UNCOMMON BRAINS

Me with my 4 siblings.  Grandpa took a back seat.

All three of my brothers wanted to travel to Mars.  (Chris thinks they are from Mars.) My youngest brother attended Space Conferences and met a few astronauts.  He even built a Mars kite.

My dad, two brothers, and my sister received college degrees in science or math.  I was fascinated by their thoughts and inventions. 

  

Jay working on an invention on the back porch of the farm with Auntie, Beanie, Evy, and me looking on.

Jay working on something while cousin Dorothy and I watch.

So today when I read one of my favorite writers, Jared C. Wilson's, essay, click here to read, I was once again reminded of uncommon brains. There are people who seek new things from animal, vegetable, or mineral, every day, on this beautiful yet flawed Earth.

Me in 1985 with my 4 siblings in birth order. Photo by Chris Brown.

AT MY BACK DOOR

Last night, at about midnight, police made an arrest of a man almost sitting on our back door patio.  There were lights shining into our bedroom window and loud talking.  A lengthy conversation ensued. Our daughter had warned us about living in this neighborhood.  There is probably more crime in this area than in others.  But the price was right. We disregarded the warning.

Now many have warned us that The Church is being deceived and has accepted defiance toward God.  We should have seen this coming. It has happened from the days of Adam and Eve.  Some have chosen not to listen to God.  Some have chosen sin over righteousness.  Here are some horror stories about churches that have fallen into apostasy.

  Many years ago my parents moved to California and began attending a Presbyterian church. They were a little alarmed when the pastor wouldn't allow them to put up a Billy Graham poster about an upcoming event. Then the pastor began saying that the communion service was us offering our bread and wine to God. My dad wrote a letter to the pastor explaining that communion was remembering what Christ had done for us. The last straw came when the pastor forbade my dad to lead a Bible study. My dad formed a secret Bible study group. He was kicked off the Elder Board. When my two younger brothers began attending another church my parents followed them.

Then there was the pastor who, in place of a sermon, was reading stories about a little Irish village and all the residence and characters that lived in it.  There was no mention of Jesus or what He has done. The church shrunk from over 100 down to about 35. The elder board offered him a part time position, as they could no longer afford a full time spot. He decided to leave.  From what I hear he is now a pastor of an Episcopal church.

We are in End Times.  Revelation 22:11
Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous, still practice righteousness; and the one who is holy, still keep himself holy.”

AN ECCLESIASTES KIND OF DAY

Today I feel as if I have slogged through a storm water drainage pipe.  Not only am I physically wiped out but I'm also emotionally drained.  The reason is that another evangelical church has been returned to dust.  The good people of Martha Lake Covenant Church (MLCC) put their minds, souls, and bodies, in to keeping the church and the Awana program alive.  But yesterday, after 70 years of faithful ministry, the church was disbanded--each member to go their own way.  

Vanity. Vanity it is all vanity as I remember from Solomon's lament in the book of Ecclesiastes.  As it was with Solomon, God didn’t agree with my vision for the church.  For six years, as a member of  the church, my prayer partner, Kay, and I prayed every Tuesday for our families, the church, our country and the world.  I thought God would bring to MLCC Christian refugees from countries where Christians are persecuted.  We were encouraged when one man, who had moved to the United States 20 years ago, from Iran, joined us.  

Others thought that after the new condos were built across the street from the church that those people would join.  We served free food.  We had “Narnia” nights.  We offered free concerts.  We had some visitors but few stayed.  We put new carpeting and paint in the nursery.  We sent post cards.  I don’t remember what all.  With the Awana program and the Vacation Bible Schools we had good attendance but not many came back on Sunday. 

God has different plans and higher plans than we do.  Maybe what God had in mind for us was remaining faithful for a time, to learn perseverance, or even to learn how to suffer for Christ.

I was encouraged by Pastor Bill’s final sermon.  He exhorted us to go out and make disciples, baptize, and teach.  This is how we live a life of significance.  He also gave us an encouraging quote from C.S. Lewis--"now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on for ever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.” C.S. Lewis, The Last Battle.

We may morn and weep at the closing of our church for a while --  but joy comes in the morning.  Some day God will show us how our prayers for the church, and good works done by many, have made a difference in countless lives for Jesus, and that we have lived a life of significance.

WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR?

Marina de LaPaz, Mexico--Chris helped our cruising neighbors every day. Photo by Chris

After Chris added so many improvements to Flyaway, our Halberg Raasy 39', such as weather fax, watermaker, 3 radios, sun covers, you name it we had it, he ran out of projects for our boat. He then began to help the neighbors at Marina de La Paz, (where we lived on our boat for awhile).  He helped them maintain, and rebuild their boats.  One neighbor wanted to add a radio. The entire inside of the boat had to be torn out in order to do so.  (Just the paneling I'm told.) Another neighbor, over in Mazatlan at El Cid Marina, needed stuff done on their boats. ( You can ask Chris about the details.) This involved Chris climbing a mast or helping the neighbor to climb the mast.  You get the idea--anybody who needed help, Chris was there.  (I prayed a lot during this time.)  

This illustrates the fact that for those neighbors who need help, it is possible to help them right where  they are located.  During the ebola outbreak in Africa, Dr. Ben Carson advocated that those people could be helped in their own countries.  The U.S. military moved in and built clinics and our U.S. doctors and nurses traveled over to those countries so the outbreak could be treated.  

Now we have war torn countries in the middle east.  Many, including, Franklin Graham, believe that we can help those who are suffering, in their own countries.  ( Samaritan's Purse in currently doing just that.) But for some reason this has become a political issue.  Those on the left advocate open borders. Those on the right advocate helping those who need help in their own countries.  I am saddened to learn that many Christians are misguided in this area including the Evangelical Covenant Church.  Over 100 Evangelical leaders signed a letter in February advocating bringing all these people to the United States.  Here is an article explaining.  I will be e-mailing those in power to come to their senses about this --and also praying!