parked on the ramp, you have probably noticed that you can't get very close to it. And you can also only view it from the front. I found the reason for that is because the back of the plane is the most secret part. You may ask, "What is so secret about the back of the plane?" My answer is, I really don't know, but part of the tour I got was a complete walk around of the airplane, including the back. Now I was privileged to take this tour, as only a few civilians get this opportunity. I also got some time to talk to one of the B-2 pilots and he shared some perspectives on flying the B-2 that was very interesting to me, being the huge aviation geek that I am.
So, fast forward a couple of weeks. I sent an email to the Public Affairs office at Whiteman, which is the standard way to RSVP for the monthly meeting, and I asked if there was any way I could get on the simulator tour, even though my community was not being featured. The answer, of course, was no. I was told I could go on a waiting list, but there was little hope I would be able to go because each featured community never had a problem filling the four available spots.
A week before the April 1st meeting, I got a phone call from Public Affairs. They informed me that there was indeed an open spot for the simulator tour and they wanted to know if I was still interested. My response was, "Let me think about it for a day or two, and I'll get back to you." Now if you believe that's really what I said, then you don't know me at all. I really said, "You bet I'm still interested! Count me in!"
So after the luncheon, four of us were loaded into a van and driven to the 509th Bomb Wing Headquarters Building, which is where the simulators are located. Our phones and cameras were confiscated and we were taken through several layers of security to get to where the simulator was located. If you remember the opening from the old TV show Get Smart, that's what the security layers reminded me of. We were also introduced to Lt. Col. Dave "Super Dave" Anderson, our "Mission Commander" for our flights. Super Dave just happens to be the longest-term B-2 pilot who is flying today. He was actually part of the very first class of B-2 Bomber pilots and he was trained by the original B-2 test pilots. Super Dave was also the guy who dropped the very first "Bunker Buster" bomb in Baghdad during the Iraqi war. He also very much enjoys his job as a B-2 pilot and flying with him, I think, made the whole experience even better.
I was 2nd in line for the simulator ride, and the whole experience was really a "sensory overload." I walked down the stairs and across the catwalk to the simulator and once inside I crawled into the pilot's seat, which surprisingly enough was quite roomy. I was surrounded by all sorts of screens, gauges, switches and knobs, and Super Dave gave me a 2 minute tutorial of the ones I would need to fly this thing. I also had to adjust my seat so the rudder pedals (which really aren't rudder pedals) were at a comfortable place. The "rudder pedals" were actually one of my biggest surprises. The pedals are used for ground steering, but are not needed for flying. Look at the plane and you'll see it doesn't have a rudder, so I guess it makes a little sense. There is also no tiller for nose-wheel steering like a typical airliner. It is all done with pedals.
So Super Dave gave the simulator operator the command to unfreeze the simulation and I proceeded to taxi to the runway. I realized quickly that the pedals were very responsive and it seemed pretty easy to handle on the ground. As I pulled onto the runway I got the nose gear on the center line and I then applied full brakes. Super Dave had me hold the brakes tight and I pushed the throttles to full power. This was where I got the real sensation that the full motion simulator was just like the real thing. I could not only hear the four engines spooling up, but I could also feel the aircraft shaking as it was ready to get moving. At Dave's command I released the brakes and off we went down the runway. The realism in what we saw out the window was unbelievable. I could even feel the seams and bumps in the runway as we were performing our takeoff roll. Super Dave said not to worry about anything except to keep it straight on the runway and pull back on the stick when he gave the "rotate" command. Before long we were airborne and the landing gear was on its way up. I immediately was told to put the Bomber in a hard right turn as we climbed out. I turned about 270 degrees and we flew back over the runway we had just lifted off from. In this hard right turn I was again reminded that this was a full-motion simulator. I could even look out the window to the right and see what was behind me as we were making our turn.
The B-2 Bomber is equipped with a short stick that sits on a pedestal between your legs. The stick is easy to operate and it is all you need to steer the aircraft once you're airborne. Remember what I said about the "rudder pedals?" Each pilot also has their own throttle control on the left. Again, this differs from most airplanes with a shared throttle in the center of the two pilots.
I climbed to an altitude of about 1000 feet and kept the throttles at full power. We then proceeded to do a low high speed pass over the nearest city. That meant we went down to about 300 feet. At this point I have no idea how fast we were going. My job at this point was to avoid crashing into buildings.
