A Great Weekend . . .

Dennis and I had a great time in Pennsylvania this past weekend. Our main purpose in being there was to speak at the Penn-Jersey District Pastor's and Wives Retreat held in Lancaster. But, since my family lives in the neighboring county of Lebanon, we were able to combine ministry and family during our stay.

We found the Penn-Jersey District to be a diverse group in several ways. A surprising, yet refreshing element was to meet over a dozen couples - African American, Filipino, Haitian - who serve in this district. Not only a racially diverse group, but within this district lies the contrast of rural PA farmlands to metropolitan areas such as Philly, NYC, and Jersey. These men and women who serve so faithfully were a warm and receptive group. Apparently this district is one the most diverse district in the country. We counted it a privilege and honor to share our hearts with them.

It is very evident that Dr. Harry Wood, Penn-Jersey District Superintendent, and his wife, Alice, love shepherding this flock, celebrating the good things that are happening, as well as caring for those who are hurting. It is no surprise that Dr. Wood and Alice are highly respected and loved by those they serve.

Dennis and I were encouraged by an email one of the pastors sent to us after we arrived back home.

"I just wanted to thank you and your wife Gwen for your time in Penn-Jersey this past weekend. I really appreciated you guys, and your speaking style. I was expecting more of the flashy “we’ve got it all figured out” style, and felt you guys had a very refreshing approach of “here’s some practical ideas God is showing us.” It felt more like sitting down and having coffee with you both than anything else."

That definitely affirmed our desire to be "real," and he couldn't have said it better. This weekend made me proud, in a good way, to be part of a greater effort to promote God's Kingdom to a world that desperately needs to see that lived out.

A Ridiculous Equation

Severe trial + overflowing joy + extreme poverty = rich generosity

That's how Paul described the Macedonian believers to the church in Corinth, an example to be followed. Sunday was the first in the series called Monopoly - God's Word on the Real Money Game - from 2 Corinthians 8:1-9. Dennis gave a ton of insight into what it is to be a ridiculous Christ-follower when it comes to giving.

The thought that stuck out to me the most . . . Why give? My highest motivation for giving should flow out of the truth that Jesus became poor that I might become rich - He is the One who is the most ridiculous giver of all time.

The other thought that I grabbed hold of . . . giving reshapes my heart to be like God's.

A bit of trivia for you. They've been tracking giving in churches, to charities, etc. for the last 100 years . . . When do you think giving was at its highest peak? The answer proves the above ridiculous equation - the Great Depression.

It's not about wealth. It's about grace.

The question to ask: Am I a ridiculous Christ-follower when it comes to giving?

The Race in On

Well, tomorrow is election day for those of us who live in Michigan.

If you're needing some help in determining who is the best candidate in your mind, go to the USA Today "match game" to take a simple 11 question quiz to help you make that decision. Not that it might be that simple, but if you haven't done anything to consider your choices, at least it gives you a good impression on where you stand and where they stand.

Be a responsible citizen - get out and vote tomorrow!

Mornings don't come easy . . .

Monday night I gave my alarm clock a glance before getting into bed. Did I have something in the morning? Didn't think so. Why bother to set the alarm if I don't have to get up the next morning, right? Now that my kids are all out of the house (and I don't have a job), I have the luxury of sleeping until my body wakes up. In my mothering years, I longed for these kind of mornings. You might have guessed. I'm not a morning person.

But I happen to wake up Tuesday morning way too early for me - 5:30. After an hour of just laying there, I sat up in bed and read a new book until I got good and sleepy and then settled back in to finish off my quota for a good night's sleep.

I awoke to my cell phone ringing on my bedside table at 10:15. You know that startled awake feeling. Where am I? What's going on? What day is it? Am I dreaming? Is that the phone or the alarm?

It was Jeffers Elementary school wondering where I was, if everything was OK. Suddenly, I felt like an elementary child who was playing hooky.

I immediately panicked when I realized that Tuesday mornings are my mornings to meet with my little Kids Hope girl at 8:45. I felt terrible. Blundering sleepily through my words of apology, Mrs. Anderson, the school secretary, was very gracious and understanding, even though I'm sure I didn't make any sense over the phone.

Wow, I felt terrible. How could I totally miss that? And so I made arrangements to meet with Leah this morning and redeemed my total goof up. She was very gracious.

Morning's don't come easy for me. What about you - early bird or night owl?

Another Rwanda?

It’s the New Year - but for the people of Kenya, a rigged election threatens genocide. There’s something we can do to help before it’s too late, so I thought you might be interested -- please take the time to enter Avaaz website (you might remember I posted something before from this organization about the Burmese people) and send an email to Secretary of State Rice asking for a review of the tainted Kenyan election results, which has caused much violence.

Avaaz reports the following details: Last week, Kenya held a national election tainted with vote-tampering. It ended in a claim of victory for incumbent President Mwai Kibaki over the challenger Raila Odinga who had led the polls -- now Kenya's future hangs in the balance. Violence has broken out across the country, with roving gangs of machete-wielding youth terrorizing the population. Suddenly, this hopeful country could be sliding toward genocide.

Please take the time to click on the Avaaz link provided above, fill in the personal information and the email message to Sec. of State Rice will automatically fill in your information. Click on "send" and your few minutes of time will hopefully make a difference in this country.

While you take the time to politically make a difference, why not lift the people of Kenya in prayer along with the leaders who are dealing with this current dilemma. Let's do our part to stop the bloodshed in Kenya - thanks!

A New Year . . .

New Year's Eve day consisted of a ten and a half hour drive home from Pennsylvania. I certainly didn't expect the week between December 25 and January 1 to be such a full and eventful one, but life doesn't always happen the way we plan it. The holiday brought a mix of emotions as we celebrated Christmas with family here in Michigan and then a trip to PA to participate in my Grandma's funeral. I was too tired last night to bring in the new year . . . asleep by 9:30 left the new year come in on it's own, without fanfare, in the Jackson household.

As we drove to PA on Friday, I caught up on journaling, wrote a tribute to my Grandma to be shared at her funeral . . . and for whatever reason, I wrote this statement at the back of my journal: Wisdom is being able to look to the future when making a decision today. Maybe it was thinking about my Grandma's life of 100 years . . . but I do know that choices made today will affect the tomorrow's.

So, with that as we start this new year, I leave you with these words from Solomon's many proverbs:

Don't turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you. Love her, and she will guard you. Getting wisdom is the most important thing you can do! And whatever else you do, get good judgment. If you prize wisdom, she will exalt you. Embrace her and she will honor you. She will place a lovely wreath on your head; she will present you with a beautiful crown.

Live a life guided by wisdom . . . guard wisdom's ways . . . for they will lead you to a fulfilled life.

Blessings to you in 2008!