InfiniteQueso

Quite a Different House

2012-01-23T09:06:00.000-06:00

Dolmabahce Palace – Istanbul, Turkey

“Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to build that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on: you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of—throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were going to be made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.”

~C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Thanks, Nancy :)

Go See 'Red Tails' This Weekend!

2012-01-19T08:08:00.000-06:00

George Lucas struggled for 23 years to make the movie “Red Tails.” The film is based on the true story of the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African American military aviators to see combat, during World War II. The film is patriotic, inspirational, and action-packed. It features top-of-the-line special effects. It stars Terrence Howard and Cuba Gooding, Jr.

And Hollywood won’t touch it with a 10-foot-pole.

Why? Because it features an all-black cast. Black protagonists. Black supporting cast. White people are peripheral to the story.

It’s not a story about the plight of African Americans and how a noble white person entered their world and saved the day. (See “The Blind Side,” “The Help,” etc.) It’s an old-fashioned, American-flag-waving war movie. The heroes just happen to be black.

Here’s a trailer for “Red Tails”:

When Lucas couldn’t find a Hollywood studio willing to foot the bill for the production of the movie, he decided to finance it himself. Once he had a finished product in hand, he went back to the studios to seek financing for marketing and distribution. Still, not one studio was interested. “We don’t know how to market this movie,” they said. So Lucas put up his own money again.

Now George Lucas’ movie-making style is not known for subtlety. I haven’t seen “Red Tails” yet, but I’m not anticipating Oscar-worthy dialog or nuanced story-telling.

I do, however, want to support this movie (and I want you to support it too!) for several reasons:

Lucas said he wanted “to make [a movie] that was inspirational to teenage boys.” For this mom of two pre-teen boys, I love him for that!

Hollywood creates precious few portrayals of heroic, young black men. Americans of all races would benefit from watching African American males on screen who aren’t thugs, crass sidekicks, misogynistic hip-hop artists, or magic Negros.

I hope Lucas makes a boatload of money from the movie. I appreciate the emotional, professional, and social investment he has made, and I want it to pay off.

I want to honor the Tuskegee Airmen.

Just to tick Hollywood off. I understand: the movie-making industry is a business first and foremost. Studios need to make money. But to not take a risk on this story, when every year they choose to invest in dreck like “Take Me Home Tonight” or “Bucky Larson: Born To Be a Star” instead, is unconscionable.

It looks like a great popcorn movie.

How can you support the movie “Red Tails?”

The movie opens this Friday, January 20. Go see it this weekend (on Friday if possible). Hollywood places a great value on opening weekend box office receipts. Take your friends and your older kids. (The movie is rated PG-13, “for some sequences of war violence.”)

Tell everyone you know about the movie! Tweet about it, post about it, email about it, text about it.

If you do see the movie and like it, give it a favorable rating on a popular site like Rotten Tomatoes.

To find out more about the making of this movie, watch this Jon Stewart interview with George Lucas:

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Thoughts on MLK’s “Letter From Birmingham Jail"

2012-01-13T07:10:00.000-06:00

This weekend our nation will celebrate one of our history’s greatest leaders, Martin Luther King, Jr.

Photo Credit: Bettman/Corbis, History Channel

Earlier this week, my friend Kristy mentioned a blog post featuring a quote from MLK’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” I had heard quotes from the letter before, things like, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” and "Justice too long delayed is justice denied." But I had never read the whole thing through.

So I did.

And as I read, I marveled at the brilliance of King's writing. But more than that, I was inspired by his incredible leadership.

And yet, I was grieved as well. Grieved that almost 50 years after the letter was written, we still have so far to go. Grieved particularly that white American evangelical Christian leaders like the recipients of the letter—like myself—have often fallen behind the curve in matters of racial justice, or even been on the wrong side of the battle altogether.

Would you join me in celebrating MLK’s birthday by reading his famous letter? I’ve excerpted the portions that particularly struck me, below. To read the letter in its entirety, click here. If you are unfamiliar with the context of the letter, this short Wikipedia entry will help bring the letter to life.

Excerpts from MLK’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail”:

…I must confess that I am not afraid of the word "tension." I have earnestly opposed violent tension, but there is a type of constructive, nonviolent tension which is necessary for growth...

…I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not…the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to "order" than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice…

…We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the vitriolic words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people. We must come to see that human progress never rolls in on wheels of inevitability. It comes through the tireless efforts and persistent work of men willing to be coworkers with God…

…I felt that the white ministers…would be among our strongest allies. Instead, some have been outright opponents, refusing to understand the freedom movement and misrepresenting its leaders; all too many others have been more cautious than courageous and have remained silent behind the anesthetizing security of stained-glass windows…

…In the midst of a mighty struggle to rid our nation of racial and economic injustice, I have heard many ministers say: ‘Those are social issues, with which the gospel has no real concern.’ And I have watched many churches commit themselves to a completely other worldly religion which makes a strange, un-Biblical distinction between body and soul, between the sacred and the secular…

…There was a time when the church was very powerful. It was during that period that the early Christians rejoiced when they were deemed worthy to suffer for what they believed. In those days the church was not merely a thermometer that recorded the ideas and principles of popular opinion; it was the thermostat that transformed the mores of society. Wherever the early Christians entered a town the power structure got disturbed and immediately sought to convict them for being ‘disturbers of the peace’…

…Things are different now. So often the contemporary church is a weak, ineffectual voice with an uncertain sound. So often it is an archdefender of the status quo...

…But the judgment of God is upon the church as never before. If the church of today does not recapture the sacrificial spirit of the early church, it will lose its authentic ring, forfeit the loyalty of millions, and be dismissed as an irrelevant social club with no meaning for the twentieth century. Every day I meet young people whose disappointment with the church has turned into outright disgust…

...I hope the church as a whole will meet the challenge of this decisive hour. But even if the church does not come to the aid of justice, I have no despair about the future. I have no fear about the outcome of our struggle…

…Let us all hope that the dark clouds of racial prejudice will soon pass away and the deep fog of misunderstanding will be lifted from our fear-drenched communities, and in some not too distant tomorrow the radiant stars of love and brotherhood will shine over our great nation with all their scintillating beauty.

Yours for the cause of Peace and Brotherhood,
Martin Luther King, Jr.

It’s not too late for us. We could still turn things around. We can choose to humble ourselves, to listen and learn from our minority brothers and sisters. We can restore honor where there has been shame. We can use our voice to speak for the voiceless, wield our power on behalf of the powerless.

And in so doing honor the name of Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Name we worship alongside him, Jesus Christ.

Surge in Number of Chinese Students at American Universities

2012-01-11T23:16:00.000-06:00

Photo source: BBC America

In the past two years, the number of Chinese students studying at American colleges has increased dramatically. While India held the top spot as supplier of American international students for the past decade or so, now China has catapulted far beyond them in numbers of students sent.

At major universities in Ohio, Chinese make up almost half of all international students studying there.

Another twist: Most of those new Chinese students are undergraduates. This introduces an entirely new demographic dynamic on a campus.

Why the surge? Some of the reasons:

More Chinese students than ever before are applying to colleges in their home country. However, the supply of spots available at Chinese universities has not kept pace with the demand.

The U.S. government recently relaxed the restrictions on the number of student visas granted to Chinese citizens.

China’s one-child policy allows Chinese parents to focus their resources on a single child’s education. That plus the growth of the Chinese middle class makes an overseas education option more viable.

American universities are increasingly motivated to create a diverse culture on their campuses.

But the driving factor in the huge increase in Chinese students? Money. Most Chinese parents do not apply for financial aid, but pay their child’s full tuition. For an American university system struggling to make ends meet, there's a huge financial incentive in recruiting and enrolling more Chinese undergraduates.

(On a related note...International students contributed over $21.2 billion to the U.S. economy in 2010.)

The exponential increase in Chinese undergraduate enrollment at U.S. colleges carries huge missiological implications, particularly for those of us who work in a university environment. I’ll be fascinated to see where this trend goes.

Most statistics taken from Open Doors 2011, a collection of data gathered by the Institute of International Education and release to the public in November 2011.

To read an interesting MSNBC article about cottage industries (and corruption) cropping up around these trends, click here.

To watch a 5-minute video produced by BBC America on this subject last year, click here.

2012 IQ Book Club Selections

2012-01-05T21:42:00.000-06:00

Wow! Y’all overwhelmed me with the many amazing suggestions for biographies to read this year, via comments, emails, and Facebook! I could probably create three years worth of great books to read…thank you!

That made it very difficult to narrow down the list to twelve, however. I eliminated some suggestions because I had read them before. Some by their length, so we could try to finish them within the month. Some because they were difficult to obtain a copy of. But most went on my Amazon WishList to read some day, even if they didn’t make the cut this year. (And I may have to try to squeeze in Tina Fay’s Bossypants during this year, even while I’m reading these others.) As I often bemoan: “So many books, so little time.”

So here’s the proposed schedule for the 2012 InfiniteQueso Book Club: Year of the Biography:

JANUARY: The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom

FEBRUARY: The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr. edited by Clayborne Carson

MARCH: A Heart for Freedom: The Remarkable Journey of a Young Dissident, Her Daring Escape, and Her Quest to Free China's Daughters by Chai Ling

APRIL: Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand

MAY: My Invented Country by Isabel Allende

JUNE: Little Princes: One Man's Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal by Conor Grennan

JULY: Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light (The Private Writings of the Saint of Calcutta) edited by Brian Kolodiejchuk

AUGUST: Girl meets God: On the Path to a Spiritual Life by Lauren Winner

SEPTEMBER: Zeitoun by Dave Eggers

OCTOBER: A Chance to Die: The Life and Legacy of Amy Carmichael by Elisabeth Elliot

NOVEMBER: Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust by Immaculee Ilibagiza

DECEMBER: Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas

I hope you’ll join me in reading some or all of these books. Happy reading in 2012!

