bwangiaLog

How did the miraculous happen?

Mon, 02 May 2005 16:10:58 GMT

I just finished reading today's odb devotional. Its about the temptation of Jesus in the desert. Its a very interesting story . Jesus fast 40 days and 40 nights after being lead by the spirit of God into the desert. [ This would not be a significant verse if Jesus were not subject to the same hunger pains a regular man would have (i.e. if he used his God powers to reduce his hunger pains)]

So Jesus is ridiculously hungry. I know how crazy i become after not having lunch .. Actually I once tried going a week without food ... it gets better after I miss both lunch and dinner then I started getting week on day 2 and on day three I got both soo weak and started feeling cold, at end of day 3 I was cold and could barely make it up the steps of my apartment and I decided to eat ... my little tale might not mean to much to some but I think Day 40 would be something doable for some but still quite ridiculous.

Ok so Jesus is a man who is ridiculously hungry and the devil shows up to tempt him. In the Jesus movies the devil shows up as a hissing serpent but I know that no hissing serpent shows up when I get my temptations. So its more of an internal thing, I'll assume that its not just cerebral its also spiritual. Since Jesus was in tune with his spirit and his spirit is in fellowship with God, the reality of the devil tempting him in the spiritual realm would be very real. So the devil say turn stone to bread and given the spiritual power Jesus he can do this! I know its kind of mysterious for some how Jesus could do miracles but I think that its pretty simple. Jesus was a human just like me and you. He had a spirit just like you and I. He connected with God's spirit in intense ways and God granted him the communion and power to work miracles, access wisdom (aka the mind of God) and teaching (I think this is the reason he says, "38I am telling you what I have seen in the Father's presence") and all sorts of other heavenly goodies.

We'll I think that every human being since Jesus has this power available! Why? Because we have a spirit just like Jesus' and because of Jesus death we have spiritual access granted by God. So why no such power is demonstrated in life today. One reason may be that we dont access because of our insistence on guiding our own spiritual path, what we will accept and what we wont, another could be because of lack of desire to access/have communion with the spirit of God, or lack of awareness of our spiritual selves and resources, other reasons may be our hearts have stored up in them desires or ideas from spirits other than the spirit of God. These are things we can work on to give God's spirit room.

Well someone else may have honestly submitted to repentance, and God's leadership ... Well I think after that its up to God's desire to do stuff. But from Jesus' words that we will do more things than he did. I seriously doubt that God chooses not to use the willing and submissive. Its very exciting to me the amount of power to transcend the natural world that we live in that is available. We should do our part to access this power to deal with our temptations and other misnomers that we see everyday.

God help us to be excited about what is available to us through our spirits connecting with yours and then help us to be committed to doing what we ought!

Dont forget to check out my site http://www.cs.tufts.edu/~bwangia/ . The photo's page has some links to photo's from my wedding on April 23, 2005 in Santa Cruz, CA

Back from the honeymoon

Fri, 29 Apr 2005 02:41:52 GMT

Just a short note ...

The wedding was fantastic ... yeah it was unbelievable.

Later I'll get to talking about what it felt down inside to see K come down that aisle on Peter's arm ... the vows .. the communion .. the congregation ... kissing K for the first time ever!

And boy ask anyone who was there about the reception! I danced and was sweating as if Id gone clubbing. Just to give an idea of how much fun happened ... picture a girl doing a flip ... my bride with one hand on one foot, the other behind her head and subsequent movement ... My sister Arlene and I doing the 'cooking spoon' dance in the middle of the circle ... picture three tall african men (my cousins) in black suits strolling through the circle floor waving little paper plates coz it was so hot! ... Picture guys chanting "Go Bradley! Go Bradley! Go Bradley! ... Go! Go! Go!"

Dad danced, Mom Danced, Katee's parents, Chris, Shanee, Shanee's Mom Nancy, Charis, Evan, Neal Richarde freaking out in the middle of the circle (ps I think he is over 50 yrs old) ... I mean everyone you can think of was in the middle of that circle.

You get the picture! All this happened at the churches hall, and who said church folk cant have fun.

Then Katee and I drove down to Carmel and had the honeymoon of our life!

We are just back to Santa Cruz from the honeymoon.

