Three Cups of Tea

Once in awhile, I read a book that captures my attention long after the last page is read. Such has been Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. This real life story of a former mountaineer turned humanitarian working to build schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan offers words of promise to the human spirit. Through amazing trials and circumstances, Mortenson has been able to offer education – especially to girls – as a way to promote peace in this impoverished and war-torn part of the world. How has he accomplished what might seem an impossible task? As advised by his mentor, Haji Ali, he learned to take time to share three cups of tea as the way to do business. “The first time you share tea with a Balti, you are a stranger. The second time you take tea, you become family, and for our family, we are prepared to do anything, even die.” Mortenson learned “to slow down and make building relationships as important as building projects.”

This book not only tells a fascinating story, but also provides insight into the geography and culture of this region, plus an understanding of the Taliban. It is on the 2009 UMW Reading Program List and is available in our church library as an audio book. I recommend that others add this to their want-to-read list and then sit down with a cup of tea and enjoy this story of a real life hero.

God Has Big Ears!

Our five-year-old granddaughter, Annaka, is asking a lot of faith questions these days according to her mother. “How can God hear everyone’s prayers?” “Why can’t we see God?” Since parent answers don’t always satisfy her curiosity, she has discovered that she has to sometimes figure them out for herself. She has decided that since God hears all our prayers, God must have big ears and thus does not want to be seen. What great wisdom!

I am glad that she realizes that God listens to little girls and maybe everything doesn’t have to be seen to be believed.

Trivia

I have an interest in words that all at once become part of our everyday vocabulary. During our recent political campaigns, we frequently heard the word vet or vetted. I understand its meaning, but what about its origin? As has become a common practice, I went to Google for the answer. According to Wikipedia, “to vet was orginally a horse-racing term, referring to the requirement that a horse be checked for health and soundness by a veterinarian before being allowed to race. Thus, it has taken the general meaning ‘to check’”. Perhaps, we can now retire paradigm or paradigm shift, a too frequently used buzzword, as vet and deflation are today’s words. However, this might be a disconnect for some.

Board of Ministry Days

For three days this week I was immersed in the work of the Conference Board of Ministry at the White Oak Retreat Center near Winnsboro. Although I have previously reflected on our meetings, they continue to generate some fresh thoughts. As we discussed important aspects of ministry with candidates for ordination as deacons and elders, I was most impressed with how many of them have grown significantly through their probationary period and already have effective ministries. A male colleague commented on how impressed he was with many of the women who wrote and spoke so very well. This was a great acknowledgement of what is being proven in many churches across our denomination. However, there were several times when we had to tell candidates, both male and female, that we found their papers and interviews to be lacking in clear understanding of what it means to be an effective minister. This is always painful and leaves me wondering why this happens. It often seems that perhaps the absence of honest and forthright guidance by pastors, congregations, district boards of ministries, mentors, seminary professors and even family and friends allows the candidate to assume that they will eventually be ordained. Perhaps the candidate’s call to ministry has been misunderstood and is to be fulfilled from the pew rather that the pulpit. Those of us who walk with these candidates have a great responsibility to light the way, not just pass judgment after years of preparation. It would seem that these thoughts could also apply to many family, church, school and work relationships.

Children's Advocacy

Tomorrow at First UMC is Children’s Sabbath. Although often interpreted to mean some sort of Children’s Day program, the intent of it is to recognize our role as advocate for all children and to remind us to share God’s love by meeting their needs each day. The following statistics provided by the Children’s Defense Fund are a call to take notice of what is happening to our children. What am I doing to change these numbers?


Moments in America for Children
March 2008

-Every second a public school student is suspended.*
-Every 10 seconds a high school student drops out.*
-Every 17 seconds a public school student is corporally punished.*
-Every 25 seconds a child is arrested.
-Every 35 seconds a baby is born into poverty.
-Every 36 seconds a child is confirmed as abused or neglected.
-Every 41 seconds a baby is born without health insurance.
-Every minute a baby is born to a teen mother.
-Every 2 minutes a baby is born at low birthweight.
-Every 5 minutes a child is arrested for a drug offense.
-Every 9 minutes a child is arrested for a violent crime.
-Every 18 minutes a baby dies before his first birthday.
-Every 3 hours a child or teen is killed by a firearm.
-Every 5 hours a child or teen commits suicide.
-Every 6 hours a child is killed by abuse or neglect.
-Every 14 hours a woman dies from complications of childbirth or pregnancy.

* Based on calculations per school day (180 days of seven hours each)

Election Eve

On the eve of Election Day, Kathy James offers a most appropriate prayer. She reminds us that it is not only what happens tomorrow that is important, but also how we live into the following days.

A trip update - We are back in Albuquerque and will return to Myrtle Beach tomorrow to await the election returns.

A Rainbow Connection

What could have been a miserable rainy experience turned out to be a beautiful time spent in Canyonlands National Park. On three different occasions we saw magnificent full rainbows arch over the canyons. How breathtaking! My personal photographer captured this picture of a double rainbow for a lasting memory of our wonderful Southwestern experience.

"I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth." Genesis 9: 13

A Mountain Top Experience

I have always enjoyed traveling by train, especially the scenic rail excursions, and have dreamed of riding the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad for a long time. Yesterday, I got to do this and can only say it was a mountain top experience in the truest sense. Not only the awesome views along the way, but also the slow swaying motion of the train allowed for a special time of connection to God’s Earth with my innermost being. What a magnificent day!

For more pictures of our travels, see Ron’s blog.