IQ BOOK CLUB: Gilead

2011-12-31T10:18:00.000-06:00

Gilead by Marilynne Robinson just became one of my favorite books of all time.

Reading it was like eating a super-rich dessert: One part of me wanted to consume it slowly, to just hold it on my tongue and savor every bite. But the other part of me relished it so much I couldn’t stop stuffing my face!* Now it will take me a while to digest.

I knew very little about Gilead before I picked it up. I remember reading reviews of it when it came out in 2004. I knew it won the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, as well as the National Book Critics Circle Award. I had a vague idea it touched on religious themes. Several friends recommended it.

But it was nothing that I expected.

I loved it as a Christ-follower. I loved it as someone who serves in full-time ministry. I loved it as a child, sibling, spouse, and parent. I loved it as a friend. I loved it as a human.

At first I kept thinking, Oh, I wish I had read this when it first came out! How have I gone this long without reading it? But then I realized I wouldn’t have appreciated nearly as much in 2004 as I did now, in 2011. It also made me wonder how much more I might appreciate it in another 7 years. Or 14. Or 21.

I realize I haven’t said much about the actual book. I find myself at a loss. I think I’ll simply leave you with some of my favorite quotes (it was nearly impossible to narrow down to these)…

“I’m writing this in part to tell you that if you ever wonder what you’ve done in your life, and everyone does wonder sooner or later, you have been God’s grace to me, a miracle, something more than a miracle. You may not remember me very well at all, and it may seem to you to be no great thing to have been the good child of an old man in a shabby little town you will no doubt leave behind. If only I had the words to tell you.”

“Well, but you two are dancing around in your iridescent little downpour, whooping and stomping as sane people ought to do when they encounter a thing so miraculous as water.”

“Grace has a grand laughter in it.”

“Love is holy because it is like grace--the worthiness of its object is never really what matters.”

“People talk about how wonderful the world seems to children, and that's true enough. But children think they will grow into it and understand it, and I know very well that I will not, and would not if I had a dozen lives.”

“I don't know exactly what covetise is, but in my experience it is not so much desiring someone else's virtue or happiness as rejecting it, taking offense at the beauty of it.”

“The Lord is more constant and far more extravagant than it seems to imply. Wherever you turn your eyes the world can shine like transfiguration. You don't have to bring a thing to it except a little willingness to see. Only, who could have the courage to see it?”

“’He will wipe the tears from all faces.' It takes nothing from the loveliness of the verse to say that is exactly what will be required.”

“There are a thousand thousand reasons to live this life, every one of them sufficient.”

Who else loves Gilead?

*I finally decided I would purchase a copy of my own and read it again, next time at a more leisurely pace.

Funniest Tweets of 2011

2011-12-29T10:57:00.000-06:00

So I recently ventured back on Twitter. For the most part it’s been a positive experience. I do love stumbling upon random things like this:

HappyPlace.com recently posted “The 50 Funniest Tweets of 2011.” Here were my top 10 favorites:

To view the entire list, click here. Warning: many of the top 50 are quite offensive.

InfiniteQueso Book Club 2012: The Year of the Biography

2011-12-27T08:25:00.000-06:00

Thanks so much to all of you who joined me throughout the year for the InfiniteQueso 2011 Book Club! Although I experienced a couple of lows, overall I’m thrilled with how the “Year of the Great Novels I’ve Never Read” turned out.

I finally got around to reading classics like To Kill a Mockingbird, gained a new obsession with the Harry Potter series, and lost myself in stories from other cultures and times. And I’m still finishing what might be one of my favorite books of all time, Gilead. (Official review coming soon.)

I debated about continuing the book club another year. I’m not always the most sober judge of my personal capacity. But if I learned anything from this past year, it’s that if I don’t have some kind of external motivation, I often don’t get around to those important-but-not-urgent things…like reading great books!

So for 2012, I’m hosting “The Year of the Biography.” I still haven’t decided how many books I’d like to tackle or even which ones. That’s where you come in…

I want you to help shape my 2012 Book Club!

These are the books currently at the top of my list:

The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom

The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas

A Chance to Die: The Life and Legacy of Amy Carmichael by Elisabeth Elliot

But you get to influence the rest of the list! What are your favorite biographies? What biographies have you always meant to read, but never got around to reading? I’m pretty loose about what I consider a biography…and I’m happy to include autobiographies and memoirs. Simply submit your requests in the comments section below, before midnight CST on December 31.

For those of you who, like me, need a little advanced warning so you can borrow a copy of a book from a friend or the library, let’s go ahead and say we’ll tackle The Hiding Place in January.

I’ll post the rest of the final list and schedule for the year on (or near) January 1!

MIXTAPE: Come Let Us Adore Him

2011-12-19T22:32:00.000-06:00

I love Christmas music! I pretty much have it playing constantly from the day after Thanksgiving through Christmas Day. And I love it all, sacred or secular. (Well, except for novelty songs like “Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer.”)

A couple of years ago I shared my Mistletoe Medley—a playlist of songs I put together for a holiday party I was helping put together. This year I’ll share my “Come Let Us Adore Him” mix—songs that cause me to worship Christ.

You’ll see I have a thing for alternative arrangements of traditional carols (see #1, 4, 16).

As well as a fondness for story songs from the perspective of Mary (see #5, 8, 11, 17).

With some songs, I can’t explain why they help me worship the Lord. Take “Little Drummer Boy” for instance. It’s a completely fictional narrative. There’s just something about identifying with the line, “I have no gift to bring/That’s fit to give a King.” It moves me.

Hope you enjoy these songs too!

Come Let Us Adore Him

Angels From the Realms of Glory – Steven Curtis Chapman
Go Tell It On the Mountain – Frank Sinatra & Bing Crosby
Hark the Herald Angels Sing – Irish Tenors
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear – Sara Groves
Breath of Heaven (Mary’s Song) – Amy Grant
Little Drummer Boy – Glee Cast
The First Noel – Revive
Mary Sweet Mary – Selah & Plumb
No Eye Had Seen – Michael W. Smith
Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus – Fernando Ortega
The Night Before Christmas – Brandon Heath
O Come All Ye Faithful – Celtic Woman
The Wexford Carol – Alison Krauss & Yo-Yo Ma
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel – Barlowgirl
Silent Night – Sarah Brightman
Come and Worship – Bebo Norman
You’re Here – Francesca Battistelli
O Holy Night – Faith Hill
Joy to the World – Casting Crowns
Hallelujah Chorus – Boston Pops Orchestra

Is there a more majestic piece of music in all the world than the “Hallelujah Chorus?” I can’t listen to it without crying. My favorite version is by the Boston Pops Orchestra, because it zips along at a nice pace (and sounds amazing). Sadly, I couldn't find a version on YouTube to link to. What's your favorite version?

What songs focus your attention on Christ and help you to worship Him during this season?

And The Winner Is...

2011-12-16T07:58:00.000-06:00

In a last minute surge, “Puke Tree” by Brian took the lead to win the 3^rd Annual Infinite Queso “Haiku for the Holidays” Contest! Brian, you can let me know if you prefer a Starbucks or iTunes gift card.

Congratulations to all the finalists, and a big thanks to everyone who took the time to enter a haiku and vote in this year’s contest.

Happy Holidays everyone!

An Unhurried Life

2011-12-15T08:05:00.000-06:00

“The truth is, as much as we complain about it, we are drawn to hurry. It makes us feel important. It keeps the adrenaline pumping. It means we don’t have to look too closely at the heart or life. It keeps us from feeling our loneliness.”

The Dangerous Women group I’m a part of is reading John Ortberg’s The Life You’ve Always Wanted this year. It’s such a great, practical book about spiritual disciplines. Part of our reading this month was a chapter called, “An Unhurried Life.” We thought it was quite appropriate that as moms of young kids, we were reading this during the holiday season! I mean, who has time to live an unhurried life at Christmastime?

But seriously, the chapter is so chockfull of great quotes, like the one at the top of this post. I thought I’d share a few more here. Hope you enjoy (and are challenged like I am)!

“Hurry is the great enemy of spiritual life in our day. Hurry can destroy our souls…As Carl Jung wrote, ‘Hurry is not of the devil; hurry is the devil.’”

“For many of us the great danger is not that we will renounce our faith. It is that we will become so distracted and rushed and preoccupied that we will settle for a mediocre version of it. We will just skim our lives instead of actually living them.”

“One of the great illusions of our day is that hurrying will buy us more time.”

“Jesus often had much to do, but he never did it in a way that severed the life-giving connection between him and his Father. He never did it in a way that interfered with his ability to give love when love was called for…Jesus was often busy, but never hurried.”

“The most serious sign of hurry sickness is a diminished capacity to love. Love and hurry are fundamentally incompatible. Love always takes time.”

So what is the solution?

“Solitude is the remedy for the busyness that charms…At its heart, solitude is primarily about not doing something. Just as fasting means to refrain from eating, so solitude means to refrain from society.”

“’In solitude,’ Henri Nouwen wrote, ‘I get rid of my scaffolding.’ Scaffolding is all the stuff we use to keep ourselves propped up, to convince ourselves that we are important or okay…We are conditioned to feel that our existence is justified only when we are doing something.”

Do you suffer from hurry sickness like I do?

What would it look like to practice the art of slowing, especially during this season?

How can we rearrange our schedules in order to make room for regular times of solitude and reflection?

How would our holidays improve if we ruthlessly eliminated hurry from our lives?

Don't forget to vote for your favorite entry in the "Haiku for the Holidays" Contest! Polls close at midnight (CST) tonight, 12/15/11.