I come back to Boston on Saturday morning and will probably update the journal after them. I'll probably put up wedding pictures right after then.

K and I are doing great. Its never felt more natural to be married! I love it. Thanks to everyone for making our wedding just so great!

3 Days to go!

Wed, 20 Apr 2005 12:16:43 GMT

Wow! I leave for California today. 3 days to my wedding and the start of my life with K! I love her soo much (baby if you are reading this, I want the whole world to know).

Its been a great ride. Lots of hope, lots of purpose, lots of patience, and most of all lots of love.

Friday we have the rehearsal dinner. It will be awesome to be out in the hills in Santa Cruz with my Dad and Mom, Chris, Shanee, Little Nia-Lael, Arlene and the rest of my family and bring them to meet K's family and friends. Some of the boston crowd will make it to the dinner. Some of my Lincoln buddies are coming for the wedding Saturday.

Saturday, we do it all. Its going to be a fun event! The mixture of everything. I heard the vows on saturday that Pastor R has prepared and my heart just started to lift as I felt the awe of covenant. In the day when all people want is 'self serving freedom' it has never felt better to place my intent, my will, my emotions, my love in the a vow that establishes covenant with K and with God. On saturday it felt like I was made to say those words; I mean I've never felt stronger about saying them.

After Saturday, we'll be off to Carmel, CA start the married life!

We'll be back in Boston on the 30th.

Thank you Almighty God, My Creator for giving me K and this life I live. Glory to You.

Todays ODB talked about God's unchanging nature. He does not destroy us even when we turn away from his way. Otherwise, the world would be gone by now. The circumstances of life dont change Him either. Its awesome to have this picture of God. To me its a picture of a God who sees it all and withholds his hand from punishment, and more often than not he stretches out and blesses even when we are on our own path.

Mighty God, Mighty God .... Yes, you are a mighty God.

15 days to the big day!

Fri, 08 Apr 2005 14:35:32 GMT

Its 15 days till I get married and I’m feeling good. I got up today and was getting ready to go pick up K; when I realized that soon, I'll get to have her with me 24/7. We'll be together and won't have to go anywhere to see each other. It’s really a marvel the mystery that marriage is.

We finished our marriage counseling yesterday and what an eye opener that was. As a single person, without realizing it you build up all these unhealthy hopes/expectations for your partner to fill that are all in your head. They are very burdensome to try and bring into a real living relationship. If you think about it would be really burdensome to live out someone else's expectations of you. It’s so much more refreshing to be yourself and have someone else discover the beauty of discovering your personality and also your quirks. Thanks God we got lots of warning on that.

In general, I’m really pumped to be K's husband and later our kids’ father. I can't believe I get to set up a new family entity. Affecting my family with my actions and choices. It’s weird that by making great choices, I get to set up a home that is healthy and vibrant and I'll get to positively influence K, our relatives and friends, other visitors, and later our Kids.

It’s funny that some of the guys tell me the count down with a tinge of "here it comes buddy; your in". But I just feel like I finally get to the finish line/or rewards line. Maybe for them, they got to do whatever when they were single/dating/engaged and so they had to come from that to full responsibility. But for the last few years I've been at full responsibility. So now I continue at full responsibility but I get to enjoy having someone to appreciate it, and someone to enjoy it with, have a strong reason for continuing this full responsibility. You don’t know how hard it is to do something hard when you’re constantly asking yourself, "Why am I putting myself through this? What is the big purpose in this?" But with marriage there is a big purpose to every little change that’s asked of you and making it yields some serious rewards. I’m looking forward to being married big time!

Sure there are lots of other responsibilities coming up that I did not have to think about. But what’s new about that, when I had to leave my plush DuPont job for hard grad school that was new responsibility. When I had to make the adjustment to teaching tufts Kids in labs when I'd not done that before that was more responsibility, when I had to chart a new social life in a different kind of crowd at PT and grace street that was a challenge, when I had to leave PT and be at grace street full time that was a challenge. And as far as I can see on the horizon, challenges are lined up for me. But with marriage I get to enjoy big time; I get to be with someone else. It’s a challenge that has instant reward; life with K! I’m way stocked!