After the low pass we climbed to 5000 feet and we then went looking for a KC-135 tanker so we could get some fuel. The process of getting attached to the tanker was not easy. A series of light commands on the KC-135 told us how close to get and how far forward we needed to be. Again, the realism was unbelievable. As we tucked ourselves under the tanker you could hear its engines. About the only thing visible through the windshield was the KC-135. With help from Super Dave I was able to get connected to the tanker. Once connected the task of keeping the B-2 in this small area was overwhelming. I quickly realized that I was over-correcting the airplane and tragedy would soon ensue. Super Dave grabbed the stick and got me back on track. With all his years of piloting the B-2 this was just another day at the office.
What remained of the flight was done at night as the simulator operator switched things up on us a little. It was a full moon and lots of stars present as Super Dave talked me through a touch and go back at home base. He allowed me to work the throttles and the stick and I lined it up for a final approach. He talked me through what to look for and whether to add more or less speed brake controls. It seems when landing there is not much if any throttle adjustment. You control your speed with the speed brakes. I was able to touch down on the 1000 foot mark on the runway and Super Dave said that I "greased it in."
Now that we were on the ground I had to retract the speed brakes and push the throttles back to full power, all while keeping the airplane on the center line with my feet. Super Dave called out my speed and when he gave the "rotate" command we were once again airborne. We circled back around the field and came back in for another landing. This time it was a full stop landing. My landing the second time was not quite as smooth, but it was still pretty good for a guy who had never flown a plane before.
As I was climbing out of the seat, Super Dave commented that I looked like a kid in a candy store. I told him he had no idea how great a privilege it was for me to fly the B-2 simulator. And it truly was a privilege. I'm sure there are many things I have left out of this experience, but it was such an overload of the senses that there is just no way I can do it justice here in just a few words. The one thing I do know for sure is that we have the greatest military in the world. It's good to know that guys like Super Dave are sitting in the cockpits of airplanes like the B-2. These are the guys who help keep us free and safe in the U.S. and I know I don't thank them enough.
Recap video from the 2010 True/False Film Fest. Boxcar Films worked all weekend to finish this video and premiere it before the closing night film "Last Train Home" on Sunday night. The song in the video is "Birthday Song for Bridgegirl" by Capybara.
So it only took me a little over four years as a Columbia resident to figure out that the True/False Film Festival is pretty darn cool. This past weekend Janice and I were neck deep in the festival, and we had a great time.
Before this weekend if someone were to ask me about True/False I really would have no idea how to answer. I never had any idea just how engulfed our city becomes with the True/False madness, but after experiencing it for the first time, I can say now that I understand.
For those of you that don't know, True/False is a film festival that focuses on documentaries. While other film festivals have documentaries as part of their festivals, True/False has ONLY documentaries. The film makers that make documentaries prefer this environment for a couple of reasons. First, at other festivals their films are usually over-shadowed by feature films and the stars that show up at those festivals to walk the red carpet for the cameras. People will see the documentaries while they're there, but oftentimes they watch the films when there is nothing else better to do. At True/False the festival-goers are there specifically for documentaries. Second, the film makers love Columbia. They love the small town and the community that welcomes them in with open arms. They love the feeling they get when they see that over 600 volunteers are there pulling this festival together. They love walking down the street and being asked by festival-goers to tell them why they made their film.
We were recruited by Rob Gaskin to be part of the "Rob Squad." (aka "The Tourniquet Team") We were a group of nine who were ready to jump in at any venue that needed help with anything. I found myself doing everything from finding a roll of tape, to ushering people to their seats, to carrying a 300 pound projector up the back steps (3 flights!) of the Missouri Theater with five other guys. (That was the highlight of the weekend! No joke!) We were armed with radios and comfortable shoes ready to go to any venue when the call came. We worked quickly to solve problems and to use our crystal balls to see into the future to try and stop problems before anyone knew there were problems. This was the first year there was a team like this at the festival, and I think some veteran staff members were a little skeptical. But I think we impressed a lot of people.
So Rob is a friend of mine that goes to Karis Church with me. I've known Rob since we first met at Karis over two years ago. As a matter of fact, I think he was the first person I met at Karis. Rob was hired by the Festival this year to head up this "Tourniquet Team," and his thought was to staff it with Karis folks. This was important for Rob because we, as Karis, are located in the downtown area and we feel a close connection and a real love for our City, and when you love something you want to serve it, and serve it well. So what a better opportunity to serve our City by serving at the Festival.