Vote Now! 3rd Annual Holiday Haiku Finalists Selected

2011-12-13T14:10:00.000-06:00

[Update: the polls are now closed for this contest.]

Big thanks to everyone who submitted an entry in the 3^rd Annual Infinite Queso “Haiku for the Holidays” Contest! Once again, it was really hard to choose finalists.

In an interesting twist, this year all the finalists are haiku about the beloved special, “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”

Here they are, in the order they were originally posted:

From Kelley:

I picked the wrong tree
So what is Christmas about?
"And there were shepherds..."

From Tracy G:

Pantophobia
Silly dance trumps rehearsal
Best ending ever!

From Ragan:

"I killed it," he said
As the young, little tree drooped.
Charlie gave it love.

From Brian (this really did happen to him a few days ago):

Weak tree Charlie Brown
But at least yours didn't get
Puked on like my tree

Now the contest is in your hands! Who will win the $10 gift card to Starbucks or iTunes? Vote now using the poll on the right hand column of this blog.

The polls will close at midnight (CST) on Thursday, December 15, 2011. The grand prize winner will be announced in a new post on Friday, December 16, 2011.

What Do 'The Undecided' Want in a Religion?

2011-12-11T20:48:00.001-06:00

My friend Gary Runn recently posted a link to a thoughtful New York Times article by Eric Weiner called, “Americans: Undecided About God?”

Weiner finds himself dismayed by his lack of religious options during the holiday season. Although he would once have described himself as an atheist, hitting middle age and weathering a health scare influenced him to become more open spiritually; now he would identify himself simply as “religiously unaffiliated.”

Photo source

As Weiner “drifts” and “dabbles” in the religious world, he can’t find a place he feels at home. He belongs somewhere between the “True Believers” and the “Angry Atheists.” But where?

Here’s what Weiner would find attractive in a religion:

Spiritual practices that actually make its followers better, more loving people

Followers laugh often and well, have a sense of humor about their religion

Straightforward, unencumbered, intuitive

Space that celebrates doubt and encourages experimentation

Most important: Highly interactive

Unfortunately, here’s how Weiner has experienced organized religion:

Too political (specifically, “too Republican”)

Irrational and superstitious

No fun

Angry God, angry followers (“constantly judging and smiting”)

Leaders who shout

Finally, here’s what Weiner offers as a solution:

“The answer, I think, lies in the sort of entrepreneurial spirit that has long defined America, including religious America. We need a Steve Jobs of religion. Someone (or ones) who can invent not a new religion but, rather, a new way of being religious.”

Fellow Christians: How shall we receive this? What can we learn from Weiner’s article? How shall we respond?

The Holidays and the Undocumented

2011-12-10T09:43:00.001-06:00

Photo credit: Reuters/Jonathan Ernst

Something isn’t sitting well with me.

GOP Presidential candidate Michelle Bachmann drew fire from Bill O’Reilly this past Monday when she clarified her stance on undocumented immigrants while being interviewed on his Fox News show. O’Reilly was following up on a statement Bachman made last Saturday at Mike Huckabee’s presidential forum (also on Fox News.) Bachmann stated that if she became President, she planned to deport all 10-12 million undocumented immigrants from our country.

Here is an excerpt from the interview:

O'REILLY: But all of them that are here now are going to be an enormous problem…if you're going to start dragging them out of here, it's going to be very, very difficult to do that.

BACHMANN: But remember they broke the law to get in here there is a consequence.

O'REILLY: I'm not justifying it I'm just saying on human basis, I don't think it… theory is one thing. Dragging people out, putting them on a bus with their children crying is going to be quite something else.

BACHMANN: It can be done. That's the thing. It can be done and…

O'REILLY: It can be done but at what cost?

BACHMANN: It's… but you know what it's time we start acting like a first world nation and enforce our laws. Other nations enforce laws. Let's do it.

O'REILLY: All right but you're taking a very tough stance in a human way.

BACHMANN: It's time… it's time we do take a tough stance. I'm a compassionate person but we have to get tough on illegal immigration.”

[To watch the video or read a transcript of the entire interview, click here.]

Immigration reform is a very complicated issue. I certainly don’t have all the answers. But I do know that as an Anglo-American Christian, I can’t support Bachmann’s “Enforce the law, deport them all, no matter the cost” position. Here’s why:

First: I just celebrated Thanksgiving. A holiday which commemorates a harvest festival hosted by my people, English Pilgrims, at Plymouth Plantation in 1621. We had not asked for permission to settle at Plymouth from the nation’s current citizens; we just decided the land should be ours. We had arrived a year earlier and had suffered through a terrible winter, during which roughly half of our settlement died. But God moved the hearts of the land’s citizens to act mercifully toward us. They did not force us back onto our ship and send us home—a trip we undoubtedly would not have survived. Instead, Wampanoag king Massasoit donated food stores to us when our supplies brought from England ran out. And Squanto, a Patuxet citizen, taught us how to catch eel and grow corn and served as an interpreter for us.

So when I see an undocumented immigrant, I see myself. I am forever grateful that when my people immigrated into this country they were received mercifully by its citizens. How can I not respond mercifully to this generation of immigrants? They came here for the same reasons many of my peoples did (I also have Irish and Scottish ancestors): to escape persecution, famine, disease, poverty, and violence. We left everything behind and braved a dangerous crossing on the chance we could provide a better life for our children.

Second: I am about to celebrate Christmas. During this season, I will create multiple opportunities to tell my children the story of a baby boy born in a stable in Israel, 2000 years ago. And not just any boy, a King. A King whose life was in danger because the current ruler of Israel didn’t want to lose his power. So he ordered a massacre of all male babies in the vicinity. Fortunately, an angel appeared to the baby King’s father in a dream, warning him to flee with his family to Egypt. The father didn’t wait for the morning; while it was still dark he woke his wife and baby and they began their long trek. No time to gather provisions or make arrangements.

When I see an undocumented immigrant, I see my Savior. The bible doesn’t say anything about Mary, Joseph, and Jesus’ sojourn in Egypt. We don’t know what Egypt’s immigration policy was at that time. So I can’t say for sure that Jesus’ family was “undocumented.” But I can surmise with a fair amount of certainty that as cultural outsiders who didn’t speak Egyptian, they would have been vulnerable. God commanded Israel, “When [an immigrant] lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him…love him as yourself.” (Lev.19:33) I doubt the Egyptian gods prescribed the same. And what we do know is, when Jesus’ family did leave Egypt to return home, they did so on their own terms and time table.

As I said before, I don’t have all the answers to the immigration situation. But what concerns me is when I see fellow citizens speaking about and treating undocumented immigrants as though they are not even human. Maybe because so few of us actually know someone who’s undocumented, it’s harder to put ourselves in their shoes. To think about their stories. To consider their plight. To extend them mercy. Oh, but those of us who have known the love of Jesus, we who have drunk from His fountain of grace, we who have been extended mercy so far beyond what we deserve it causes us to fall on our faces in worship…how can we not extend mercy to those around us?

When I see the undocumented, I see myself.

“Do not oppress an alien; you yourselves know how it feels to be aliens, because you were aliens in Egypt.” (Exodus 23:9)

When I see the undocumented, I see my Savior.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was…a stranger and you invited me in…Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we…see you a stranger and invite you in?'…The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these, you did for me.'” (Matthew 25:34-40)

3rd Annual "Haiku for the Holidays" Contest

2011-12-06T23:23:00.001-06:00

Announcing: The official opening of the 3^rd Annual Infinite Queso “Haiku* for the Holidays” Contest!

The grand prize (ok, really it’s more like a stocking stuffer) will be a $10 iTunes or Starbucks gift card.

Here’s how to play…

InfiniteQueso’s 3^rd Annual “Haiku for the Holidays” Contest Rules:

The theme for this year’s contest is “Classic Christmas TV Specials.” (This is not to be confused with Christmas-themed

movies

that were originally shown in theaters and are now often aired on TV during the holiday season—that was our theme last year.)

All entries must follow traditional haiku form: 17 syllables in three lines—5 in the first line, 7 in the second, 5 in the third.
Bonus points will be awarded for adherence to traditional Japanese form and nuance. For more information, read here.
Judging will be based on creativity, insight, depth, and/or humor.
All entries must be clean! No vulgarity or cursing. Any entry violating this rule will be deleted.
All entries must be an original composition of the entrant.
All entrants must reveal their identities. Anonymous entries will not be eligible for the grand prize. (If you don’t have a Google or Blogger account, feel free to just include your name in the body of your comment.)
There is no limit to the number of entries a contestant may submit.
All entries must be posted in the comments section of this post by midnight (CST) on Monday, December 12, 2011.
Finalists will be announced in a new post on Tuesday, December 13, 2011.
The grand prize winner will be selected from among the finalists by a public vote. The polls will close at midnight (CST) on Thursday, December 15, 2011.
The grand prize winner will be announced on Friday, December 16, 2011.

The contest is officially open! You may now post your entries in the comments section below.

*I realize many of the entries in this contest will technically be senryu. However “Senryu for the Season” didn’t quite have the same accessibility as “Haiku for the Holidays.” My apologies to purists.

BOOK CLUB: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

2011-11-30T23:50:00.001-06:00

Autism: It’s not like you think.

This is one of my favorite autism slogans, because it’s a clever play on words.

On one level, it’s simply saying that those of us outside the autism world probably don’t have a clear picture of what autism really is, or what it’s like to live with. On another level, the slogan specifically identifies one of the central traits of autism: An autistic person’s brain is wired differently than the rest of the world’s. Their thought processes follow different patterns and pathways than the rest of us.