And the wild card in all of this is its K! My baby's a lot of fun to be with. Everyone can tell by just how much fun people have interacting with her in public. But I come home to her everyday! Anyway, I’m writing too much ... I need to get to grading

Today’s ODB talks about a group that wanted to impose their religious practice on new converts just so that they could brag about this outward show. But also so that they would not face difficulty for going against the grain. Instead Paul says that their directives should be shunned and his boasts as a leader for the new converts are in the cross of Jesus Christ. The only change he's looking for is a change that gives a great reflection on what the death of Jesus has done for the new converts. Its quite awesome coz there's lots that people want to see in us that would make them feel better but is not in what Christ would like to see in us. I go with what Christ wants to see in me over what all the 'influentials' in my life want to see in me.

Sunday at Church

Mon, 28 Mar 2005 17:15:51 GMT

Yesterday a YWAM arts team out of tyler, TX came to gracestreet and did a dramatic performance that included lots of stats on abortion and the modern day problems that youth and family face.

They went on to state that there was a bigger picture that framed everything. God created me he wants me to be fully alive. The enemy/satan is strongly opposed to me being fully alive. Because he hates people (me included) and he hates God. He will tempt, trick, confuse, and rid me of such things as faith, belief, compassion, trust, truth, hard work, love, hope, courage, service to others, in daily life and work hard to make sure that God's way of making these things happen for me, namely, faith that Jesus was God's son, that he was born, he died and he resurrected for me. For the saving of my spirit & soul (when I think of the spiritual), conscience and body (when I think of daily life on earth). The enemy will do everything to make me disbelieve this and also disbelieve that the teachings and practices that Jesus and his disciples taught will bring me and others full life on earth and after death.

It was very clear to me that I had the choice of being fully alive! I could choose to be partially alive (believe in Jesus but not do his teaching or refuse to let him into my career plans) or I can choose to co-operate with God as he changed my thinking and practice so that I became FULLY ALIVE. Reached my full potential.

I committed yesterday to choosing to be fully alive. For me that seems to mean a commitment to (Spiritual and possibly day to day) Priesthood (Ministry Work), Spiritual Knighthood (Prayer and daily living), and obedient to God living (day to day living). I feel very empowered by this choice. Today I came in to the computer science department and I power graded through 5 theory questions for my theory of computation class!

I feel changes in my thoughts about my relationships. And I feel really encouraged about being able (with God's help) to live a life that obeys Jesus' teachings.

Today's devotional talked about how people view Jesus and challenged me that if I viewed him as stated in the bible, I should respond to this picture with loyalty and love for him.

Long Time Coming

Thu, 24 Feb 2005 16:18:12 GMT

Hey,

Ive been away form the journal for quite a while. School and other stuff got me seriously busy. Actually last week after studying about finite automata for the theory of computation class, I decided that the pressure of my current existance must have reduced me to a machine that could only address a finite number of input symbols. I remember going to class and not really comprehending/relating to what people were saying to me especially if that input was emotional; smiles, frowns ... You get the picture.

However, stuff is really picking up. I ran the class this week and Ive been getting in a little bit after nine and leaving a little bit before nine. Im afraid I may not have been eating and relaxing well coz I started to fall sick yesterday. So its precaution time, the theraflu's, cough drops, lots of rest and relaxation and I will try and work some exercise into the schedule.

Wedding planning is going well. I have one more guy to ask from my party and then Ill have to co-ordinate them. All in all I think my faith is the key in keeping sane in times like this.

I read a passage today in the ODB devotional that showed a picture of the heaven's. I think picturing the heavens and hoping for that also makes sense to a lot of the struggle here. I dont know how Id take on this amount of change and responsibility without the knowledge that there was some purpose to it all. I know a lot of people are motivated by the money reward or happiness reward but a lot of those ring a little bit shallow for me. I want the big kahuna as motivation for daily life. Give me some heaven!

Turned 25 Yesterday

Tue, 18 Jan 2005 19:07:09 GMT

So I turned 25 yesterday.

Birthdays are low key affairs for me (I even forgot) once growing up. But it was cool that people wanted to do something. The guys bought me dinner at picantes and K baked a cake and brought it in. D played a spanish birthday song on the accordion.

Had a good time. Ive had so much happen in the last year. Since my last birthday and begun dating and got engaged to K. I got a masters degree, went home, begun research work, got my first niece, met in-laws- to be, have been to East Africa, California and Northern VT. Yay! Have had some wild times of personal and intellectual growth ...

