Uncle? NOOOO!

Younger brothers, especially when they are 8, can bring the most laughter and humor into ones life.

Today I had the joy of hanging out with my brothers and catching up on what they've been up to. They have all changed so much over the years, learning new things and developing their interests, and coming up with new questions to ask me.

My youngest has lately been asking me more personal question. Here is how our conversation unfolded:

We were sitting on the bed watching Eddie do something on the computer, when Daniel asked:

"Elena, when are you going to have a baby?"

I reply, "Someday. Why do you ask?"

"I want you to have a baby," he stated.

"Why?"

"So I can be the baby-sitter of the baby and play with him," Daniel said with a huge grin on his face. "I can help take care of him and teach him new things."

I smiled and said, "You know, if I have a baby, you are going to be the baby's uncle."

"Uncle?!" His eyes got big. "NOOOOO!"

"If I have a baby, and you are my brother then an uncle is what you will be."

"NOOOOO! NOOOO! NOOOOO!" He panicked. "I don't want to be an uncle. I am just a kid. I just want to be the baby-sitter."

At that point, Eddie joined the conversation and told Daniel that he'd have to get a mustache if he was going to be the uncle. Of course that frightened him even more.

It was priceless. Over and over, at the sound of the word "uncle" he got quite hysterical. David says its because he enjoys being a kid, and the thought of uncle represents an adult role. I suppose "baby-sitter" is one step higher than being the youngest kid in the family, which he is now.

Nevertheless, if anything, I am looking forward to the look on his face when him being an uncle become a reality. Perhaps he will outgrow the fear by then...

Book Report: Faith Under Fire

Since October, I have been on a reading spree. Ironically or planned, I'm not sure, but all three of the books that I have read in the past few months have been under the similar theme of Christian life and faith under complicated environmental situations. In other worlds, these books depicted the real life of Christians living under oppressive governments and places where Christianity was considered a threat and menace to society. These stories came full circle as in the midst of reading, David and I had the privilege to share a meal with man who has lived under such circumstances.

God's Smuggler, written by Brother Andrew tells of his unique conversion and call to be a missionary to the former Soviet Union. After being a unique kid in his village, he decided to leave the comfort of complacent society and visit fellow believers living under the Iron Curtain. He first visited Poland and could not be stopped from raising funds and bringing hundreds, if not thousands, of Bibles to these hurting countries. He not only shares his experience as a Bible smuggler, but he also shares the struggles of the church oppressed by the communist government. His visits to these nations not only provided needed literature, but also brought hope and encouragement to believers who, in their nation, were only exposed to the death of the Church. It is also interesting seeing how the devil uses the government to disenfranchise the church in a subversive way. Even tough his story takes place in a different time and place, the methods used by the enemy are still very poignant and relevant to life in comfortable and free America.

The next read was Total Abandon by Gary Witherall. Gary and his wife Bonnie decided to go live and love their neighbors in Lebanon during the height of the Middle East terrors (as we American's knew it to be). The moved to Lebanon and became part of the people there - serving at a local medical clinic and sharing the love of Christ to their neighbors. Gary recalls the relationships and passion that was put into Lebanon. Then, one morning, a few months after September 11th, Gary wakes up to a horrifying voicemail. He rushes to the medical clinic where his wife worked and saw his bride laying lifeless. Bonnie was murdered in the place she loved most. In midst of this terror, Gary chose to forgive and love instead of hate. This book is not only about the love Gary and Bonnie shared with Lebanon, but even more so about the love that transformed this dark situation into hope and restoration. Gary's testimony not only shows the beauty in the power of forgiveness towards others and what effect it has on them, but even more so about the healing power of forgiveness within oneself.

Finally, I read Tortured for Christ by Richard Wurmbrand. This book was mailed by the Voice of the Martyrs, which Richard founded. If the previous books were intense, this one is even more so. Richard writes about his experience spent in prison for his faith in the former Soviet Union. He witnessed many miracles and makes it clear that the underground church, and even more so, believers in prison, experience the most beautiful fellowship and manifestation of faith that we, in our comfortable pew seats will never. I believe it. He tells of his accounts and also shares experiences of fellow believers in the area. He also makes it clear that the events of the book are not over - they are very real and are continuing today in many Asian communist nations.

I believe it and it was confirmed.

In December, David met our new neighbor, who happened to be a refugee from Burma. This man was living evidence of the situation believers find themselves in across the world. For proclaiming his faith, he spent 5 years in prison. He was able to share his experience with David and I, and later at a Thanksgiving with my family. His experience definitely puts our comfortable American life to shame. Despite being beaten and abused for years on end, this man remains strong in his faith. He isn't bothered or interested in various denominational differences that we so frequently debate and fill our minds with. For him, the beauty is that wherever he went he was able to encounter other believers. To him a believer isn't one denomination or another. In his mind, if you believe in Christ, you are Christian.

Such simplicity, as our neighbor and the many people of the books I previously read have is beautiful. It is a shame to worry about whether or not Adam and Eve had belly buttons when there are believers who are risking their very life as they gather in the middle of the night with their brethren to pray. Sometimes they can sing, but most likely they will get arrested before the song is over.

These books and conversations, have definitely left me thinking. Our faith is precious, and it is not guaranteed to come this easy.

For further chewing, I recommend watching Francis Chan's recent sermon:

Pregnant Man?

Not exactly, but perhaps even more bizarre. Siamese twins, clones, sextuplets - none are as weird as a human living with a twin INSIDE of them. Medical stories usually fascinate me, but this is one that definitely gives me the creeps.