My oldest son has Asperger’s Syndrome, a high-functioning form of autism. This was one of the main factors that influenced me to choose Mark Haddon’s award-winning 2003 novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time as my November book club selection: I wanted to see if it would help me understand my son better.**

I must say, the similarities between by son and Curious Incident’s protagonist, 15-year-old Christopher Boone, were eerie. The constant anxiety in navigating the social and physical world. The aversions to certain foods, smells, colors, and to physical touch. The intense preoccupation with narrow subjects. The lack of appropriate emotional reciprocity. The impaired ability to process facial expressions of others. The need to stick to inflexible routines and other forms of rigidity. The difficulties with theory of mind (like the pencil hidden inside the roll of candy). The ritualistic movements or utterances, known as stereotypies. The inability to process certain forms of humor or metaphor.

So on one hand, the book comforted and affirmed me as a caretaker of someone with autism. I often feel this way when I see a realistic and sympathetic portrayal of Aspies (and those who love them) in the media, such as in the movies Adam or Temple Grandin, or in the TV show Parenthood. (However, don’t even get me started on Glee.)

But on the other hand, Curious Incident was way too dark for me. On the dust-jacket, several famous authors blurbed about how funny the book is. However I failed to see the humor in it. And I suppose the ending of the book was intended to express hope about Christopher’s future, but I didn’t feel hopeful. Perhaps I’m just too close to the situation?

Have any of you read Curious Incident? I would be really curious (I know, interesting word choice) to know what someone outside the autism community thought of it. I don’t know if I would have been able to finish it if I wasn’t so committed to my son. I felt reading the book was kind of like watching a train wreck: almost impossible to turn away, but brutal to observe. Was it revealing or interesting to you, or just too weird? How did you respond emotionally to it? Did you find the ending hopeful?

I’ll leave you with this fun fact:

According to Wikipedia, the book’s title “is a quotation of a remark made by the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes in Arthur Conan Doyle's 1892 short story "Silver Blaze". Those of you who read the book will understand the significance of this.

Please join me for December’s IQ Book Club selection, Gilead, by Marilynne Robinson!

**The autism world quickly embraced Curious Incident when it was first published. However Haddon never explicitly states that Christopher actually has Asperger’s; it was just assumed by those familiar with it. Haddon himself became increasingly uncomfortable with the role many desired him to fulfill: that of a voice or advocate for those with autism. He has subsequently stated he is not an expert on autism, and refuses for the most part to speak to the topic.

Erwin McManus on Gratitude

2011-11-23T08:51:00.001-06:00

“When we are grateful, we are most fully alive. Gratitude allows us to absorb every possible pleasure from a moment. It is the grateful who suck the marrow out of life. When our heart is full of gratitude, life paints itself in far brighter and more vivid colors.”

—from Uprising: A Revolution of the Soul

The Naaman Initiative

2011-11-15T07:19:00.001-06:00

What would motivate two young couples to move thousands of miles away from their families, only to settle on a remote island in Southeast Asia amidst a culture completely different from their own?

Why would they struggle to understand and speak the local language, endure tropical weather without the luxury of air conditioning, and learn to eat and prepare strange foods?

What would motivate them to stay there for years, raising their babies, putting down roots, making new friends, and investing in the local community?

The love of Jesus.

These two couples—friends of mine—reveled in the love Jesus poured out on them. They were so overwhelmed by His grace and majesty, they decided they couldn’t keep it to themselves. They wanted to tell everyone in the world about their Jesus.

Their hearts were especially quickened when they learned about areas of the world where men and women could live their whole lives without every hearing about Jesus of Nazareth. Places where even if they wanted to learn about Him, they might not have anywhere to go.

And so my friends trained through an established missions agency, raised tons of money, said their tearful goodbyes, and created The Naaman Initiative.

Wouldn’t you love to follow their stories as their lives unfold? Learn about how God is using them to share the gospel of Jesus with their Muslim neighbors? See how they express the tangible love of God to the surrounding rural communities by providing low-cost water filters for poor families? Hear how God is using them to train Muslims who now follow Jesus to share their faith with others?

You can! Simply click here to follow them on Facebook, or click here to subscribe to their blog. Their Facebook page provides real-time, specific prayer requests, so you can join in their adventure by lifting them up to the Father.

You’ll be glad you did!

Why Colorblindness Doesn't Help

2011-11-13T19:02:00.001-06:00

“To not see color

is to not see the consequences of color;

and if color has consequences,

which it surely does,

yet

you’ve resolved not to notice the thing

that provokes those consequences,

the odds are pretty good

you’ll inadequately serve the needs

of the [people] in question

every time.”

—Tim Wise, White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son

Helping the Helpers in Thailand

2011-11-11T08:40:00.001-06:00

Since late October severe floods—the worst in half a century—have ravaged the beautiful country of Thailand.

Thai CCC staff: Smiling and ready to serve

Here are some of the statistics:

Over 500 people killed
760,000 homes damaged
Over 2.3 million people affected
58 provinces flooded
$5.1 billion in damages nationwide

I’ve been so encouraged to hear reports of the bravery and selflessness of the Thai nationals who work for the same missions agency I do. Many of our Thai staff immediately rushed to affected areas to help those in need, only to return home to find their own homes flooded.

We want to come alongside these brothers and sisters in Christ in their time of need by sending donations to help offset the cost of rebuilding their homes, as well as continuing their rescue efforts. If you’d like to join me in “Helping the Helpers” in Thailand, simply click here to make a simple, safe online donation.

Below I’ve posted a video of footage of the flooding, and the heroic efforts of many to serve those around them. My Thai co-workers are featured at about the 3-minute mark—they’re the ones wearing the black “iServe” t-shirts.

Thailand is known as “The Land of Smiles.” I appreciate how many Thai people have continued to smile, even in the face of such devastation. Please pray for the people of Thailand, and consider giving to this cause. Every little bit helps!

Help2 from brett clark on Vimeo.

About Face

2011-11-02T22:00:00.000-05:00

“A man’s face is his autobiography.” ~Oscar Wilde

Have you ever given thought to how God uses your face to bring Himself glory?

I hadn’t.

Until this summer, when I heard Dan Allender speak at an “Art of Storytelling” seminar. In his talk, Allender said (among many other profound things), “It is the work of God to surprise, by voices and faces.”

Then he asked us to consider, “What is your face?”

He meant our literal, physical faces.

What? What is my face?

What came to mind is that I have a strangely familiar face. It seems everywhere I go, someone will look at me and say, “Have I met you before?” or “Did you used to live in Toledo? Do you have a sister who lives in Toledo?” or something like that.

I think I have a very average, Caucasian face. Brown hair and brown eyes. Nothing extraordinary.

But maybe that’s just it. Maybe there’s something about my face that helps people feel comfortable, familiar, known. (Certainly not intimidated!)

That parallels how I feel God often uses me in ministry to others: They feel safe and comfortable with me. They can relate to me. They feel known by me.

What about you? What is your face?

Women: If Allender's theory is true, what are the implications of us utilizing make-up? Botox? Cosmetic surgery?

Wilde continues his quote above: “A man's face is his autobiography. A woman's face is her work of fiction.”

When we hide or alter our “true” face, does it hinder our ability to connect with others? Does it keep us from experiencing the story God wrote for us?

What do you think?

Double Book Fail

2011-10-31T09:37:00.000-05:00

It’s the end of the month. Which would usually mean I would 1) announce the winner of my monthly book giveaway and 2) share my thoughts about the novel I read this month as part of my online book club.

However…

It seems that the book giveaway thing hasn’t really taken off like I had hoped! No one was interested in this month’s selection. (Feel free to contact me if you would actually like it.) I think I’ll drop the giveaway idea. At least for now.

And…

I’m actually really digging my October book club selection, Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children. But I am nowhere near finished. So I won’t share my thoughts just yet. I’m still going to try to finish it, because I’m so curious about where the story is going. It’s one of the most fascinating books I’ve ever read.

Has anyone else read Midnight’s Children? Was anyone reading it this month? If you’ve read it before, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Especially if you have personal insight into Indian and/or Muslim cultures.

I’m still planning on reading November’s book club selection, Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. (It’s significantly shorter than Children.) Who’s with me?

I thought you might enjoy these snapshots of other book fails:

Changing the World, One (Somewhat Reluctant) Tweet at a Time

2011-10-29T10:19:00.001-05:00

Martin Luther said, “If you want to change the world, pick up your pen.”

If Luther were alive today, he might’ve said, “If you want to change the world, pick up your keyboard/cell phone/video camera.”

That’s why I started blogging in the first place: I want to change the world. (That, and it really helps me sort out my own thoughts.)

And that’s also why I’m back on Twitter. Even though I griped and whined and complained about it when I tried it two years ago, and eventually quit tweeting altogether in dramatic fashion.

I guess I was hoping that Twitter would kind of die off and I could just ignore it. But I can’t get around the fact that the opposite has happened: Almost all the world-changers I know are on Twitter.

And I want to be among them.

I still think this is funny, though:

Removing the Shame of a Name

2011-10-26T23:35:00.000-05:00

Girls hold certificates stating their official new names at
a renaming ceremony in Satara, India, Oct. 22, 2011.
Almost 300 Indian girls known formerly as "Unwanted"
have traded their birth names for a fresh start in life.
Photo credit: Associated Press

Naming babies is a sacred affair in Indian Hindu culture. Ten days after a baby is born, the extended family conducts an elaborate naming ceremony known traditionally as Namakaran Sanskar. The name of the child is carefully chosen by a specific family member (which can vary regionally).

But what if the name your family gave you was, “Unwanted?”

Giving a daughter the Hindi name "Nakusa" or "Nakushi" (which means “unwanted”) is sadly not uncommon in India, particularly in Maharashtra state. Families often prefer boys, and are deeply disappointed when a baby turns out to be a girl.

