Wisdom: Update On April 26th, 2010

We leave Bermuda in 2 hours and sail to Antigua. I love sailing, it always provides time alone and time to rest. Not that I need much rest after Bermuda, since it was ridiculously slow, but I always appreciate rest. During the sail I will work in two different departments, the galley and as an Angel. Angels clean the whole ship, so we’ll see how I do waking up at 6 a.m. and all. Bermuda was nice; I took the last break of my time on the ship, which was a whole lot of nothing, honestly. I got to be with friends, which is always a blessing. The rest of Bermuda was nice, and the people are pretty nice. There is a strong Christian fellowship here, and the guys involved are amazing guys. I spent a few hours with some guys who go to prison nearly every day because a pipe was broke and we couldn’t meet with the prisoners. There is something about older Christian guys that makes me enjoy being around them, something about the wisdom that comes with mistakes, and the joy that comes through pain and perseverance that makes me want to learn from them. I think with guys like these the biggest thing that these guys possess, often, is true humility. I heard a quote once that was something like “The humble man only hears he is humble, but never believes it”. Humility is a life-long struggle for mankind, one that is a dangerous path, due to false humility tearing apart our true hearts and rooting all we do in pride. I am realizing how prideful I truly am with every new day that offers it’s challenges. I am in deep with pride, and am struggling to rid myself of it, which, I think, is what Christ talked about when he said “…and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me”. Pride is a root of evil, maybe the root of evil even.

A Beast: Update on April 17th, 2009

I sit looking over a sea as blue as the sky, which trees rustling with the wind, and big houses decorating the uneven land. Currently, I am on my last break of the time spent with the ship in Bermuda. It is beautiful here, there is little doubt about that. The city of Hamilton, where the Ship is staying, is a monument to the god of wealth. The buildings are a nice site to behold, but it certainly feels like something is missing. The people are friendly and will talk to you and help you, but it feels superficial. This is Bermuda; this is the world in a nutshell; this is the trap of discontentment.
As I said, the place is beautiful, and I am more than blessed to be able to take a break here, but there is something not quite right. Not in the buildings, not in the people even, but in the culture. The people here have anything they can desire, yet it is never enough. It is not just here, but everywhere. We are all victims of the consumer age, yet we all play along so often. I cath myself thinking about the next thing to occupy my time; the next new pleasure. I find myself wanting more and more, never feeling completey satisfied with the new thing. My heart has been weighed, and been found wanting.
So here I sit, looking upon a glory man could never surpass with her will and power, wondering why I want more. Here I sit amongst people who love and care about me on a trip I could never have provided for myself, thinking about the next thing to keep mme happy. Here I sit hating the beast living inside of me, yet not knowing how to kill it. The beast lives everywhere, attacking our impulses and insecurities to drives us into want. The beast breahthes it's flames, searing the contentment we can experience with our Saviour. The beast must be slayed. Jesus is all I need, there are no if's, and's, or but's to that, and I pray He makes that all the more obvious as I grow older and see more.

A Beast: Update on April 17th, 2009

I sit looking over a sea as blue as the sky, which trees rustling with the wind, and big houses decorating the uneven land. Currently, I am on my last break of the time spent with the ship in Bermuda. It is beautiful here, there is little doubt about that. The city of Hamilton, where the Ship is staying, is a monument to the god of wealth. The buildings are a nice site to behold, but it certainly feels like something is missing. The people are friendly and will talk to you and help you, but it feels superficial. This is Bermuda; this is the world in a nutshell; this is the trap of discontentment.
As I said, the place is beautiful, and I am more than blessed to be able to take a break here, but there is something not quite right. Not in the buildings, not in the people even, but in the culture. The people here have anything they can desire, yet it is never enough. It is not just here, but everywhere. We are all victims of the consumer age, yet we all play along so often. I cath myself thinking about the next thing to occupy my time; the next new pleasure. I find myself wanting more and more, never feeling completey satisfied with the new thing. My heart has been weighed, and been found wanting.
So here I sit, looking upon a glory man could never surpass with her will and power, wondering why I want more. Here I sit amongst people who love and care about me on a trip I could never have provided for myself, thinking about the next thing to keep mme happy. Here I sit hating the beast living inside of me, yet not knowing how to kill it. The beast lives everywhere, attacking our impulses and insecurities to drives us into want. The beast breahthes it's flames, searing the contentment we can experience with our Saviour. The beast must be slayed. Jesus is all I need, there are no if's, and's, or but's to that, and I pray He makes that all the more obvious as I grow older and see more.

Pain and A Challenge: Update on April 6, 2010

The Bahamas is full of tourism; in fact, ther is no national export, they only provide entertainment for people with the money to come. There is wealth galore within the first roads, starting at the beach, and there are people throwing around money. One can stay in a local hotel called the Atlantis (where Oprah stays) for up to $30,000 a night, and many people stay here. The ferry to an island across the sound is around $25 and thousands of people make the trip. Somebody is selling something at any time of the day, from conch shells to marijuana, you can find anything here. It is much like the US in that regard and in many other regards, such as their sports. I had the chance to go and play football with a local group of guys the past two Saturdays, and it has been a blast. I reminded me of being home on a perfect summer night.

Another thing that makes me think of home is on a quite different level. There are hundereds of kids in this town alone that are left on their own, by either irresponsible parenting or state mandates, much like home. In a small town maybe the size of Port Huron, there are a huge number of orphanages, abandoned kid's homes, and other child serivce providers. They are trying to help these kids, which is a good start.

The fact is that the main thing these kids want is attention and to be accepted by someone, anyone. I had the opportunity to go and present Christ to these kids, while trying to show them the love that he would have given them. I went to a hostile today where kids of any age come when social services so decides, and the kids were awesome. We did a program that presented the gospel clearer than we would be able to in America, and I can only pray that I loved them the way Jesus would have. I went to a place where kids are brought by parents who don't want them any more, and it nearly brings tears to my eyes trying to imagine the pain of that. We also did a short program and played with them as well. They really just want someone to listen, to touch, to hold them, and to know that they have worth. The teachers at the institution were all seemingly unhappy with their job which translates into them not treating the kids with love. This world is so messed up that these precious kids grow up thinking that they won't be loved. The fact is that sexs' allure will draw many who aren't ready for parenthood, which in turn means many kids will feel unloved, even at home.

So my challenge is this: show someone that life is beautiful. Step up (much like I need to do) to helping a kid on his way into a relationship with the One who will love him unconditionally, while you go out and love them too. these kids are precious to the Father, so shall we belittle their worth by being too busy to go out and care for them? I hope not, and I pray that even after the ship I can continue loving the kid's who feel meaningless.