Optimism and Pessimism over the Last Days

I woke up thinking about how our view of the end of the world, and the last days, affects our daily lives.  Dad & I started out the week having an intense, yet lively discussion about the effects of your view on the end times on your attitude and daily life.
For me, I felt that we had lived under one set of beliefs and expectations, and had switched to another, and that we needed to verbalize what had happened and how the shift had come about.
We came to faith in Christ in the 70's, as part of the Jesus Movement, a movement that many members of that generation of adults felt was an answer to the desperate prayers of mothers and fathers for God to save their children from the infiltration of drugs and immorality.  A large part of the movement was the urgent imminence of the tribulation and the Rapture, an allegiance to the Pre-Tribulation Rapture and the literal Millennium school of belief.
That urgency was fed by the hostility of the government and the takeover of the culture by anti-Christian movements, and most notably by the wholesale slaughter of infants in the womb.  The end effect was of mistrust of the government and a fortress type stance of the church.
Forward to the 21st century and the megachurches.  We relocated because of employment and transferred to a megachurch in its initial stages.  The end times view here was not so focused, and instead was on taking authority in your oikos, sphere of influence.  The basis of this view was that Jesus had bound Satan and had the keys to hell and death, so we had open doors and could spread the kingdom.  The outcome of that was a confidence and initiative that was empowering, as well as worship that was glorious.  Along with the good effects, I witnessed a lack of kindness and love that was heart-rending.  It seemed that the focus that we had had on the suffering church and fasting and intercession was at odds with the new focus on taking authority in a geographical area.  It seemed to parallel the contrast between the survivors of the great persecution in Germany and the post-WWII consumer-driven generation.  There was an appreciation and familiarity of suffering and the cost of spiritual and political freedom that was absent in the younger generation.  And in that generation and in particular the church, there seemed to be a generation that was ready to take positions of authority by whatever means was presented or available but that had not much appreciation for humility nor kindness.  
It has seemed very important to me to chronicle this, so that our children will understand the paradigm shifts that we have lived through.  The focus of our Christian life early in our marriage was worship, serving other Christians, supporting world missions, and being an advocate for the least of these, those who had no one to speak for them.  In our children's teen years, we saw a change to focus on taking ground for the Kingdom through worship& prayer.  The focus was on reaching numbers, and being "relevant to the culture".  This meant spending time and resources in activities that society values currently, ie: fitness, consumerism, music, entertainment...
Although I rejoice at the success in drawing many people and fishing and catching men, I have struggled with the focus on following a leader, an individual, as they guide us through this endeavor.  I have desired more to be taking my play notes from the Bible itself.  I realize that the revelations from the Word of God have to come through a man or woman;  The truths are spoken and predicated-preached.  But it has been troubling to see opinion formed by the winsomeness of an individual's appearance and lifestyle.
Yet as I think about it, if our appearance and choice of activities can win people to the Lord, then I would manage those in such a way as to win persons to the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.  I think that the expressed attitude of depreciation by the Kingdom Movement adherents, for those who focus on the Tribulation and Rapture was a big problem for me, and still is.  Perhaps the Kingdom people had encountered the difficult opposition of Pre-tribulation adherents, and the emphatic emphasis on the coming holocaust-catastrophe.
There is a difference between anticipating destruction and anticipating prosperity.
The view of occupying till I come is important to me. I like to utilize our prosperity to aid missions and those in need, and to focus on the Lord's power and His dominion is more liberating and profitable than to focus on destruction.
I think that a very desirable position is that people are reachable and that we need tools and training to be a light in our jobs and in our lives;  That we Can and Will see people respond to the news that Eternal Life is a free gift, that we could never earn it nor deserve it. 
I believe that tenderness and love are the highest values in the Kingdom of Love, because it says that God so Loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes on Him would not perish but have everlasting life. His calling card, His permission to reach us, His identity, was that He suffered loss to demonstrated love and goodwill for us.  He established that His overriding intent was to be friends with us and to enjoy us. He was not intending to use us, exploit us, or steal from us.  He identified Himself as altruistic and good.  I am grateful that He re-established His authority in the earth, but it was by love, for love, and in love.  We must evince the same mindset as we move in authority.
I love our children the most of all my earthly treasures.  I hope that this is helpful.

Sports brings us all together

This weekend my Engineer Husband, Sculptor Son, Soccer Son, and Exchange Student Friend went to the Va Tech-Florida State Game at Charlotte. This being their first game was a series of adventures.  First, we saw God's hand as the tickets came available at a great discount.  Second, they braved cold weather and all but my Sculptor Son, wore the ski pants, following my suggestion.  They told about yelling, rooting, and rallying for the University Team that their parents and friends attended.  The noise level on the cell phone was pretty loud and the crowd was really rowdy.  The Sculptor, Soccer player, and Exchange Student (Missionary/Architect) all joined in the fray, coming from points afar, to carry the Va Tech team to victory.  What a picture!  The players, staff, and entire industry all come together to create good times for the fans, and the new-fans...
I just picture my silver-haired tall, good-looking husband, my 15 yr old soccer player son with dark coppery curls, and Jose, from the equator, enjoying the camaraderie and the sports scene, in his big-hearted way, before he goes home to study; and all three bundled in down and polyfill, while my long-haired, bearded son in his city gear coat, jeans, and artist's demeanor raises his voice and fist to cheer for the Tech team.  Good times, tiempos buenos!  And they are connected to me, the wife, mother, and sister in the Lord, and friend; Me, Bolivian-born, and Christ-follower, and culture-phile, and Va. Tech Hokie!
 