In a powerful, counter-cultural move, just this past weekend, 285 girls from Maharashtra state sought a fresh start in life by choosing a new name for themselves. Click here to read all about it in an Associated Press article by Chaya Babu.

On Scars

2011-10-25T10:07:00.000-05:00

"The scars of sin and death can't be erased, but they can become the weather-beaten marks of character that bring depth and intrigue to what would have been merely a beautiful but ordinary vase.” —Dan Allender, from The Healing Path

-------------

Hast thou no scar?

No hidden scar on foot, or side, or hand?

I hear thee sung as mighty in the land,

I hear them hail thy bright, ascendant star,

Hast thou no scar?

Hast thou no wound?

Yet I was wounded by the archers, spent,

Leaned Me against a tree to die; and rent

By ravening beasts that compassed Me, I swooned:

Hast thou no wound?

No wound? No scar?

Yet, as the Master shall the servant be,

And pierced are the feet that follow Me;

But thine are whole; can he have followed far

Who hast no wound or scar?

-------------

—Amy Carmichael, from Toward Jerusalem

Queso Quote: The Mystery of Ministry

2011-10-11T09:04:00.000-05:00

“We [ministers] are sinful, broken, vulnerable people who need as much care as anyone we care for. The mystery of ministry is that we have been chosen to make our own limited and very conditional love the gateway for the unlimited and unconditional love of God.”

Henri Nouwen, In the Name of Jesus

Just Like a Bad Analogy

2011-10-08T09:18:00.000-05:00

Perhaps only fellow grammar geeks will find this post humorous.

But I can’t stop giggling after reading, “It’s Like This,” a competition to see who could write the worst analogy, sponsored by the Washington Post back in 1999.

Here are a few of my favorites:

The young fighter had a hungry look, the kind you get from not eating for a while.

He was as lame as a duck. Not the metaphorical lame duck, either, but a real duck that was actually lame. Maybe from stepping on a land mine or something.

The revelation that his marriage of 30 years had disintegrated because of his wife's infidelity came as a rude shock, like a surcharge at a formerly surcharge-free ATM.

The dandelion swayed in the gentle breeze like an oscillating electric fan set on medium.

It hurt the way your tongue hurts after you accidentally staple it to the wall.

Her breasts were like two mounds of flesh waiting to be compared to something. Something round. Perhaps some kind of citrus fruit.

The sunset displayed rich, spectacular hues like a .jpeg file at 10 percent cyan, 10 percent magenta, 60 percent yellow and 10 percent black.

The lamp just sat there, like an inanimate object.

Click here to read the entire list of entries.

Feel free to tell me which are your favorites—or even write your own—in the comments below, so I won’t be sitting here cracking up all by myself!

h/t to Read Me Like a Book!

If I Only Had a Brain

2011-10-07T08:38:00.000-05:00

“Show me a young conservative and I'll show you someone with no heart. Show me an old liberal and I'll show you someone with no brains.”

The quote above is often attributed to Winston Churchill. Turns out he probably didn’t ever say that. A similar phrase was first uttered by 19^th-century statesman François Guizot.

Whatever the origin, it’s a quote I’ve often heard and pondered. As a conservative young adult, I took this phrase to believe (quite pridefully) that I had been brilliant enough to “get smart” at an early age.

But then a funny thing happened: As I’ve grown older (I’m now middle-aged), I’ve become much more liberal.

(Actually, neither side would probably want to claim me in my present state. I had to laugh when a conservative acquaintance recently accused me of being a relativist. I thought, If only she knew I wrote blog posts like this and this.)

I would like to think that my shift away from staunch conservatism marks personal growth and maturity. But perhaps it suggests that I have neither a heart nor a brain.

In hopes of the former, I loved this quote from Henri Nouwen’s In the Name of Jesus:

“Christian leaders cannot simply be persons who have well-informed opinions about the burning issues of our time. Their leadership must be rooted in the permanent, intimate relationship with the incarnate Word, Jesus, and they need to find there the source for their words, advice, and guidance…When we are securely rooted in personal intimacy with the source of life, it will be possible to remain flexible without being relativistic, convinced without being rigid, willing to confront without being offensive, gentle and forgiving without being soft, and true witnesses without being manipulative.”

That’s what I really want to be true in my life.

How have your views shifted as you’ve moved through the seasons of life? Have you become more convinced of things, or less? Where did you start? Where would you like to end up?

Spurgeon on Sleepiness

2011-10-05T10:39:00.000-05:00

“Even wise virgins sometimes slumber, but it is high time for all to shake off the bands of sloth. It is to be feared that many believers lose their strength as Samson lost his locks, while sleeping on the lap of carnal security. With a perishing world around us, to sleep is cruel; with eternity so near at hand, it is madness. Yet we are none of us so much awake as we should be; a few thunder-claps would do us all good, and it may be, unless we soon bestir ourselves, we shall have them in the form of…personal bereavements and losses. O that we may leave forever the couch of fleshly ease, and go forth with flaming torches to meet the coming Bridegroom! My heart waketh. This is a happy sign. Life is not extinct, though sadly smothered. When our renewed heart struggles against our natural heaviness, we should be grateful to sovereign grace for keeping a little vitality within the body of this death. Jesus will hear our hearts, will help our hearts, will visit our hearts; for the voice of the wakeful heart is really the voice of our Beloved, saying, ‘Open to me.’”

—from Morning and Evening

BOOK GIVEAWAY: Chronic Kids, Constant Hope

2011-10-03T00:15:00.000-05:00

First up: The winner of September’s Half the Sky book giveaway is…Tas! Congratulations!

This month I’m giving away a free paperback copy of Chronic Kids, Constant Hope: Help and Encouragement for Parents of Children with Chronic Conditions by Elizabeth Hoekstra and Mary Bradford. I read this book a few years ago after several different friends recommended it to me.

Amazon’s description of the book:

“An estimated one-third of U.S. families have children with conditions ranging from asthma to cystic fibrosis—conditions that may not be imminently life-threatening, but are nevertheless life-altering for the entire family. Hoekstra and Bradford address specific issues such as dealing with emotions, what to do when friends say insensitive things, praying effectively, finding good medical care, and navigating the insurance maze. Through their honesty, the experiences of other parents, and your own chronic kid, you will discover how to recognize and absorb God's grace and hope as you live out His plan for your lives.”

If you’re a parent of a child with special needs or a chronic medical condition (or you have a friend who is) and you'd like to enter the drawing for this book, simply post a comment below by midnight, October 31. Your comment can be anything…just make sure I know who you are!

BOOK CLUB: Anne of Green Gables

2011-09-30T23:18:00.000-05:00

After my epic Anna Karenina fail in August, I relished the change of mood Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables brought me this month. Anne is kind of the anti-Anna, don’t you think?

I had never heard of Anne of Green Gables until after I graduated from college. A friend of mine convinced me to watch the (original two) movies. I enjoyed them so much, I purchased copies for myself. (Of course they’re in VHS format…a lot of good that does me now.)

But I never got around to reading Anne until now. I’m so happy I finally did!

Actually, I didn’t instantly fall in love with the book. While I preferred the levity of Anne to the bleakness of Anna, at first I found Anne a bit too light, too fluffy. Kind of like cotton candy: sweet to the taste, but ultimately unsatisfying. But I read on anyway, thinking my daughter at least would love listening to the stories of Anne-with-an-e getting into all of her scrapes.

And then.

And then the tone of the book seemed to shift in the last 75 pages or so. What began as a lighthearted collection of childhood antics developed into a truly touching, poignant coming-of-age tale. I found myself very glad to be reading the last act while home alone because every few pages I burst into tears!

I felt Montgomery captured so well the thoughts and feelings of a girl who’s becoming a woman:

“The east gable was a very different place from what it had been on that night four years before, when Anne had felt its bareness penetrate to the marrow of her spirit with its inhospitable chill…The velvet carpet with the pink roses and the pink silk curtains of Anne’s early visions had certainly never materialized; but her dreams had kept pace with her growth, and it is not probable she lamented them.”

I also loved many of the passages describing grief and loss, like:

“Anne always remembered the silvery, peaceful beauty and fragrant calm of that night. It was the last night before sorrow touched her life; and no life is ever quite the same again when once that cold, sanctifying touch has been laid upon it.”

Something else I appreciated in reading Anne’s story in middle age—as opposed to young adulthood when I first encountered it—is that I identified much more with Marilla. I loved the interior view of her heart that Montgomery provided.

Whereas previously Marilla had chosen order and safety for her life, as a precaution against heartache, after adopting Anne we see her slowly opening her heart again and allowing love—in the form of Anne—to transform her:

“Marilla appeared in the doorway, a gaunt figure with grayer hair than of yore and no fewer angles, but with a much softer face.”

This theme struck me when I watched the movies two decade ago as well. I often think about the scene in the second movie when Anne’s fellow teacher Katherine accuses Anne of having a sunshine-y outlook only because she had led such a charmed, easy life. Of course we know that not to be true. But even under fire, we see Anne respond in love and grace. And she’s not pretending; Anne truly believes she has been blessed beyond measure. Which she has, but she has also encountered more than her fair share of pain and loss. I believe the difference comes from having a heart of humility instead of entitlement. I have often thought: As I grow older, I really want to cultivate a heart like Anne’s.

I read that Mark Twain, upon reading Anne of Green Gables, sent L.M. Montgomery a letter of praise, congratulating her on writing "the dearest and most moving and delightful child since the immortal Alice."* I might have to agree!

Thanks to my friend Angela for loaning me her copy of Anne. But now I think I’m gonna need to purchase a copy of my own!

