True fans will certainly recognize the title of this post as one of the greatest quotes of all time from one of the greatest TV shows of all time; Seinfeld. It was said by the ever-lovable character Kramer in reference to his recent switch away from wearing any type of underwear. If for any reason you haven’t seen it I have attempted to post a link to a video clip of it here. G rated of course.
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=161374633917278
But since I really don’t know what I am doing with linking stuff in a blog this could take you to a video of a cat taking a bath or something. Let’s hope for the best.
At this point I am sure the excitement is building as you ponder how in the world I am going to weave in a reference to wearing no underwear into a spiritual blog post. I am wondering that as well. But here is also the thing I have found about writing your own blog. You get to write whatever you want. Sure, we created this to allow friends, family and strangers to follow our journey as we make the move to Cape Town, but our site is called “The Elder House” and is about the Elder House as a whole. And sadly sometimes these are the thoughts that flow through the minds of those of us in the Elder House. Mostly through Brooke, but you probably already knew that.
The reason the quote is in the title and the reason I felt compelled to post about it was I can totally relate to the feeling right now. I am out there and I am loving every minute of it! I am in a place that I have never been before, never even been close to and never dreamed I would want to be in. Here is a snapshot of where I sit right now:
· I don’t own a home
· My apartment lease is expiring soon so I’ll be bouncing from place to place to sleep
· I soon won’t own a mode of transportation
· I don’t own a cell phone that I can make a call on
· I don’t have a job
· My paycheck is dependent on God’s leading of others to give
I am out there and I am loving every minute of it! And I know you might say, “Well this isn’t a true representation since these are just temporary until you get to South Africa.” First off I will tell you I don’t like that naysayer attitude and secondly I couldn’t agree with you more. We have hope and know that these conditions of our lives will soon change. We will not be homeless soon. We will have a car again. I will activate a phone so I can make a call and we will have money to live from the financial support God has been able to provide through our partners.
But what it has done is to really help me focus on many of the people in the world in which the hope may not be present. People who have the same exact snapshot that I do, but unfortunately, don’t face it as a temporary situation. It is their everyday reality and one that might not have an end in sight. So where is their hope? Sadly, many just don’t have any, but joyously many have a greater hope than you could ever imagine because they have found it in the one sustainable source and that is Christ. I have seen firsthand people who literally didn’t have a pot to pee in be some of the most hopeful and happy people on the face of the earth. Let me tell you, when you see that, experience that and feel that through someone it humbles and convicts you to the core. We have all let too many things and distractions blur our hope through Christ at various points in our lives. We count too much on the work that WE have done, the money WE earn, the reputation WE hold, the health that WE have and the accomplishments we believe WE made happen. The seduction of pride takes over, but it cannot sustain us, as WE will fail ourselves at some point.
So for these reasons and many others we are ecstatic about the opportunity God has put before us. The chance to serve with an organization like Living Hope which holds the mission to seek to reach people for Christ, bringing hope and breaking the despair of poverty and disease. But this isn’t just in Cape Town, South Africa where this plight exists. It is in every corner of the earth including your own backyard.
You don’t have move to another country or even a city or state to bring hope through Christ to someone’s life. You may not have to move out of your neighborhood or even your own home. You might not actually need to look further than your own heart. Your mission could be bringing hope and breaking the despair of _____ and ______ right where you are. The simple question is “How is God calling you to do it?” But be prepared because although the question is simple the answer could be difficult. But praise God for it. Praise God for forcing us out of our comfort zone. Praise God when we can proclaim, “I am out there and I am loving every minute of it!”
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
Proverbs 3:5-6
Tate
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=161374633917278
But since I really don’t know what I am doing with linking stuff in a blog this could take you to a video of a cat taking a bath or something. Let’s hope for the best.
At this point I am sure the excitement is building as you ponder how in the world I am going to weave in a reference to wearing no underwear into a spiritual blog post. I am wondering that as well. But here is also the thing I have found about writing your own blog. You get to write whatever you want. Sure, we created this to allow friends, family and strangers to follow our journey as we make the move to Cape Town, but our site is called “The Elder House” and is about the Elder House as a whole. And sadly sometimes these are the thoughts that flow through the minds of those of us in the Elder House. Mostly through Brooke, but you probably already knew that.
The reason the quote is in the title and the reason I felt compelled to post about it was I can totally relate to the feeling right now. I am out there and I am loving every minute of it! I am in a place that I have never been before, never even been close to and never dreamed I would want to be in. Here is a snapshot of where I sit right now:
· I don’t own a home
· My apartment lease is expiring soon so I’ll be bouncing from place to place to sleep
· I soon won’t own a mode of transportation
· I don’t own a cell phone that I can make a call on
· I don’t have a job
· My paycheck is dependent on God’s leading of others to give
I am out there and I am loving every minute of it! And I know you might say, “Well this isn’t a true representation since these are just temporary until you get to South Africa.” First off I will tell you I don’t like that naysayer attitude and secondly I couldn’t agree with you more. We have hope and know that these conditions of our lives will soon change. We will not be homeless soon. We will have a car again. I will activate a phone so I can make a call and we will have money to live from the financial support God has been able to provide through our partners.
But what it has done is to really help me focus on many of the people in the world in which the hope may not be present. People who have the same exact snapshot that I do, but unfortunately, don’t face it as a temporary situation. It is their everyday reality and one that might not have an end in sight. So where is their hope? Sadly, many just don’t have any, but joyously many have a greater hope than you could ever imagine because they have found it in the one sustainable source and that is Christ. I have seen firsthand people who literally didn’t have a pot to pee in be some of the most hopeful and happy people on the face of the earth. Let me tell you, when you see that, experience that and feel that through someone it humbles and convicts you to the core. We have all let too many things and distractions blur our hope through Christ at various points in our lives. We count too much on the work that WE have done, the money WE earn, the reputation WE hold, the health that WE have and the accomplishments we believe WE made happen. The seduction of pride takes over, but it cannot sustain us, as WE will fail ourselves at some point.
So for these reasons and many others we are ecstatic about the opportunity God has put before us. The chance to serve with an organization like Living Hope which holds the mission to seek to reach people for Christ, bringing hope and breaking the despair of poverty and disease. But this isn’t just in Cape Town, South Africa where this plight exists. It is in every corner of the earth including your own backyard.
You don’t have move to another country or even a city or state to bring hope through Christ to someone’s life. You may not have to move out of your neighborhood or even your own home. You might not actually need to look further than your own heart. Your mission could be bringing hope and breaking the despair of _____ and ______ right where you are. The simple question is “How is God calling you to do it?” But be prepared because although the question is simple the answer could be difficult. But praise God for it. Praise God for forcing us out of our comfort zone. Praise God when we can proclaim, “I am out there and I am loving every minute of it!”
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
Proverbs 3:5-6
Tate
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