Someone said to me its just downhill from here ... meaning It should be easier going forward. Which is kind of true but I also think have serious challenges for my life.

Yesterday I prayed that this marks not less than a quarter of my time on earth. Which made neurotic me think about taking better care of my bod if I wanted to be around for all that time and have fun being around!

Its nice to be 25. Soon car companies wont discriminate against me for no reason.

On a separate note, over the weekend I became quite resolute about my work as an academic. I was talking to a friend about how their corporate programming job was coming and I did not envy him one bit. I know I want to be excellent in academia and I know I have what it takes. So here comes nothing. As if to confirm this, I was asked to TA the Theory of Compuation class this semester and I will.

Good to be 25!

Devotional: Life's Purpose

Tue, 11 Jan 2005 16:15:20 GMT

I competed for the Episcopalian scholarship that asked us to memorize some form of their creed and I remember that the first thing on the list was that Man's (and woman's of-course) chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. Couple that with Jesus' "Love the lord your God with all your heart soul and strength and love your neighbor as you love yourself" and you the message of todays ODB.

I tend to think about stuff so much and sometimes it gets me in a neurotic funk. At those times I question what life is for. Just to live doing what life demands and then die for heaven. Well thats as dry a thought as I can imagine. Its in stark contrast to obeying God and enjoying safe pasture in the land. Its in start contrast to Enjoying God forever. Its in stark contrast to love. To enjoying life and its challenges. Id rather think that Obeying God brings great pleasure and loving the people around me maximizes my sense of happiness, joy, and enjoyment of life.

And it make perfect sense. If I disobey God and what is right and true and good. I feel apart from that good and true life, I feel the guilt of a violated conscience. Luckily God is so forgiving. All I have to do is come and say, Im sorry and I have a new lease on life. It turns out that enjoying God is more fun than resisting and disobeying him. It leads to better relationships with the people around. It leads me to enjoy my job and my existence and at the end of life, I have an even greater prize waiting for me!

Someone may object that I am painting a rosy picture and that life has lot of sorrows and trials. I completely agree that life has sorrows and griefs and tragedies; but I would rather face those with the knowledge of God, his wisdom on dealing with them, and his comfort than without Him.

It feels great to be a child of God today!

Devotional: Surrender and patience

Mon, 10 Jan 2005 15:27:10 GMT

Todays ODB can be best summed up by its last sentence, "Instead of trying to quell your fears with panic prayers, surrender yourself to God through a prayer of relinquishment, and see what He will do".

I took comfort in the passage (Psalm 37:1-8)though.

It talks about not worrying about people who do wrong and succeed because they will soon wither away. Instead we are to trust in God and do good; live and enjoy safe life.

Vs. 5 strikes a chord in me because I feel like that is what Im currently doing with life.

Vs. 6 is almost an untouchable because you are not supposed to dwell on self promotion. The speaker at church talked about this yesterday.

The last line of the passage is a shocker, "Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret-it leads only to evil". I sometimes think that its my choice on whether I will worry or not but here it clearly states that fretting only leads to evil!

Devotional: Momentary vs future purpose

Sat, 08 Jan 2005 14:15:31 GMT

I guess I never understood todays passage from ODB. Esau, coming home from the outdoors swears an oath to sell his birthright to Jacob.

I don't really think I understood this idea of birthright. It seems like a promised destiny not just for the individual but for his/her posterity.

I feel like I have an inheritance/birthright in God and if I listen to him, I will come into it. Its almost already evident in some of the things that have happened to me. Winning a scholarship to come to the states, getting through lincoln, getting that Killer paying job at DuPont, getting into Tufts and getting my masters project done, going to Kenya in Nov needing both a passport and a visa to come back and I get it with no problem (student on legit trips have had months to get their visa's back), meeting and loving K, even my impending UCSC application.

But it seems like the message here is that I can sacrifice all of that continued destiny if I give in to the pressures of the immediate. The pressure to have money to help with stuff, to drive a better car, live in a place I own, eat better ... just a better life! I could be unimpressed and step of the path of destiny!