How many of you are Anne fans? Have you read the whole series? Are the other books as awesome as the first? Which character(s) did you identify with most? Am I the only one who cried my eyes out during the entire last 1/4^th of the book?

Join me in reading October's selection for the IQ Book Club, Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children.

*Source: Lucy Maud Montgomery: The Gift of Wings, Mary Henley Rubio

Scatology Theology

2011-09-28T09:27:00.000-05:00

Scatology (noun): the study of or preoccupation with excrement. In literature, "scatological" is a term used to describe works that make particular reference to excretion or excrement, as well as to toilet humor. (Wikipedia)

The following is not typical subject matter for me. As a mom of 8- and 9-year-old boys, I’m usually trying to minimize the amount of potty talk and humor going on in my house. (My husband’s advice: “Honey, it’s a losing battle.”)

How is it that boys instinctively know, seemingly from birth, that passing wind is funny? I’ve also observed through my cross-cultural missionary work that potty humor appears to be a universal human phenomenon.

I began pondering the potty world yesterday after my friend Brian posted a link to an excellent, nuanced article from Christianity Today’s Hermeneutics blog by Karen Swallow Prior called, “Ben & Jerry’s ‘Schweddy Balls’ and Scatological Humor.”

(If you haven’t already given up reading this post in disgust, I encourage you to stop and read Prior’s article at this point.)

In her article, Prior points out that even the Apostle Paul used scatology when writing his Letter to the Philippians. In chapter 3, Paul writes:

“What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ…” (v.8)

For the sake of decorum (I suppose), most modern translations of the Bible like the NIV (above) choose words like “rubbish” to describe what Paul thinks of his previous curriculum vitae. But a better rendering of the Greek word “scubala” used by Paul (very intentionally, I believe) is: “doo doo.”

I was reminded how, in a similar vein, the prophet Isaiah wrote:

“All of us have become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags;
we all shrivel up like a leaf,
and like the wind our sins sweep us away.” (Isaiah 64:6, NIV)

Again, most modern Bible translations fail to capture Isaiah’s intention in describing how the Lord views our righteous acts: in the original Hebrew, the term “filthy rags” literally means “rags that have been used to absorb a woman’s menstrual flow.”

Lastly, I thought of the story of David and Saul told in 1 Samuel 24. Saul and his army of 3000 are hunting David down. David and his men are hiding in a cave. Saul providentially picks that particular cave to utilize as an old school public restroom. While Saul is squatting down, doing his business, David sneaks forward and cuts off a corner of Saul’s garment. He thinks, “This is going to be the best trophy ever! I’m going to totally humiliate Saul with this!” (David actually quickly repents of his action, convicted of his sin of bringing shame on “the Lord’s anointed.” But the point is still clearly made.)

Does anyone else find it fascinating that God would choose to use scatology in His divinely-inspired word? (Or does this just prove that I’m not any different from my 8- and 9-year-old sons?) Can anyone think of any other scatological references in the Bible?

Entering the Anguish

2011-09-27T10:28:00.000-05:00

Photo credit: Mehrdad Garousi

A couple of years ago I wrote a series of blog posts on the Top Ten Most Influential Books of my life. Now I’m in the process of re-reading one of those books: In the Name of Jesus by Henri Nouwen. (You can read my brief summary of the book here.)

Not surprisingly, I find myself once again deeply challenged by Nouwen’s words. I think many of you who read my blog would really love this book. It’s only a slim volume, but it’s packed with wisdom and insight. I’ll share some of my favorite quotes from the book over the next month so you can get a taste of Nouwen’s writing (and hopefully be tempted to read the whole book!) Here’s the first:

“Beneath all the great accomplishments of our time there is a deep current of despair. While efficiency and control are the great aspirations of our society, the loneliness, isolation, lack of friendship and intimacy, broken relationships, boredom, feelings of emptiness and depression, and a deep sense of uselessness fill the hearts of millions of people in our success-oriented world…

…And the cry that arises from behind all [our] decadence is clearly: ‘Is there anybody who loves me; is there anybody who really cares? Is there anybody who wants to be with me when I am not in control, when I feel like crying? Is there anybody who can hold me and give me a sense of belonging?

…It is here that the need for a new Christian leadership becomes clear. The leader of the future will be the one who dares to claim his irrelevance in the contemporary world as a divine vocation that allows him or her to enter into a deep solidarity with the anguish underlying all the glitter of success and to bring the light of Jesus there.”

Speaking of books, remember you only have three more days to add your name to my drawing for a free copy of the book Half the Sky! Click here for details.

Do You Have the Right Fuel in Your Leadership Tank?

2011-09-25T20:02:00.001-05:00

Jim Mellado, president of Willow Creek Association, wrote an excellent guest post on Michael Hyatt’s blog a couple of days ago called, “What Drives You as a Leader?”

In the article he outlines five common unhealthy motivations for achievement:

People pleasing
Power and control
Image management
Financial success
Jealousy

I struggle with three of those constantly. OK, four. Actually I’d struggle with all five except that I work for an organization that intentionally does not link performance to financial compensation.

But just in case I was wondering about the healthiness of my motives in a particular situation, Mellado provides four insightful questions to ask yourself as a kind of “systems check.”

I encourage you to consider Mellado’s questions (and read his entire post) by clicking here.

Here’s to healthy fuel tanks for all of us!

What motivates you to achieve?

H/T to Gary Runn for the link to Mellado’s post.

National Chicken Month

2011-09-22T23:13:00.000-05:00

Who knew? September is National Chicken Month.

Check out the official website here.

I was a little disappointed: When I saw the site offered free chicken picture downloads, I expected images of proud hens prancing around. But don’t make the same mistake I did; this month is evidently about celebrating chicken dishes, not the actual animals.

What a missed opportunity. Why don’t we broaden the scope of this celebration by proclaiming the praises of not only the death of the chicken, but its life also? Please join me in sharing your favorite chicken-related stories, jokes, memories, poems, or songs in the comment section below.

I’ll get the poultry party started by dedicating Ray Stevens’ “Thus Cacked Henrietta,” to my dear friends Chris and Trisha. (I found the following video on YouTube, featuring the song as a soundtrack to highlights of some random people’s house party. I wondered if we could somehow incorporate a slip-n-slide and an appearance by Box Man into the traditional Chicken Month festivities?)

If the video doesn’t show up in your browser, click here.

My Daughter's Career Aspirations

2011-09-18T22:54:00.000-05:00

My future back-scratching chair inventor

Recent conversation between my 6-year-old daughter and me:

“Mom, when I grow up, I’m going to invent a back-scratching chair. I will sell it in a store and people will say, ‘Ooo, I want to buy that! It’s only a dollar. But what is it?’ And then I will sit in it and show them how it works. Yes, I’ll create it with screws and other materials. Actually, maybe Daddy will invent it when he grows up. Mommy, what were you when you grew up?”

I’m a writer and a missionary.

“Why didn’t you decide to do something interesting, like be an artist or veterinarian? You could have been a vet who specialized in turtles.”

Yes, I supposed I could've.

No Back-Up Plan

2011-09-15T22:48:00.000-05:00

I only applied to one college.

In hindsight, that wasn’t the smartest strategy. But during my junior year of high school I visited TCU, fell in love with it, and immediately decided to go there.

My parents generously provided abundant resources for me to attend college, and I graduated near the top of my high school class. So I didn’t have huge concerns about getting into or paying for TCU. But still, a wiser girl would have applied to at least one more school. A back-up. A fail-safe.

…………………………………

About the time I received my acceptance letter to TCU, I began investigating Christianity.

It began one night during my senior year, when my best friend Renee and I were out with a group of guys. We got into a conversation about religion. All of the guys were thoughtful atheists; they considered religion foolish.

Renee and I believed in God. Or at least we thought we did. We weren’t sure. Neither of us came from religious families. We realized we didn’t really know what we believed.

So we started reading and asking questions in earnest. After a number of weeks, we both decided to become Christians.

…………………………………

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.” (Matthew 13:44)

Jesus often taught in parables. And the parable above is one of my favorites. When the man discovers the treasure of the kingdom of heaven, he sells all he has to buy it. He risks everything.

No back-up plan. No fail-safe.

…………………………………

My faith grew tremendously during my years at TCU. As I neared graduation from college, I felt God calling me into full-time Christian ministry. I was delighted to follow His call.

But it was risky.

Understandably, my parents were not thrilled with my career choice. Out of great love and concern for me, my dad sat me down and said, “If what you believe is true, you are doing the right thing. But you are foolish to believe what you do. You will get to the end of your life, and you will realize you have wasted it.”

My dad is absolutely right: If the gospel of Jesus Christ is not true, I have tragically wasted the last 20 years of my life. I understand his concern. Most people would agree with him: My decision to invest all of my life in a Person who may not exist, to bank on a Reality that cannot be seen or proven, seems quite foolish indeed.

I myself experience moments of doubt. Numerous times over the last 20 years I have cried out, “God, you’d BETTER be real!”

..............................

So I was very encouraged last week when I read the following quote from Larry Crabb’s 66 Love Letters:

“If in this uncertain world you risk everything on what you know to be true, you will finish well. You will impact others. You will strengthen the Church. You will fight the good fight. All this will happen but only if you risk everything on [Jesus’] return.”

No back-up plan. No fail-safe.

Queso Quote: How Christianity is Unique

2011-09-03T10:27:00.000-05:00

“Christianity is the only major religion to have as its central event the humiliation of its God.”

—Bruce L. Shelley, Church History in Plain Language

BOOK GIVEAWAY: Half the Sky

2011-09-01T22:18:00.001-05:00

[UPDATE: This giveaway contest is now closed.]

First I’d like to announce the winner of last month’s book giveaway: A copy of Richard Stearn’s The Hole in Our Gospel goes to…Katrina! Congratulations!

