food for thought

Many of you have asked about the police man....no he hasn't come yet :/ booooooo
I'm reading a few books right now, but I'd like to share a little bit about one in particular. This is for "churchies" and "non-churchies." So don't stop after you read the title of the book!

I'm reading Philip Yancey's "The Jesus I Never Knew." In his chapter on the Beatitudes, he lists Monika Hellwig's "advantages" to being poor:

1. The poor know they are in urgent need of redemption.
2. The poor know not only their dependence on God and on powerful people but also their interdependence with one another.
3. The poor rest their security not on things but on people.
4. The poor have no exaggerated sense of their own importance, and no exaggerated need of privacy.
5. The poor expect little from competition and much from cooperation.
6. The poor can distinguish between necessities and luxuries.
7. The poor can wait, because they have acquired a kind of dogged patience born of acknowledged dependence.
8. The fears of the poor are more realistic and less exaggerated, because they already know that one can survive great suffering and want.
9. When the poor have the Gospel preached to them, it sounds like good news and not like a threat or a scolding.
10. The poor can respond to the call of the Gospel with a certain abandonment and uncomplicated totality because they have so little to lose and are ready for anything.

I love how Yancey sums this up. He says "[...] poor people find themselves in a posture that befits the grace of God. In their state of neediness, dependence, and dissatisfaction with life, they may welcome Gods' free gift of love." NOW try to substitute the word RICH for poor.

Next, he asked himself if his own attitudes more resembled those of the poor or of the rich. I challenge you to question yourself as well.

1. Do I easily acknowledge my needs?
2. Do I readily depend on God and on other people?
3. Where does my security rest?
4. Am I more likely to compete or cooperate?
5. Can I distinguish between necessities and luxuries?
6. Am I patient?
7. Do the Beatitudes sound to me like good news or like a scolding?

Finally, he states “Dependence, humility, simplicity, cooperation, and a sense of abandon are qualities greatly prized in the spiritual life, but extremely elusive for people who live in comfort.”

Be blessed today! P.S. This beautiful picture was taken with the awesome camera my small group gave to me as a going away gift! Love you guys XOXO the flower is about the size of my thumbnail!!

This weekend

This weekend I went on a church retreat. The first ever in Belgium or US. It was a great time. James Moore was the speaker for the weekend. He is an American who has lived in Canada for the past 30 years. I'm not sure how he got connected with the Wavre Church in Belgium.

After the first session on Friday night, I taught the kids how to play NERTS! If you don't know this card game, YOU MUST LEARN IT! They loved it :) Saturday we had breakfast (le petit dejeuner) then the morning session. It was REALLY long. I'm doing OK with my French, but not for too long. My brain blows up when all I hear is French. That leads me to say that I don't like watching T.V. in French. OK back on track....after the long session we had lunch and then a walk/scavenger hunt type thing. It was really neat and very well planned. We probably walk 6 or 7 miles looking for the places that matched the little photos we had. That is was our map! At a few places along the way we had activities to play. The activities were for adults and kids :) At one we had to play this bowling-like game and then call out all the capitals of European countries. At another we had to walk with and egg on a spoon. At another we had to look at a tray of things for 30 seconds and try to remember everything that was on it. Then we had to taste test food blindfolded, while listing all the ingredients of the food. At the end we had a sac race, some snacks, and then we hiked all the way back through the woods! SO FUN :) They did an incredible job.

In the evening we had a praise and worship night. I recorded some on my camera, but it is too big of a file! I can't figure out how to compress it so that I can put it on youtube. Can anyone help me???

So, I mentioned a little about Isabelle. To recap: She is a 15 year old girl who is the youngest of three. Her mother passed away when she was 5 years old. Her brother and sister, who were 11 and 12 at the time found their mother in her room. Isabelle’s father was cheating on her already depressed mother. He also had a history of hitting her mother and siblings.
....she doesn't go to JV because her cousin Rebecca goes. Yeah, who cares? right?? Well, her dad! Apparently her brother ran away from home sometime and didn't have a place to stay. His Aunt (Isabelle's maternal mother's sister) let him stay with her. When her dad found out he was very upset. Isabelle says he won't forgive her Aunt and that they don't speak. She said, if I went to JV and my dad saw my Aunt, I would be in big trouble! grrr that is so sad. Why do kids have to suffer because of their parents issues?

Before lunch Isabelle said she was sad about leaving camp/the retreat. She didn't want to go home because she doesn't like it at home. She said she doesn't like the physical home because it is old and not well taken care of, but also she doesn't like the atmosphere. I'm not 100% sure, but I think they still live in the house their mother died in. Plus she has a step mother that she doesn't like very much.

Well, all in all I am SO glad I was able to meet Isabelle and get to know her. I told her we could hang out some more. We exchanged numbers and messenger addresses. What a sweet girl! Praying for her family situation, her father letting her go to JV, and her faith. So, far I think she has a good head on her shoulders, but she is only 15..so much could happen.

my weekend...the end <3<3<3

P.S. I didn't mention beer in my update because I HATE beer! But, yes everyone drinks beer here. It isn't a faux pas....even at church events..its very different...its just a drink not a substance.