Disrupting all the blessing that was to come into being through me. I could opt for the ordinary in order to escape current pressures but I won't I will stick it out and change so that I can take on all my challenges. Then I will see all of God's blessing and will bring into this life everything God would use me to bring in plus some more! Yay!

Devotional: Gratitude

Fri, 07 Jan 2005 14:57:48 GMT

Todays devotional touched on something that has been on the fringes for me. Honest gratitude and thanksgiving to God for the things he does for me.

This sentence from todays ODB is key, "Let's not think that because we can't repay God for saving us, we owe Him nothing.".

Paul knew he could not pay God for the salvation that He gave him but he was so filled with gratitude that he gladly preached the gospel.

What is it that prevents me from feeling the deepest sense of gratitude. Is it the little hardships that I suffer along the way that make me feel like I deserve the good I get. This sounds so ridiculous when written down but its actually what probably happens.

I don't want to be a person who God has to take things away from so that he realizes that "its all God".

What I can do to have more gratitude.

Count my blessings and name them one by one

Recognize my challenges as an opportunity to learn from God and the rules of life

Appreciate the people around me

Talk to God about his blessings
...

Hey google spider! Bradley Wangia

I want to have more gratitude.

ODB Devotional: Count your blessings

Thu, 06 Jan 2005 17:21:10 GMT

Todays ODB was right on the money again.

It encouraged me not to grumble about the tough things in my life because there are lots of blessings that I receive undeservedly.
It tells the story of Arthur Ashe who contracted AIDS from a blood transfusion that he received when he had heart surgery. Rather than grumble and ask why me? about his blessing, he was maintained a grateful attitude because he said he could also have asked why me? why did he win wimbledon, marry a beautiful woman and have a wonderful child ...

This really mirrors my life. When I met some of my friends back at home, I asked why me. Why do I get to leave Kenya and have the great life that I am having in the US? Why am I about to marry this extraordinary woman (she's more than I could ever have dreamed off on my own). Why do I have all the favor that seems to be on my life while millions are deprived the same. Its really awesome the level of blessing I have.

The devotional ended with the following phrase "With unwanted burdens come undeserved blessings." Awesome!

In an effort to make the google spidey find me I paste this link Bradley A. Wangia

Devtional: Quest for Riches

Wed, 05 Jan 2005 16:04:33 GMT

Todays ODB came from
James 1:9-11; James 5:1-6 and it contained warnings on riches for both poor and rich.

It comes at a really time time for me as I move into my new place and I start to think about how everything is not perfect! I dont have the furniture I want in there, my car is not fixed, little house things and all of a sudden Im off to the races looking for stuff.

Prior to getting the place in Waltham, i lived in a basement had no furniture, for a while used the bus to get to school and had almost nothing. For a while I was really bummed about that and I sought God harder. I had all the challenges I have today and I did fine ; actually I think I was quite concerned with purpose and mission and praying and all that.

Now I head off to waltham and materialism and self comfort/indulgence is creeping on me. It seems to justify itself with you've had it tough so its time to start getting the necessities of life! But this stands in stark contrast to what Jesus said to his followers

Matthew 6:24-34

About not worryng and trusting in God. Well, I need to do the same!

In an effort to make spidey find me I paste this link Bradley A. Wangia

Devotional: Help! God!

Tue, 04 Jan 2005 15:29:10 GMT

Todays ODB came from Psalm 69:13-18 and its a cry to God for help in the times of trouble.

I just liked that we have a source of refuge for the tough times. We often may feel like when really sad or hurtful things happen that we have been abandoned by God or that "he let this happen". Well I can't answer the later but I've known in the last few weeks that God is not my opponent in these time. So its good to know that he is not an innocent bystander either, he is THE source of help for the tough times.

Devotional: Testify

Mon, 03 Jan 2005 15:20:28 GMT

Todays devotional message (Proverbs 24:10-12 )spoke of seeing people's spiritual reality and the Christian's responsibility to help if that reality is not good.

We can not feign ignorance once we know what should be done.

However, witnessing, as it is called in different circles calls for wisdom. We cant force people to see things the way we do. We have to be respectful and humble as we explain what we think we should say and most importantly, we have to realize that God is involved in their well being more than we ever could.

Thats why he provides for each of us, gives us life's goods, sent his son to die for us ...

and he is the only one who can bring real change into peoples lives.