This month I’m giving away a copy of another eye-opening, life-changing book: 2009’s Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn.

You really need to read this book if you haven’t already. Like now.

I found some of the (true) stories about the women very difficult to read. Yet I was incredibly inspired by the courage and creativity these women display in the face of overwhelming atrocity. And the overall tone of the book is hopeful.

I also appreciate how clearly the authors outline several simple yet significant ways to get involved in the movement to release women from oppression worldwide.

Here’s a brief video about the book:

(If the video doesn’t show up in your browser, click here.)

If you would like to be entered into the book giveaway, simply fill out a comment below during the month of September and let me know why you’d like to read it. (If you are reading this via Facebook, make sure to leave a comment on the actual blog post.) I’ll announce the winner at the beginning of October!

Becoming a Person of Pinterest

2011-08-31T23:12:00.003-05:00

Just what you need: Another time-wasting social media outlet, right?

But really, you have to try Pinterest. Especially if you are a creative, visual thinker.

What is Pinterest, you ask? It’s a collection of virtual corkboards, with pretty pictures “pinned” to them, organized by theme. It’s kinda like Twitter, but with images instead of words.

My friend Susie finally convinced me to jump on board (pun intended). I quickly became addicted. The house we recently moved to was last decorated in the early 90’s, so I utilize Pinterest mostly to browse and collect home design inspiration.

Those of you who are crafty and/or love cooking (neither applies to me) will go crazy. But there’s a lot of other fun stuff too. That’s part of the addictive quality of Pinterest: I find myself thinking, “I’m just gonna scroll down one more time…who know what I’m going to find next?”

Want to know how you can ~~become addicted~~ get started too?

First check: Are you a girl? My observation is that approximately 99.5% of Pinterest members are female. If you are male, just make sure you feel confident in your manhood before joining. Or maybe choose an alias.

Next simply sign up for your free Pinterest account here. When Pinterest first launched in the spring, you had to be “invited” to become a member. I think they were going for a prestige factor. Technically you still have to "request an invitation" to join, but now they pretty much let anyone join. (I mean, they let me in.) Once I received my invitation via email, I just signed in with Facebook. Super easy.

Beware Pinterest’s mysterious time-sucking effect

Then download their little bookmarking thingy. That way, whenever you see a cool/pretty/funny/inspiring picture anywhere on the web, you can just use it to “pin” it to one of your “boards.” Or you can do what I mostly do, which is poach off the boards of all my fabulous design friends and “re-pin” their stuff.

Make sure to read Pinterest’s etiquette page.

Create some boards. You’re automatically assigned five pre-named boards. But you can easily delete those, change their names, or add more.

Now pick people you’d like to “follow.” It’s just like Twitter: You can follow someone, but they don’t necessarily have to follow you back. Pinterest will automatically generate a potential list of your friends (mine were from Facebook) who are already members. They also have a few other ways to search for people.

Next time you log on to Pinterest, your home page will be filled with the latest pins from the people you follow. Or you can choose the Everything link to see what everyone on Pinterest is pinning. Or you can run a search by keyword.

Let me know you’ve joined, and I’ll follow you!

Time Out from Tolstoy

2011-08-29T22:43:00.000-05:00

I was hanging out with my dear friends Renee and Sean a couple weeks ago. I asked them:

“Y’all have read Anna Karenina, right? I’m about 1/3 of the way through it, and I have to ask: Does it get better?”

Sean replied, “What on earth do you mean? I absolutely loved every word of it!”

I said, “But it’s so…bleak.”

Renee laughed. “What did you expect? It’s a Russian novel!”

I sighed. “I don’t know. I guess I was hoping for epic and tragic.”

Renee laughed again. “Yeah…well…it is an amazing book. But bleak is a very appropriate word to describe it.”

……………………………………………………………

I only made it about halfway through Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina before I had to stop. I felt a little foolish setting it aside. A little like a literary lightweight.

But I needed to read about two hours of it every day to stay on target to finish it in the month of August. (I love the “percentage” tracking on Kindle!) That left me little or no time to read anything else.

It started affecting my psyche. And not in a good way.

So alas, I will not be writing about my reflections on Anna Karenina this month. I hadn’t heard from anyone else that you were reading it along with me, so hopefully no one else is disappointed. (Just me.)

Maybe one day I’ll finish it. For now I’m hunting down a copy of Lucy Maud Montomery’s Anne of Green Gables for September. Hopefully a much lighter read!

In the meantime…would anyone else like to share their thoughts on Anna Karenina?

PS: Only two more days to enter my August Book Giveaway!

BOOK GIVEAWAY: Hole in Our Gospel

2011-08-01T22:45:00.003-05:00

[UPDATE: This giveaway contest is now closed.]

I’m excited to introduce a new feature on InfiniteQueso: A monthly book giveaway!

Two years ago I read a book that changed my whole outlook on life: The Hole in Our Gospel, by Richard Stearns, president of World Vision.

I’d like it to change your life too! So the first book I’ll give away will be The Hole in Our Gospel.

The Hole in Our Gospel won the 2010 Christian Book of the Year Award. If you’d like to read my brief review of the book, click here.

If you would like to be entered in a drawing for a free paperback copy of this book, simply leave a comment below during the month of August, letting me know why you’d like to read it. I’ll draw a name randomly on September 1, and send the book to the winner, free of charge. Only one entry per person, please.

Speaking of books…

After taking July off, I’m now picking back up with the InfiniteQueso Book Club. August’s selection is Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. This is definitely my most ambitious entry yet! Not sure I can get through the whole novel in one month. But I would love for you to join me in reading (or re-reading) it and processing it with me at the end of August.

FYI, I downloaded a free Kindle version of the book from Amazon. Just click here to get yours.

On Campus Crusade for Christ Changing Its Name to Cru

2011-07-20T14:57:00.002-05:00

Last night the organization I work for announced its new name. After 60 years, Campus Crusade for Christ in the U.S. will now simply be called, Cru.

It was an emotional moment for all of us who work with our ministry. Fear, excitement, confusion, relief, then ultimately trust in and praise to the Lord filled Moby Arena in Fort Collins, CO, where all 5000 of us gathered to hear the news. As our emcee commented, it had to be the first time in our history when every single staff member arrived on time—if not early—to a meeting.

For many of you, the news of our name change isn’t even a blip on your radar screen. But some of you have an emotional investment in the name, Campus Crusade for Christ. If you would like to read or hear more about why we changed our name, I encourage you to access the following resources:

To read the official press release from our organization, click here.

If you have any questions about the name change, check out our FAQ page here.

If you still have more questions about this decision, click here.

To watch videos from several of our ministry’s leaders—including co-founder Vonette Bright—about the name change, click here. I particularly appreciated this video, from CCC’s Vice President of North America and Oceania, Steve Sellers.

For what it’s worth, I want to publicly state that I wholeheartedly support our leadership in this decision. I couldn’t ask for more godly, humble men and women to serve under. I am grateful for their wisdom and leadership.

I’m also grateful for media outlets like Christianity Today, who immediately posted a balanced, responsible article about the name change. To read it, click here.

I’m trying not to feel frustrated by many other media outlets, as well as numerous individuals, who are using this event to cause unnecessary dissention and controversy within the body of Christ. USA Today in particular posted an irresponsible-at-best post in their Faith & Reason forum.

Using only second-hand, out-of-context quotes, the article implies that we removed the name “Christ” from our name because we felt the need to water-down the gospel message to make it more palatable to the masses. I find it highly ironic that our organization, which for 60 years has carried the reputation for often being too pushy and upfront about Jesus, has now, overnight, become too wimpy.

Alas, I digress. I think what I want to say, what I want to plead for, is to ask my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ to not fan the flames of dissention. Ultimately, the name and reputation of Campus Crusade for Christ/Cru is not important. But the name of Jesus Christ is. Please help us lift His name high by giving our ministry the benefit of the doubt.

We desire for people everywhere to know and love Jesus, who alone has the power to save. Please stand with us in this significant time in our history.

Daughters of Cambodia

2011-07-15T21:20:00.001-05:00

So our babysitter/friend Ashley is having an amazing summer in Cambodia. I love getting to see slices of life there via Facebook!

She recently got to visit the Daughters of Cambodia café and spa in Phnom Penh. Daughters of Cambodia is an amazing organization which reaches out to victims of sex trafficking. I really love their approach, which they outline is this very moving video:

(If the video doesn't show up in your browser, click here.)

I’m so inspired by the difference that groups like Daughters of Cambodia and individuals like Ashley are making in the world!

Shaking It Up with the Kids

2011-07-09T10:23:00.000-05:00

My latest attempt at the continuing musical education of my children began with a bottle of orange juice.

Yesterday morning the kids and I were getting breakfast ready, when I reminded my middle son to shake the orange juice before he poured it into his cup.

He began dancing around, shaking the bottle enthusiastically, singing, “Shake it up, shake it up, shake it up!”

I laughed and shared with him that when mom and dad were growing up, we listened to a fun song called “Shake It Up.” It was by a group called The Cars. We liked to listen to them when we were in a good mood or having a party.

“Here, I’ll play it for you,” I said.

My middle son continued dancing around.

“Do the robot!” my oldest son called out to him.

Which he did. Then he broke into a very white, yet fairly technically proficient, imitation of Michael Jackson moon-walking at the 25^th Anniversary of the Grammy’s. He said he learned how from his (also white) friend at daycare. That explained a lot.

Suddenly my oldest son complained, “How would this song cheer you up in your darkest hour?” Yes, my oldest is often that melancholy and pessimistic. His next statement?

“That guitar solo isn’t very good.”

