Meanwhile, Half Way Around The World

We have lots of Thanksgiving memories. Most are good memories revolving around family and friends but there is that occasional bad one. Like the time the carbon monoxide detector went off just before dinner and I insisted on going out for a new one – immediately. This year we made a new memory when we received a call from a friend in India. She had celebrated at our home the last two years and was thinking of us.

We think of her a lot these days as she takes the light into the darkness. Here’s a portion of a letter she sent the next day, “It was nice to talk to you…I miss you all so much…Today, a 9 year old boy died. He was a new neighbor that moved into a house near my team leader's house. He had a fever for a day and by midnight, he died. He was the family's only son. He had never heard about Jesus from us. It’s a humbling time, a fragile reminder to be bold because I might not have tomorrow.”

What’s in it for us? Just a gentle reminder that while we feasted on turkey, watched the Cowboys game, and prepared our shopping lists for Friday a little boy on the other side of the world slipped into the next life without having feasted on the Bread of Life.

Thanksgiving 365

If Aunt Alma were still around she would ring out her often repeated phrase for this time of year, “Every day ought to be Thanksgiving Day!” It wasn’t that she didn’t enjoy Thanksgiving Day (she enjoyed a grand meal along with everyone else) but it was her reminder that being thankful is a 365 day occasion. At the risk of running a shopping list journal here are some of the things, big and small, I am thankful for these days.

I am thankful for…my mom holding on and continuing to make a wonderful recovery…family and friends who stick with us…all the enjoyment our children have found riding their scooters in our house…a piece of that miracle coming to pass…the exciting adventure of taking the cross to another people group…for a cup of tea, conversation and prayer with my wife…new friends we have met along the way…a good game of carrom or croquet…new challenges and fresh reasons to trust God…a good belly laugh…hobo dinners to celebrate 40th birthdays…our small group support system…a lamp for my feet and a light for my path…a good book and warm fire…Christmas season…pumpkin pie…those who take the time to read these crazy entries and feel the need to pray for us…

10 Highlights from Philadelphia

1. Stopped at McDonalds for ice cream on the way!
2. Got lost and ended up in New Jersey.
3. Ministry at Marcus Hook Baptist Church and able to enjoy their wonderful facilities, including Gym.
4. Classes, classes, classes and more classes.
5. Juggling homeschooling in the middle of the organized chaos.
6. A Saturday afternoon a Michael’s craft shop and lunch at Panera Bread. Yeah!
7. Challenged by Elisabeth Elliot’s quote, “There is no need for faith where there is no consciousness of an element of risk.”
8. The children get an art lesson from a professional artist reminds us that the Lord has special surprises for our children.
9. Made lots of new friends and heard a portion of their stories.
10. Reminded of the exciting things God is doing in Mexico, AND we are praying for many of you to join us.

Comfort Zones & Ice Cream

God is gracious and doesn’t let us flounder in comfort…which is another way of saying we are living on the edge of our comfort zone. Philadelphia beckons us with friends to meet, another round of training to attend, churches to visit and God’s mysteries to discover. Some days we feel as though we are in the fast lane and ask ourselves, “What in the world are we doing?” At other times we feel as though we are in the slow lane and ask ourselves, “Will we ever get there?”

Lest I mislead you this is a positive thing in our lives. It has given us an opportunity to prove many Scriptures such as Psalm 33:20-21, “We wait in hope for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in His holy name.”

Also I should tell you that another positive over the last year is the establishment of a new tradition in the Harer family. Christina declared on a trip recently that it is “tradition” to stop for ice cream when we travel. So as we head toward Philadelphia be assured that not only will our hearts be rejoicing but we will do so with ice cream in hand.

Life Is Fleeting

We were shocked to learn just a few days ago that our next door neighbor had passed away in the middle of the night. She was a kind, middle- aged lady who enjoyed working in her yard whether it was mowing, gardening or building.

It brought back the words of another friend from Wisconsin who is much the same as our neighbor. Linda is a kind, middle-aged nurse and rancher woman from Wisconsin. She is a hard worker with a barn full of Morgan horses. Last October she was roofing her house when she sensed the Lord saying, “Linda, the second you die this will all be dust.” After she had loaded up a wheel borrow full of “Yea, buts” she sensed the Lord saying again, “Linda, the second you die this will all be dust.” Seven months later the ranch and all her belongings have been sold and she is headed to Ethiopia to live out the life of Christ.

Psalm 39:4 puts it all into perspective for us when David says, “Show me, O LORD, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life.” Life is short, may we spend every ounce of it for the glory of God. Oswald Chambers said, “I have a great vision of a Protestant movement where people of ability who could obviously make their living fair and flourishing in other domains, deliberately refuse to do it and live for Him alone going the world over for Him.”