I didn't really understand the importance of this, or really even think about it, until early Sunday morning. I volunteered to make a couple of airport runs during the festival along with serving on Rob's team. I got to pick up a film director in St. Louis on Friday evening and I got to take a festival celebrity to Kansas City Sunday morning. So, at 5:15 am on Sunday, I picked up Jonathan at the hotel so he could make his 8:30 am flight to Los Angeles. When he got in my car he immediately thanked me for volunteering to drive him two hours one way at 5am. Then he asked me, "How did you get involved with True/False and why are you doing it?" So I told him about Karis Church and the "Rob Squad." I told him that we were a group of people that loved Columbia and we just wanted to be there to serve our City. His response was probably one of the funniest things I've ever heard. At first he just sat there with his mouth wide open. Then he said, "You mean a church is out doing practical things and serving a film festival? No f*****g way! Whoops, I guess I shouldn't cuss in front of you!" He then went on to tell me about Los Angeles where he lives and how churches there are so self-focused and that there was no way any church there would ever do what we were doing. Now who knows if that is really true, but that is at least his perception. Then he thanked me for being part of a church who was not afraid to step out of our own little comfortable box. (Not his exact words, but that was what he said in a nutshell)
So I'm hoping that Jonathan got a little better view of Christianity on Sunday morning. Not that I have it all figured out, but I feel like somehow he got to see something a little different than what he is used to seeing.
The bottom line I think is this: I don't know that most of the people involved with True/False would be folks that I would normally hang out with. Many of them probably have a whole different set of views than I do in many areas. Many of them are probably much more liberal than I am, and there are probably many social issues that we wouldn't see eye-to-eye on. But, this weekend none of that mattered. All weekend we had this "we're in this together" attitude. While carrying the 300 pound projector up the narrow staircase of the theater our views about the world didn't matter. My goal was to serve these folks, and to do it well. By doing this I think a lot of respect and trust was earned and it undoubtedly has given us some credibility with many folks. Now that many have seen us in a different light this weekend, hopefully their thoughts about us are something like, "Those Rob Squad guys are from that cool church that meets in the Tiger Hotel," instead of "Who are those weird people who meet at the Tiger every week?"
These words are probably poorly written, and they probably don't make a lot of sense because after a long weekend I am very tired, but I wanted to capture some thoughts while they were fresh on my tired and weak mind. Here are some words from Chris Tomlin to kind of tie all this stuff together:
You're the God of this City You're the King of these people You're the Lord of this nation You are
You're the Light in this darkness You're the Hope to the hopeless You're the Peace to the restless You are
There is no one like our God There is no one like our God
For greater things have yet to come And greater things are still to be done in this City Greater thing have yet to come And greater things are still to be done in this City
There is no one like our God There is no one like our God
For greater things have yet to come And greater things are still to be done in this City Greater things have yet to come And greater things are still to be done here
After many years of designing, planning and building, the Boeing 787 finally took flight yesterday in Everett, WA. Here is a video highlighting a few minutes of the flight that lasted 3 hours and 4 minutes. If you want to see the flight path click here.
I must say that this book was kind of a let-down for me.I started this book with high expectations but I quickly realized that this book did not run too deep in its thoughts and it seemed to make many obvious points.I was also disappointed that a book from NavPress would lack spiritual content. It also seemed as if the author used this book as a commercial for his company which focuses on mentoring, which I guess is his prerogative as the author.
On the positive side, I will say that if you have never been involved in mentoring, either as a mentor or as someone being mentored, this book would be a great place to start as it gives the basics of the process.
I do like the way that Stoddard ends the book with his advice on how to get started with a mentoring relationship.His advice is, “Just do it.”Yes, it is simple, but some people need this kind of simple push to get started.
This book would be great to use with a group of co-workers as a way to break the ice with them if you’re interested in building relationships at the office.But, if you’re looking for some deep and meaningful discussions with a small group at church, this is not the book for you.
Back on November 17th I had the opportunity to attend the annual Fall Firearms Festival which is hosted by Todd Burke of Tactical Specialties. My brother Mike and nephew Jonathan came up from Tulsa and accompanied me to the event. We had a full day of training and shooting and we had a whole lot of fun.