I was about to explain that The Cars weren’t exactly known for their guitar solos when my middle son exclaimed: “Mom, if all the characters from the Cars movies formed a band, they could call themselves ‘The Cars!’”

Then it hit me: How clever of Pixar to play Weezer’s cover of The Cars’ “You Might Think” over the opening credits of Cars 2, which we saw last weekend. In hindsight, I realized the lyrics were perfect for the movie too.

I tried to explain the subtle brilliance of all this to the kids. Then I played The Cars’ version of “You Might Think.”

The kids listened and said, “We get it! Like when it says, ‘You kept it going, till the gun fell down. You kept it…going.’”

**sigh**

Queso Quote: Who Can Explain?

2011-07-08T00:44:00.001-05:00

“The one who made man from the dust and breathed into him, for the sake of this piece of pottery gave up his only Son to death. Who can possibly explain how much he loves us, who can even think about it worthily?”

—Augustine of Hippo

There Remains a Sabbath Rest

2011-07-05T21:22:00.001-05:00

My theology class blows my mind every day.

Today my professor, Dr. Scott Swain, taught on the Sabbath (among many other things). If I understood him correctly, he demonstrated that the Sabbath contains not only a memorial quality (“Remember the Sabbath day…for in six days the Lord made [everything], and rested on the seventh day.”—Exodus 20:8,11) but also an anticipatory quality.

He noted that the story of creation in Genesis 1 follows a particular pattern for the first six days: God did such and such, it was good, then “there was evening and morning, the [nth] day.”

But on the seventh day, when “God rested from all his work he had done in creation,” there’s no mention of “evening and morning.” His work was finished, so his rest was/is eternal. Which makes sense, I suppose, because it’s not like the Lord picked back up on Saturday evening (whether literal or figurative) and did some more creating. It was finished. He ceased working. Eternal Sabbath.

So Swain put forth that, as a reflection of God’s image, when humanity’s work is done on earth, we too will enter into an eternal Sabbath rest in the new earth.

This adds a whole new dimension to the Sabbath for me. Now my rest not only displays my trust in the Lord to provide in spite of my work (like He needed me anyway); it also reminds me of my certain future with Him in eternity.

Hebrews 4:9-11 totally comes alive for me now:

“There remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest…”

I don’t always keep the Sabbath. Theologians disagree about whether the Sabbath commandment still applies to those of us under the new covenant. I think taking a Sabbath is an excellent idea, at the very least.

I haven’t quite figured out what a Sabbath looks like during my current life-stage. Regardless, I need to grow a lot in the discipline of establishing regular times of rest. But I’m more motivated to do so in light of what I learned today.

Do you regularly keep a Sabbath? What does that look like for you? In what ways do you think a Sabbath gives glory to God? How does it benefit humans? Have you contemplated the anticipatory aspect of the Sabbath before?

IQ BOOK CLUB: Their Eyes Were Watching God

2011-07-02T21:46:00.002-05:00

"Love ain't somethin' lak uh grindstone dat's de same thing everywhere and do de same thing tuh everything it touch. Love is lak de sea. It's uh movin' thing, but still and all, it takes its shape from de shore it meets, and it's different with every shore."

So ruminates Janie Crawford, the protagonist of Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God. The novel follows Janie over the course of three decades of her life, as she “washes upon the shores” of her three very different husbands.

I really appreciated the novel for Hurston’s insights into the female mind, as well as her depictions of African American culture in 1920’s southern Florida. And I loved her eloquent, almost lyrical prose.

By the end of the novel, Janie had become a real person to me. On one level, Janie was very particularly a black woman, living in a black world. But on another level, she was just a woman, like me. I was certainly rooting for her!

I did find it curious that Janie never had children, and never mentioned why she didn’t. Especially with the recurring image of the bee and the pear tree, which in my mind connotes not only sex, but reproduction as well. (Hurston herself didn’t have children.) Did anyone else wonder about that?

“The sun was gone…It was the time to hear things and talk. These sitters had been tongueless, earless, eyeless conveniences all day long. Mules and other brutes had occupied their skins. But now, the sun and the bossman were gone, so the skins felt powerful and human. They became lords of sounds and lesser things. They passed nations through their mouths.”

Hurston’s depictions of African American life and culture—away from, separate from, not in response to white culture—were so vivid I felt like I was there with her. I appreciated the way she subtly translated her culture to those of us outside of it.

The men sitting on the store porch, playing the dozens. The music. The young men catcalling the young women. The complex issues surrounding of the degree of darkness of black women’s skin, of the “blackness” of her hair.

When Hurston first published Their Eyes in 1937, many of the other artists who along with her were a part of the Harlem Renaissance criticized her for exposing some of the deeper, more hidden aspects of African American culture to a wider, whiter audience. I can understand that, but selfishly I’m grateful for her beautiful rendering of her culture and (because much of Their Eyes is believed to be autobiographical) her experience.

I did some research and learned that Eatonville, Florida, is a real place. It was one of the first all-black towns formed after the Emancipation Proclamation (so much earlier than the book depicts.) Hurston actually grew up there. It’s now part of the greater Orlando area, and its population is still 90% African American.

I also learned that a catastrophic hurricane really did sweep through southern Florida in 1928. It’s referred to as the Okeechobee Hurricane, named after the lake featured in the book. It was one of the top 10 most intense—and deadliest—hurricanes ever to strike U.S. soil. Most deaths occurred when a storm surge from Lake Okeechobee breached the dike surrounding the lake, flooding an area covering hundreds of square miles. Approximately 75% of the causalities were black migrant farm workers. It was the Katrina of its time. Because the flood waters took weeks to recede and many bodies were washed into the Everglades, it’s impossible to know the exact death count. A mass grave containing 1600 bodies exists to this day.

Oprah Winfrey produced a made-for-TV version of Their Eyes, starring Halle Berry as Janie, in 2005. But I’m hesitant to watch it because 1) critics say it was pretty lame and 2) Hurston created such vibrant pictures in my mind, I’m hesitant to replace those with lesser images.

How about you…What did you think of the book? When did you first read it? Did you watch the movie when it came out? What did you think of Janie? Why do you think Hurston picked that particular phrase from the book for its title?

I’ll be taking a break from the IQ Book Club during the month of July. (I’m taking an intensive seminary class for the next two weeks, then attending a 10-day conference.) If I do get time to squeeze in some reading for pleasure, I might try to get a head start on August’s selection, Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy.

Christians and Tipping, Part 2

2011-06-28T22:30:00.000-05:00

I’ve had a big response to my last post, Christians and Tipping.

One particular question several of you have asked is, “But what if our waiter gives us bad service?”

I think that’s a great question. And here’s my answer:

When the service we receive at a restaurant is subpar, we are perfectly within our rights to reduce the amount we tip accordingly. Western culture is based on the concept of justice, of right and wrong, of getting what you deserve. To pay our servers in proportion to the quality of their work is expected.

But what if we Christians did the unexpected?

What if, instead of tipping justly, we tipped lavishly and graciously? What if, when we received bad service, instead of giving a small tip, we actually gave a huge tip, clearly beyond what is deserved or expected?

What if we tipped out of our abundance instead of according to our server’s performance?

What if by doing that, we could share a tiny taste of the overwhelming, undeserved love of God with our servers? What if this small act of grace could awaken a thirst in our servers for its Source?

Wouldn’t that be infinitely more exciting than saving a few dollars?

Christians and Tipping

2011-06-26T22:07:00.001-05:00

Every other summer, the ministry I work for invades the college town of Fort Collins, CO. For the months of June and July, about 1000 of us (and our many children) come live and study on or near the campus of Colorado State University. During the last week of July, another 4000 (again, plus kids) join us.

It’s impossible not to notice us. At the apartment complex where my family is living, for example: Even though a remnant of college students stay here for summer school, the security guards are much more concerned about kids riding their scooters too fast (and too early in the morning) through the parking lot full of minivans than they are about having to shut down a late night party that got a little too rambunctious.

The local merchants have mixed feelings about our biannual arrival. Some look forward to the increase in business and even hang welcome signs for us in their windows.

Others, not so much. Last week one of my friends overheard one server at a restaurant say to another, “Oh no, the Christians are coming. Here comes a summer of bad tips.”

I just groan when I hear that. I mean, this is from wait staff who work in a college town. How did it get to the point where we tip less than college students?

But it’s true. I know, because before I became a Christian I waited tables at Applebee’s. Sunday lunch was always the worst shift to work. Christians always brought their noisy, mess-making kids to eat with them after church. They don’t order alcoholic beverages, so their tab (and therefore the amount they tip on) stays small, even though they took up one of your biggest tables. Instead they order water. With lemon. And then to top it all off, the percentage they tip is hands down the lowest of any other segment of society.

Christians, it ought not to be! Anyone who knows me is aware of how ~~cheap~~ frugal I usually am. God calls all believers to be good stewards of the money He entrusts to them. But tipping those who serve us is NOT the time to be frugal! We should be known as the most generous patrons a restaurant serves.

Here is my personal opinion about tipping amounts (you could call them my “tips on tipping”):

· The MINIMUM you should tip your server is 20%.

· Even if you don’t eat or drink much/anything, the MINIMUM you should tip your server is $1/person during off hours, and $2/person during peak hours.

· The longer you sit at your table, the more you should tip.

· Always tip on what the full amount of what your bill would have been before you redeemed that coupon/gift card/kids-eat-free deal.

· If you are going to pray over your meal or in some other way publicly identify yourself as Christians, please, please, please tip more generously than the above!

Wouldn’t it be great if two years from now, when our ministry shows up in Fort Collins, the following comment could be heard among the wait staff at a restaurant: “Awesome, the Christians are here! We’re gonna rake it in this summer!”

To read Part 2 of this post, click here.