Part 2: Don't over complicate

"The Gospel should NEVER get lost in our attempts to theologize...the pain of the cross can speak for itself, without us having to create four syllable words to describe it. The excitement of the resurrection shouldn't be forgotten. It was (is) the game changer."

Sometimes in our efforts to have a deeper or fuller understanding of the Gospel (which may not necessarily be better) we forget the experience of it. In our attempts to think it through, mull it over, and then put it on paper or articulate it, we forget two things:

1. The Gospel lived: it existed as the person Jesus Christ
2. And we are called to live it, not just think about it.

It seems to me that many of our summer interactions most often start with the second question: how do we live out this Gospel in our lives here and now? And I wonder if it is because we often forget, in all of our attempts to understand things better, we forget that is is about understanding a person better. So maybe if we began to answer question number one, the answer to question number two would be more obvious.

In my times spent with kids, I was continually reminded that I had to introduce these kids to a person...not to a theological worldview (for all you Redeemer grads...lol). And people are known not through fact alone, but also through experience. So I can introduce Jesus through story (fact) but I also needed to introduce Him in person (experience), which called me to live it out in my relationship with each kid.

Lessons from kids: Part 1

 After three years of analyzing, over-analyzing, theologizing, over-theologizing (is that possible?), reading, writing, re-writing, editing, proofing, learning this and that theory and approach (think counselling focus of degree), this summer found me with an unexpected gift: a reminder of life's simplicity, as seen through the eyes of kids. The more time I spent with the kids the more I was reminded of things I had forgotten, and instead of me being the teacher, I became the student. Without further ado, or in the kid-language: here I go:

1) Life is fun, especially when you expect it to be fun. How often do I show up at events, dreading various parts of the evening, or already having thought ahead to what I can say, or can't say. By the time I get there, my mind is made up about whether I will have a good time or not. And usually I have decided for the "not." But everyday without fail this summer, North Club kids showed up (even early) ready and expecting to have fun. They looked for the fun in the activities we were doing, and in doing that, they found the fun. (Or maybe even made the fun?) Enough said.

2) Celebrate the small stuff. I remember being reminded of this when I was in Honduras. It is not that I know God's care for me through the big things of my life - but it is through the small little, everyday occurrences that are particular to me, that show His care and love for me. Therefore, nothing is too small to thank Him for, or to ask Him about. We can pray for everything from fly fishing, to friends in school, to grandma's health. All of it. Every last thing.

27 reasons to be thankful to be....27 (so original)

Here it is - two days late  - but in honour of my birthday I want to celebrate the things I've learned/gotten to do/am thankful for. In no particular order (or maybe in some sort of order...) and some serious and some not...here they are.

27. SOFT contact lenses. I did have hard. They felt like you had two pennies in your eyes.
26. Soccer (dear Netherlands, sniff...what are we going to do...)
25. Sushi of any sort
24. Volleyball - competitive - I admit I'm a bit of a snob
23. Hagelslag - not a swear word - and if you don't know what it is click here
22. Theodore
21. Jacob
20. Hetty
19. Laurence
18. Candace
17. Rachel (yes, some say that is cheating, but what else can you do with six siblings?)
16. My parents
15. the invention of scuba diving (I mean think about it, HOW, did that happen?)
14. that I learnt early that lying is not a good idea (yes there is a story here and it involves velcro shoes...hahaha)
13. Living in Honduras
12. Learning Spanish - I say "learning" intentionally.
11. That for once in my life having a name as dutch and a long as mine could be fun - I am still written down in the books through Central America as Amanda Van Helsing.
10. guitar
9. piano
8. my health - which seems to have a mind of its own - but I am still thankful
7. a growing desire to find something (not someone unless its me) to laugh at
6. friends - whom I am continually blessed to know and journey with
5. that I have gotten to study more and love it - yes I am a nerd -
4. traveling
3. sushi - did I mention that? - oh I must really like it
2. Afterbite
1. On a serious note, I am thankful to live in a country where the is freedom to openly worship Christ, and to have grown up in a family that follows Him as well.
\manda

My sister thinks...

What my sister sent me when I finished my course work for my Masters of Divinity. Thanks Hetty, thanks a lot.

Learning is fun...

Writing paper?

Studying?

Time for a break!!

Check IT out..