Last Thursday

Hey everyone!

Last Thursday we had a great time, hanging out and laughing, relaxing and being stretched in the way we think. If you were not there, we missed you, and we hope to see you next Thursday, 2/18, 6:45-8:00PM at McAllister Center - 20th and Schuyler Ave, Lafayette.

We spent some time noticing how big and amazing God is. This is our chance to allow our minds to think some different than usual. We talked about how the modern tendency of thought is always to think that we can make something better, more complete, than it was originally - or replace something with something better that we have invented.

For example - there was a time, not too long ago, when the health care community told moms not to breast feed their kids. This milk is watery and not very thick and therefore must not be very nourishing, was their theory. After years of thinking we had it all figured out, we have now realized that the milk a mom produces for her baby is the healthiest, best thing for that baby - in fact, when I visit with mom's in the hospital who are thinking about weaning quickly, I often tell them that any amouint of breast milk that that baby gets is an advantage for that baby, even if it's one bottle per day or a couple ounces, pumped or nursed, it is the best thing. So you see, we think we have one up on the way God made us, and we realize quickly that it is not the case.

Here's another example - the appendix - yes, the appendix - for years doctors have arbitrarily taken out the appendix because it "has no function" except to get infected and cause appendicitis. So, when doctors are doing surgery for other things, they often remove the appendix, just to prevent a future need! Well, I just got back from a conference in San Diego where one of the "hot topics" was how the bacteria that live in the intestines of people have a huge function - possibly changing things like childhood eczema and adult irritable bowel syndrome and certainly affecting the way our body handles getting antibiotics and how our stomachs respond. Well, it turns out that some people are beginning to think that the appendix, because of its location (right between the small and large intestine), nay be the place where we regenerate the bacteria in our colon from if we have an illness, a course of antibiotics that kills off a lot of the bacteria etc. Sooooo, it appears likely that the appendix has a function after all! Here, we have arrogantly assumed that we know better than God and taken it out! It begins to produce an awe in my heart as I am humbled by the completeness, beauty, simplicity and complexity of creation - God has made us wonderfully - no way this is just the product of a bunch of accidental genetic twists and turns like some people might have you believe - it inspires a giant sigh and a moment of silence for the amazing God who made us so wonderfully and loves us so much.

Now, if you only notice the information and oooh and aaahh, then you have only gotten part of the point. You see, you were also made to be in relationship with this God who made you so marvellously and loves you so much. He wants you to involve Him in your life. So, when you begin to notice something like how wonderful babies and mommies are and their feeding is, thank God for it - talk to Him about how amazing it is and enjoy the fact that us people are made this way because He loves us so much! When you eat breakfast or lunch today, thank God for the way your little appendix has - if you have one - and be thankful that we, as people, don't have it all figured out! Let your heart move away a little bit from the driving, what comes next American mind set and involve God in your day - you will see - it will make a huge difference. Besides, if you just work, and fail to notice the amazing things in life - you will be missing out on the really great part of life!

We then spent a little time noticing each other - sharing things in our lives and talking to God about them! We share them either anonymously or not on a piece of papaer and then talk to God about that person for the following 2wks. We realize that the people who surround us every day are also amazing and that they also have tons of problems in their lives, pains and hurts and losses, just like we do. We also realize that if we go through life and miss out on the fact that they are there, we miss a very important part of life. So, try to really see the people around you in the next 2 wks, notice who they really are - don't let your busyness overwhelm your humanity!

Along these lines, we listened to song by Dave Crowder Bamd, called, surely we can change:

And the problem is this
We were bought with a kiss
But the cheek still turned
Even when it wasn’t hit

And I don’t know
What to do with a love like that
And I don’t know
How to be a love like that

When all the love in the world
Is right here among us
And hatred too
And so we must choose
What our hands will do

Where there is pain
Let there be grace
Where there is suffering
Bring serenity
For those afraid
Help them be brave
Where there is misery
Bring expectancy
And surely we can change
Surely we can change
Something

And the problem it seems
Is with you and me
Not the Love who came
To repair everything

And I don’t know
What to do with a love like that
And I don’t know
How to be a love like that

When all the love in the world
Is right here among us
And hatred too
And so we must choose
What our hands will do

Where there is pain
Let us bring grace
Where there is suffering
Bring serenity
For those afraid
Let us be brave
Where there is misery
Let us bring them relief
And surely we can change
Surely we can change
Oh surely we can change
Something

Oh, the world’s about to change
The whole world’s about to change

Then we talked briefly about the movie: Return to Me - this is a cheesy chick flick movie that we like at our house partly because it is set at a restaurant in Chicago that we love. In the end of the movie, we find the heroine, Minnie Driver, sitting on the top of an Italian Restaurant in Rome, trying to paint, but unable to because of her sadness. The Italian waiter comes by and asks if she needs anything and she says no. Then he looks at her empty canvas, and her sad face and says, "He...married?" and She says, "No, it's a long story." The waiter walks away and then stops, grabs a chair, and walks back to her and sits down, "I take my break", he says. This is the kind of noticing I am talking about! Do we dare to let go of our pressing schedules to notice the people around us and leet God use us to help them? I hope so!

Anyway, that is a summary of Thursday - hope to see you next time!