I'll look out for opportunities to tell people about God and the eternal realities of our relationship to Jesus.

Devotional: Fruits of the sin nature and spirit

Sun, 02 Jan 2005 17:50:51 GMT

Todays reading came from Galatians 5:16-26

It really struck me how behavior or attitudes I have can be distinctly categorized as 1) My selfish sinful tendencies 2) Good tendencies often brought on by some biblically based teaching

In this passage the sinful ones were sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like

and the spiritual ones were love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and selfcontrol.

The passage correctly assesses that its a conscious decision whether we will love or be gentle or will exercise self control or whether we will yield to one of the sinful ones. However, just plain old willing ourselves to do the good ones is not enough because some of them you really need extra help with. Like loving people who tend to be quite annoying, or having peace when everything is blowing up around, or being patient when you have been waiting for something for a really long time, one of the hardest is selfcontrol in the face of everything in you screaming to loose it. The Holy Spirit does teach these principles and makes us able to do these but only if we yield to be taught. When I just want to do what I want to do, I just end up in the first category.

God teach me the admirable character traits that come from yielding to the Holy Spirit.

End of Year

Fri, 31 Dec 2004 14:19:16 GMT

What a phenomenal year. I came into the year at Urbana 2003 in Illinois, Champaign. Fittingly, I was just coming out of a spiritual funk. I had not been able to distinguish matters of faith from matters of just reason and in an attempt to keep sane and have some faith, I operated on reason and only faith matters that were written in the bible.

However that previous Dec, I had fallen madly in Love with Katee. And in the midst of that funk I discovered some other motivation. Love. I know if anyone reads this they'll say jeez! Our boy is going all mushy on us. But its true, even though I hoped it would happen to me, it hit me like a flood. I remember Dec 14 - Dec 17, 2003 I was reeling from this force that had hit me like a tidal wave. At first I was in disbelief and so I struggled to understand the wave, then I realized this was for real and I stopped struggling and then my mind began to comprehend what was happening.

On Jan 6 I asked Katee out outside Peetes coffee in Boston. The girl was like I dont know what to say and I said you dont have to say anything. SO she thought about it and I prayed and poured out my heart for hours everyday. I thought to myself whoever is in charge of these matters cant be that cruel to me; shell feel something too. Well on Jan 19 K said yes and we were dating.

She went to Australia in February and when she came back we continued. I had an awesome time visiting her family in June and we went home to Kenya in Nov. We came back engaged and the year is coming to a close.

Other stuff happened too! I got my masters at Tufts in May enrolled in the PhD program in September. Co-taught my first class this summer.

Devotional: Dont imperil the future

Fri, 31 Dec 2004 14:04:46 GMT

Todays ODB passage was from Philippians 3:15-21 .

Paul encourages us to ' Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus'

The guide talks quotes the venetian artist Titian with the following words "From the example of the past, the man of the present acts prudently so as not to imperil the future."

I want to act prudently in my interactions with people so that I dont imperil the future. But also I need to be free of the guilt and pride from past actions. I need to be free to live today to the fullest. Christ is alive and new today. I should seek him in a new way today to see something good come in life.

2004 has been a phenomenal year. I asked my wife to be out in Jan and proposed to her in Nov. I got a masters degree from Tufts Univ and entered a PhD program here too.

As I submit my application for UCSC and look forward to being married in 2005. I want to act prudently not to imperil the future and I want to live today to its fullest.

Devotional: Not too difficult to Obey

Thu, 30 Dec 2004 15:29:59 GMT

Today's ODB reading talked about the fact that Gods commandments are not too incredible for us. Instead, "it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it."

It makes me think about my conscience, and the fact that if I am true to myself I always know what I should be doing. Whether its at work or at school or in interaction with people. However, for some reason I refuse to follow what I know is right. I tend my instincts which are contrary to what I know I should be doing. And so even when it comes to morals, Im compromising and if I do that enough, I build a strong case and my conscience is hardened about whether certain things are wrong.

Today's passage comes when I am kicking myself for not moving my car during the snow storm. I didn't move it before I went to Christmas and now I am paying the price. Literally. But God forgives and helps even when we decided to do the wrong thing or failed to act. So "Please help me with my car!"