One of the highlights of the day was shooting Todd's H&K MP5 fully automatic 9mm assault weapon. This photo shows me and Jonathan with our loaded magazines waiting for our turn to shoot it.
We went through 5 different training events and many of them we got to do more than once. Here is a breakdown of what we did:
EVENT 1 will be a static shooting line emphasizing marksmanship skills and familiarity with your pistol. This is not a scenario and everyone will begin at this event.
EVENTS 2, 3, and 4 are scenarios that simulate real-world self defense applications in your home or in a public place.
EVENT 5 will be a scenario that simulates personal defense with a shotgun.
Jonathan wants to go into law enforcement so he really enjoyed the day and he is also pretty good with his gun.
Todd had a whole group of instructors there to teach us in all the events and each one of them gave us some new insight on how to be a better shooter. I was glad to be able to attend and I'm looking forward to joining Todd for more training in the future.
Imagine having to flee from your country because a corrupt government was going to arrest you due to your religious beliefs
Imagine fleeing to another country where you knew no one and living in a refugee camp where you were served one small meal each day.
Imagine living in this camp for up to 15 years with thousands of other refugees while you were waiting for another country to accept you as a refugee.
Imagine standing in a line each day with thousands of other refugees and only 300 per day are chosen to be moved to other countries.
Imagine being chosen one day and the next thing you know you’re on an airplane and being sent someplace you have never heard of, where you knew no one, and you didn’t speak the language.
Imagine arriving in this new city and all you have are the clothes on your back and the family members with you.
Imagine that you’re moved into a small apartment and told you have been given 5 months of rent, and after that you are on your own.
What would you do?Can you imagine this happening to you?
For a sizeable group of people here in Columbia, they don’t have to imagine this scenario because they have lived it.Most of us probably don’t know that we have a population of Burmese Refugees here in Columbia.What I have described above is the story that I was able to piece together from a conversation some of us had the other night while we had dinner with four of these families who have recently arrived in our city.Fortunately one of the guys spoke pretty good English so we were able to communicate with him.The other folks spoke no English and this gentleman was able to translate for us.
My heart was broken for these people and I really feel despair for them as I think about what the future holds for them.From what I understand the State of Missouri works with the federal government and allows some of these refugees to move into our state.But, they are only given help with rent for 5 months.They also receive food stamps and Medicaid.During this 5 month period, they are expected to get a job so they can fend for themselves.But, how do you get a job in a place where you don’t speak the language?Not to mention the fact that the job market right now is in bad shape.
So all of this begs the question, what can we do?
I think there are all kinds of ways to help out these folks, but I think we should focus on some really easy practical things.I will offer 2 suggestions:
Hang out with them and work on teaching them conversational English.This is a practical thing we can do and it will help them work toward self-sufficiency.If they know English they will have a much better chance of getting a job.
Spend time showing them around Columbia and introducing them to the culture.For instance, get them a bus pass and show them how the city bus system works.Or, take them to Wal-Mart and show them how to shop in America.Any “life-skill” you can show them would be helpful and practical.
I had lunch with my pastor and friend Kevin Larson yesterday.One of the things we discussed was “Lifestyle Shalom.”What does that mean?
At our church, KarisCommunityChurch, we have what are known as Community Groups.Community Groups meet throughout the week all over town and share a meal, study the Bible, and pray for each other.Also, once a month, each group participates in a Shalom Project.These projects vary from group to group, but our group’s Shalom Project is meeting with these refugee families each month.But, the point of Shalom is not to do a project once a month to check off the list, but to be actively involved with a project all the time.This could mean different things for different people, but the idea is to be involved in your community in a meaningful way throughout the month.It means making Shalom part of your life.
My whole point is that we live in a city where we have several opportunities to serve and make a difference.Working with these refugees is just one way to be involved.I would urge you to find something you’re passionate about and get involved.It is easy to have fun while you’re making a difference.
Janice and I have been featured on the U.S. Cellular volunteer page on the company's intranet for our time working at Camp CUMCITO. Unfortunately you can't view this page since it's on our intranet, but here is what it looks like.