Amazing Breakthrough! Cooperative vs. Competitive Groups

Reading about child development and education last year, in a book that a homeschool Dad tried to discourage me from reading, I actually stumbled upon a truth that God tucked in there, just for me!  And you!  And other people who were looking...  It talked about how students who like a cooperative environment don't do well with students who like a competitive one.  The coop. stdts do better working w/ other cooperative studts.  This hit me like a surprise wave at Va. Bch. I thought about the years spent in church.  I wondered if it was possible that the environment where leaders wouldn't speak to members, and that administrative staff were primarily task-oriented, and activities were judged as their benefit to the entire group, that perhaps this was a competitive group?  And like an older Church leader said, most church staff are focused on getting things done, not on listening, not listening to people's hearts. 
It has really made sense to me, and I wonder if it's possible that this is why we have enjoyed the Rockfish church so much.  As an organization, their congregation has an 85% incidence of the gift of serving...is that amazing?  And each Sunday, the leaders stand at the doors and greet and shake hands with the people entering.  It just about brings tears to my eyes to think how the people entering really feel honored.  And after a year there, it is amazing that it's still that way.  The organizations in the church, the ministries are member-initiated, and leader-initiated.  Some Tuesdays are church-wide ministry meetings open to all the congregation.  The leadership of the meetings is by teams, as some members may come and go.  Thus, it appears that the ministries have steered clear of power-mongering...  This is a huge, huge victory... This has been incredibly hope-restoring to me.  An aside, my friend told me that the Pastor, who has a PhD in counselling, 20+ yrs. ago,  hired her at a small biz, when she was very pregnant, and took the heat for doing so, because she needed a job.  That's a caring heart. 
Well, I am researching Cooperative vs. Competitive Interactions, and it seems to be a very important reality that I look forward to learning about.  Have you found anything out about this element of relationships?

Our Greatest Desire

Our greatest desire is that you find a home, and that you make a home wherever you are. I guess that that means finding people that you can trust.  Is it possible that some of that is being trustworthy? And is it possible that that means avoiding people who would exploit us or entrap us?

Another question is that is it possible that finding a home and a community involves finding how to use your talents to help meet the needs in your immediate area?  Perhaps in far away, remote areas as well?

We pray that you will seek out people who have servants' hearts and who love God and are kind. However, we know that you'll never find a perfect person, and if we're focused on doing that, then we're probably very selfish. We hope that your interactions with others at work, school, the community, and in creative efforts will be rewarding and that you'll be able to develop relationships, and go beyond where we have gone.

How are you all doing as far as dealing with conflict? We hope that you have been able to remain in groups in spite of conflict, and to not throw in the towel. If you have not been satisfied with how you dealt with past conflicts, we know that God is big time showing you super Leadership techniques to help to Build a Team and to deepen relationships.  You know our strengths and weaknesses, and we are working on being more responsive and communicative in relationships. I hope to talk to friends more often, not just send Cmas cards.  So, as often true, it's a Q of developing self discipline.  I purpose to be more disciplined in communicating with friends.  I plan to use a calendar and the goal setting website.  I'll post it later, cuz don't member.  ILY

Missing College Students at Sunday Brunch...Intensity washing away

We're eating Sunday brunch. As we sit down together, I miss you all, and hope that you're enjoying a good meal on this day. It seems like the years you were home were just a blur, but I hope you know that we loved you and love you all very much.

Our family and the Royal Rangers biked, hiked, and enjoyed 8 miles of trail on the gorgeous Cape Fear Greenway yesterday! Wow! Annalisa is the only 8yo I know who's done that! And she was dealing with a gnat in her ear....irritation. We also rode Toto in a basket on my bike, and everyone laughed since he looks just like Toto in the bike basket on The Wizard of Oz. He was not pleased. What a perfect way to spend a Saturday!

OK, Mother's thoughts...I wish we could spend a lot more Saturdays enjoying and playing...I wish we could do the years over that we didn't do enough of that...If we could spend time laughing and not being intense, I would give anything for that...Just to let you know that I realize how my intenisty has been burdensome to all...And probably I was fighting the intensity in my past, hoping to not pass it on, but I ended up passing it on... I hope you'll all accept my apologies for the birthday parties and other events when I was trying to create something new and glorifying to God. Although I would have liked to have created great memories, I tried So Hard, and it should have been just laughing and enjoying...

We parents pass on things that we don't want to, but we believe and stake our lives on the fact that God will use those wounds as windows for His grace and power to shine through. Please just forgive us, and give us more chances.. Maybe that's what honor your parents means. Not that they always deserve honor, but that you forgive them their mistakes and set your confidence in God to work through their efforts.