Back from Cleveland

Wed, 29 Dec 2004 14:27:33 GMT

I went to Cleveland, Ohio for Christmas. I had a great time there. Most of my cousins in the US were there from Des Moines, Atlanta, St. Loius, Louville, Campbellsville KY, Washington D.C., Baltimore, Boston, and of course the cleveland hosts.

So you can picture a lot of people at the Christmas gathering. A bunch of Kenyan food.

There are now Kids running around and they are now of different ages. My niece Nia-Laela has grown quite a bit. The girl has cheeks to die for! And shes got a personality going on over there. I fed here and to feed this girl I was warned that you have to hold both her hands and put the spoon right in her mouth and then make sure that you keep the spoon coming to her mouth fast enough coz she eats quick. At the same time you need to watch for what is going on around her mouth. It was a fun ordeal. I did not let her hands go to see what would happen (maybe shed swing! ... or rub the stuff all over her face ... or tip the spoon. Anyway my sis in law declared it a success that I got her to eat so there!

The grown ups are doing good. School for some, moves for others (no more cleaveland and yay for more boston folks), and the same for the rest.

People were really excited about the engagement, lots of questions about how it happened, why Kenya? whens the date for the wedding. Which a lot of people said they would come to.

Got back to town yesterday and opened all my Christmas presents from K and her family. That was fun.

So now Im back getting quite ready to finish work for the year. Finish my application and submit and then move into my new place! Oh Im stocked for this place. A lot of life will be breathed in for moving to an apartment. Have inlaws to be in town and Im lucky coz they are the best you've ever seen had.

Well will update somemore soon. I have not forgotten to write about Kenya experiences either. They'll be coming soon.

Devotional: Couteousness, humility, and Respect with others

Wed, 29 Dec 2004 14:13:39 GMT

Wow! Today's devotional from ODB lays out a lot of things that I thought were just cultural norms of interaction, but that are actually God ordered for the Christian.

Living in harmony with each other as Christians
Being Sympathetic to others
Being Loving
Being Compassionate and humble.
Not repaying insult for insult

For whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and deceitful speech. He must seek peace and pursue it. Because Gods eyes are on the righteous.

It says who is going to harm us if we are eager to do good. This is so true in interaction with people if we were courteous, humble, loving, sympathetic, and respectful a lot of people would not resent us.

It encourages Christians to be convinced in their hearts that Jesus is Lord of their lives. So if there are truly malicious people who would hate and hurt even after you've been courteous, humble, loving, sympathetic, and respectful then you are reserved to Jesus' teaching of humility and repaying good for the hurt and hate.

We are then encouraged to have a good answer for our hope and faith but also. But then to give this good answer "with gentleness and respect". Keeping a clear conscience so that those who speak of maliciously about our attempts at good behavior in Christ would be ashamed of 'slandering' this life style. For it is better to suffer for doing the right thing than because we did the wrong thing.

Tounges of Fire

Wed, 22 Dec 2004 23:25:33 GMT

Today's reading came from James 11 . And this one talks about taming the tongue.

The part where it says that what great infernos are started by a simple words. Then it goes on to tell us that we can should not bless God with our mouths and then turn around and curse people. I know this is so true for me right now. I may not curse people but the spirit in which I say some stuff about people or events directly contradicts what I say in good times.

The chapter and the reading end with a way to make sure that our tongue has the best effect. We should weigh our words by this standard,

" James 3:17

17But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peaceloving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere." (New International Version)
"

So if something I say does not create peace, is inconsiderate, is not submissive, is not full of mercy and good fruit, is not impartial or is insincere, then it is probably the wrong tongue of fire. The exciting thing about this standard is that all else that fits this standard is the right tongue of fire!

Amazing how something can be so plain put! This is something that I need to put into practice.

New International Version (NIV), Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

Tough Love

Tue, 21 Dec 2004 16:57:39 GMT

Today's devotional was from Hebrews 12:12-24 . Actually, I just clicked Hebrews 12:1-24 and it addresses directly some hardship that I have been going through.