Volunteer Spotlight
Tom Seagraves, Business Account Executive in Missouri
This summer Tom volunteered more than 180 hours with Camp CUMCITO (City Union Mission's Camp In The Ozarks), an organization that provides weeklong summer vacations to hundreds of low-income children each year. Tom and his wife Janice have been volunteering at the camp for more than four years. "Tom truly embodies the spirit of volunteerism," said Nathan Waddell, Missouri Director of Sales. "Through his time and energy, he has given some very deserving young people the opportunity to take part in the fun of summer camp. More importantly, Tom has played a big role in helping these young people to create some very positive memories that will last a lifetime and will help them to believe in something better."
Most of you know I work for U.S. Cellular as a Business Account Executive. They are a great company to work for and I enjoy my job. Recently the company rolled out the Battery Swap Program. I really didn't think it was that big of a deal, but since the roll out all my customers have been really excited about it. Today I activated a new customer in Southern Missouri. When I was explaining Battery Swap to him he said, "You need to tell everyone about this. This is a great program!"
So, why haven't I thought it is a big deal? Because U.S. Cellular is so customer focused that I guess something this big is just another thing we do to serve our customers. It is kind of "par for the course" with all the other stuff we do.
But, after the comment I got today from my new customer, I thought maybe I need to brag a little bit about this program. So here it goes:
Check out our website explaining Battery Swap here:
Here is a copy of the press release that was issued:
Company News
U.S. CELLULAR LAUNCHES FREE BATTERY SWAP PROGRAM
Customers can switch out their phone battery in any U.S. Cellular store
CHICAGO, May 19, 2009 – Today U.S. Cellular launched its Battery Swap program, where customers can come into any store and change out a dead or dying battery for a fully-charged one, for free. U.S. Cellular is the first wireless company to offer this service.
"Our Battery Swap program is a convenience for people who depend on their wireless devices as their lifelines, such as business people, parents, not to mention heavy users who drain their battery daily," said Jay Ellison, executive vice president and COO of U.S. Cellular. "We’re offering this service to help our customers stay connected whenever they need it."
Customers no longer have to worry if they are at work, running errands or travelling and forgot their charger. If their battery starts to run low or dies, they can go to a U.S. Cellular store and swap it for a fully-charged one.
There are some things that you can do to extend your battery life that you might not be aware of. Turning your cell phone off while charging not only will help extend the life of the battery, it also acts as a reset similar to your computer. Power cycling, or turning the cell phone off and then on again, will allow your cell phone to use the optimum tower for its location and clears the cache of the phone. If you get stuck on a screen or have problems texting, power cycling often helps. If these options don’t work for you, then it might be time to swap it for another battery. A brand new battery normally costs about $40.
"This simple idea is just another way for us to give our customers that added peace of mind that their phone will always be there for them in case of an emergency, "Ellison added.
About U.S. Cellular The 9,000 associates of U.S. Cellular believe a wireless phone enhances people’s lives and a wireless company should be in the business of bringing people together. U.S. Cellular has a wide range of monthly plans, including those with unlimited nationwide calling, unlimited free incoming calls and options to prepay. The company has a growing catalog of phones like the BlackBerry® Curve, HTC Touch Pro and the touch-screen Samsung Delve, which offer e-mail and Web access. Based in Chicago, U.S. Cellular is the nation’s fifth-largest full-service wireless carrier, serving 6.2 million customers across the country. To learn more about the company visit one of its retail stores or uscellular.com.
This is Antuwan, a friend of mine I met at Camp CUMCITO in 2006.
When Janice and I started serving at camp back in 2006 I served as a counselor. We were working at pre-teen camp that year which is for 11 and 12 year olds, and Antuwan was one of the guys in my cabin. We had a tough week. He was the guy at camp that year that caused the most problems and he tried very hard to get under my skin.
Even though that week was tough for both of us, we have remained close. He told me last year that I have been the one of the few people in his life that hasn't given up on him. Last year I was able to stop by camp during Teen Boys week and see Antuwan for a couple of hours. Then last fall I went to Kansas City on a Saturday and took Antuwan and another guy from camp to Power Play, as well as the Camp CUMCITO fall retreat. Then again yesterday I was able to stop and see him for a couple hours at Teen Boys Camp again. This was after he called me this past Saturday night at 11pm asking me if I was going to come see him again at camp.
Antuwan is a guy with a big heart which I have seen in action several times, but he also has a hard outer shell. I have a close bond with him because of the time we have spent together, and he told me yesterday he knows I care about him. I'm going to continue to model friendship and grace to him and hopefully my friendship with him will help him as he continues his journey in life.
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