Read Sanju Bhagat's story and try to sleep peacefully tonight.

How to Make a Teenager Squirm

I love making teenagers squirm and try their best not to cry. It could perhaps be the best part of my job. No, I'm not bullying them or taking away their prized electronics. I make teenagers cry by telling them, to their face, eye to eye that they are intelligent, capable, and valuable in this society.

Unfortunately, somehow in society, hearing honest positive feedback and encouragement from an adult to a youth is a rarity. I think that is why the kids almost cry. I guarantee that 90% of their day they hear complaints and demands from adults - either directly or indirectly, they hear that they are worthless and their opinions amount to nothing much than a rebellious idea that must be corrected.

But wait! Haven't we been in a self-esteem movement where we are encouraged to say positive things to each other all the time?! I know I went through a "self-esteem" unit in high school where we learned about ourselves and our worth, so shouldn't that be enough to make us feel good about ourselves?

Teenagers can be duped in relationships with their peers, they can be pressured into doing stupid things that will ruin their life, they are notorious for stupidity. They are also notorious for being able to be brutally honest and smell fake niceness from a mile away - somehow especially from adults. Thus, telling a kid they are wonderful and special and valuable is only useful if it is in a real and personal context.

I am so thankful for the adults that pour their energies and lives into youth. I know in my life, if it was not for Sergei Kazinchenko, a radical youth leader from my church who decided to create a middle school group and invest his time in us, I could have very well been in a much different place. He took the time to get to know us, spend time with us, expose us to new ideas, and let us know just how valuable our thoughts and ideas were. He let us know clearly that we were not just some stupid teenagers, but rather human beings who are contributing to society.

Teens back in the 1990's and 2000's needed to know that. Teens today, even with all of the self-esteem movement need to know this. If you have a teen in your life, a sibling, cousin, neighbor, friend, student, who ever. If you have a kid in your life - tell them their worth. Tell them exactly HOW you think they are already contributing to society and encourage them to continue growing in their lives. If you do that honestly without deceit, that punk just might squirm.

Biographies and Back to School

Taking a break from school to focus on wedding plans, married life, and work has been an incredible time and opportunity to enjoy the non-student side of life. Of course, working WITH students of all ages, I am definitely not too far from the school setting, I have just enjoyed the break from being the student. But nevertheless, I did not invest 2.5 years into college only to turn back from the significant paper they give at the end. After some deliberation and planning, I am nervously excited to return to school part-time in the Spring of 2010 and resume full-time in Fall 2010.

I admit. I am nervous. Its been a while since I've been in school and thought like a student, read like a student, and wrote like a student. Its going to take a while to get back in the groove, so I am planning on thinking of ways to prepare myself.

Step One: Finish the scholarship essay. This is a big test - haven't written for a grade (unless you count reports at work for a grade) since June.

Step Two: Crank up the reading. I've read some awesome books this summer so far, and I would like to continue reading, but maybe at a faster pace. This summer I've read Bridges of Madison County, Thousand Splendid Suns, God's Smuggler, and am now finishing up Total Abandon. All were intriguing and the latter three very inspiring, probably because they were more or less biographical in nature and shared the narrative of one's life.

I am a big fan of biographies - reading peoples life stories, including their successes and struggles. There is power in the story, and a recent article in Christianity Today agrees. The article shares about the power of biographies, especially as a spiritual practice. I think they are on to something, because whenever I read biographies, especially those of a spiritual nature, it is definitely edifying and usually leads to spiritual growth.

So therefore, I will continue reading biographies. Maybe I will mix it up with some theological and theoretical books, but we will see.

I am also excited to see the movie Precious, which is about a young woman who has lived an incredibly painful life but begins a journey from oppression to self-determination. It will be especially meaningful because I know people who remind me of Claireese.

And finally, I am hoping to increase postings as part of my writing exercises to prepare me for going back to school.

Keep me accountable ;)

Easy Moneymaker

If you are in need of some extra cash, how about move to Taiwan and collect dog waste for some spending money? Apparently, dog waste is a huge issue in Taiwan that the government is willing to pay $3 for every kilo of dog poo collected. In areas where dog poo is even more abundant, they will pay $3 for every half kilo. More on this story here...

Life Updates

Today I had the pleasure of having a free afternoon to begin the scrapbook project I have been waiting to do for the past 4 months - the wedding scrapbook. A few months ago I had a dream of a perfectly organized set-up of the scrapbook materials to make scrapbooking more efficient. I remember waking up and trying to apply the dream to reality, and today - with the apartment to myself, I turned it into a fantasy scrapbooking workshop. With paper color coded and everything in its appropriate categories, I was able to whip out 5 pages, without any back pain. I was also excited to be able to use bits and pieces of wedding cards and novelties that came with them.

It's great to look back on the wedding day and remember the feelings and excitement that came with the big day. That day proved to be the best decision of my life, for being married to David has been the best thing that's ever happened to me! :) Definitely looking forward to the coming months and holidays. Its been fun figuring out what our family culture is going to be like - discovering what rituals and habits we have and partake in. The molding of our two worlds have thus far been blessed with unity and peace. Definitely thankful to God for that!

This month is a busy one. Many birthdays in the community, the Compassion Connect Banquet, and figuring out ways to stay warm this winter. We attended a weatherization workshop last week and got hooked up with some essential home improvement materials to make sure we are as energy efficient as possible. We are also working on getting some thick curtains for our sliding doors to maximize warmth.

Oh and shall I not forget to mention that AT LAST after years of thinking of the perfect boots, David and I found a pair and bought them!

We are definitely equipped for the season. Here's to warmth :)