It says that we should consider Christ's suffering when we are thinking of the suffering that we endure. We have not resisted to the point of shedding our blood. And also that God disciplines the ones he loves so that they may share in his holiness. This passage sounds so reasonable and talks directly at the issue. I don't feel the need to interpret much; just relate. It's really refreshing coz its the truth. As a Christian, you will endure hardship, some of it being discipline from God and discipline that he gives to make us share in his holiness. Vs 11 ends by saying something its not fun to go through these times, but the hardship produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Well earlier in the semester I was having some hardship that I felt I could not bare and Id mentally flip out. I would not let what was happening shape me, I would complain about how tough it was, how not fair it was, how I could just jump out and run from the tough situation, how I was not being rewarded for being in the situation, and how everyone else was to blame.

However, I knew it was all bologna. I was going through a time that was necessary to shape me and I did not like it; so in rebellion I was not going to sit still and take my medicine. Its like the kid who does not want to take the injection and is afraid of the needle; so he flails about and would rather hurt himself way badly and still have their disease than take it. Well as I reasoned this out, I decided it was time to just sit still not say anything and let the toughness and whatever was going on go on. At the end of the whole ordeal, I just could not believe how much peace I felt. How I felt that I had the ability to take on whatever came my way. I felt like a giant but a really calm one. I always want to feel that way. No one dares ask for trouble and hardship (financial, mental, emotional, spiritual or any other) but if this is the way we are best trained, I will be more understanding of my troubles

Semester Winding down - Some preKenya

Tue, 21 Dec 2004 16:57:25 GMT

The semester is winding down for me.

Lots happened this semester.

I begun my phd program, I went back home to Kenya for Nov, Katee met Dad and Mom, I showed her all the places there are to see, We got engaged while out there! Oh yes Ive been keeping everything out of the journal. It was awesome and it just did it for us big time. I came back so happy and settled; feeling God like never before. Coz I had an awesome time in Kenya constantly praying on what to do and getting an answer. Obeying the answer and seeing it work in real life. Awesome times!!! And it was constant, from the moment I found out that I could not fly through London without a UK visa to the moment I stepped through immigration in Boston, I was just praying receiving answers, believing, obeying and getting results.

I took my stuff back to the house on Dec 3 and decided to go on the UK embassy site. Found out that I ccould not get the visa at the consulate in Boston so I have to go to NYC. But I can only schedule and appointment online and that takes 2 weeks. So talk to Chris later and he finds out I could go to chi-town for a walk in interview. Im thinking Ive got to stop at the international office at my school so that I can get some documents. While there they find out about agents who get you the visa. I get the list call around and settle on Mr Visa. It turns out he is an excellent guy and I get my visa Friday. In the meantime, I confuse myself a bit by going to boston to get my bags so that if I get the visa i fly out of NY but that doesnt work and I go back to Boston. Get to see K one more time and then, Saturday I fly out of Boston.

Back and common experience

Mon, 20 Dec 2004 17:17:24 GMT

Im despicable I tell you!

So much has happened since I last updated this journal and Ill be hard pressed to remember all the entries.

So for now I'll continue as normal and update the journal later.

Today I read Psalm 66:1-12 from our daily bread devotional .

It just stuck me how King David is writing in first person testimony. He is not talking about things that happened in the bible, or things that he was told, he is righting his experience and the experience of his nation. That is so cool.

When he says how awesome are your deeds, its coz his society/community has experienced this mighty deeds. David says, "He turned the sea into dry land, they passed through the waters on foot come, let us rejoice in him." He is talking about an experience that a ton of people experienced and can remember. The 10 commandments and the roar and thunder of the mountain as God descended on it was a common experience for what? 40,000 people? They all knew God for real.

I feel like today, even though in Christian circles there is belief that God does "mighty deeds". There is an step back awe when someone talks about God doing one of this deeds. And more often the step back has a hint of unbelief that makes the person telling the story have to defend it. (Kind of like, "this is unbelievable, tell me the facts some more so that I know this actually is happening"). How cool would it be to have whole groups of people having a common undeniable experience of their God. Does God do that this days? Does he want to do that?

A friend mentioned that wanting that miraculous sign is kind of unbelief. Which I agree to because of the people who wanted a miraculous sign in Jesus' time ( Matthew 12:38 - 47 ) . But there are some believing people in Jesus time who had a collective experience of God that was undeniable ( John 10:37 - 39 .

Im almost done with everything for the semester and so I'll update this space with my Kenya and life updates.