For all the parents out there.... yikes!

"Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he grows old, he shall not depart from it."
- Proverbs 22:6

Wow... so today was a doosie as far as parenting goes... My 9 year old did something I NEVER in my life thought would happen. He punched me... and pretty hard too if I might add. And not in playfulness either, but pure anger. Disappointment mottled with hurt, frustration, anger, and even a little blame, couldn't be better words to describe my feelings. So instead of getting even more angry, which I think was more hurt than anger, I did what I know and think I should have done... go to the Word... and I learned a lot actually... which is probably a good thing since that's what we are supposed to do.

So here's what I came up with... Iszac had to read and write every bible verse mentioned except for the story he will read later. He also has to answer some questions regarding obedience and what God expects of him as well as think about what I expect of him. He's beaten himself up pretty hard over it and gained 2 weeks of grounding, but in the long run, I hope and pray he remembers this and will make good choices in the future... I know I am certainly learning as well!

Biblical definition of Smite -


Smite- verb
1) to strike; to throw, drive, or force against, as with the fist or hand, a stone, or a weapn; to reach with a blow or a weapon
2) to kill; to destroy the life of by beating or by weapons of any kind
3) to blast; to destroy life
4) to afflict; to chasten; to punish
5) to strike or affect with passion

Exodus 21:15 - " And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death."

Honor- verb
     to give weight or to grant a person a position of respect and authority; obey

Ephesians 6:1-3 - Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

Colossians 3:20 - Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.

Exodus 20:12 - Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

Deuteronomy 21:18-21 - If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them: Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place; And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard. And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.

Romans 13:1 - Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

Deuteronomy 30:15-16 - See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; in that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the Lord thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it

Proverbs 1:8-9 - My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.

Matthew 15:4 - For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.

1 John 2:5-6 - But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

Psalm 119:5 - O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!

Proverbs 3:1-2 - My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.

Proverbs 13:13 - Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.

Proverbs 19:16 - He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul; but he that despiseth his ways shall die.

John 14:15-23 - f ye love me, keep my commandments.And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

1) How does God value obedience? disobedience?
2) What are some examples of people being obedient/disobedient in the bible? Name and describe 2 examples for both
3) Do you believe God's word is true? How come?
4) How does God want YOU to be?
5) Why is it so important to learn obedience?


Pray (*these are taken from Focus on the family)

1) Begin by letting God know how much you appreciate his guidance (Psalm 119:73/Proverbs 13:13/Psalm 73:23-24)

2) Acknowledge when and how you are disobedient (1 Samuel 15:22/Proverbs 13:13/Isaiah 1:18-20)

3) Thank God for ways you have been obedient

4) Ask God to help you be obedient (Psalm 119:9-11/John 14:26, 26/Ephesians 6:1-3/Proverbs 4:10-13)

TO LOVE MEANS TO OBEY!!!

- John 14:15 - If ye love me, keep my commandments.

- John 14:21 - He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him

- John 14:23  - Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

Read about Adam and Eve (Genesis 2:15-17 and Genesis 3)
1) What did God ask Adam and Eve not to do?
2) What did they do?
3) What did God do when Adam and Eve disobeyed him?
4) What are some things your parent(s) asks you to do?
5)Do you always obey?
6) Do you think God is happy when you disobey?
7) What do you think God would want your parent(s) to do when you disobey?

Growth is an Amazing Thing

Well... I can see it's been some time since I last wrote... a few uhm... years... Actually, I think I pretty much forgot that I created this until recently... and I can't say for sure what it was that drew me back to wanting to begin to blog again... not the I did that much in the past. But here I am, and I think I am going to be learning quite a bit about myself in this process.

Here's the deal... God is good. He's been shaping me, molding me, taking the parts of me that aren't in alignment with Him... and most of the time it's pretty painful, and sometimes it only feels like ripping a band aid off... it stings at first, but pretty painless after. But in the moments of great pain, of feeling broken and ashamed, those are the moments I know I am truly becoming something great... and I'm thankful for it when I look back and see where God is bringing me.

No I don't know who will end up reading this... and that's ok. I'm not doing it for you, but if it somehow touches your heart, if it somehow allows me a way to show you God's mercy and love, if it creates some sort of emotion, even anger... that's ok. I know that things happen to people in perfect honesty... especially to those brave enough to be honest to themselves. I have to know that God loves me for me; he HATES the sin in my life, but boy does he love me. I don't deserve it. I don't come any where near being deserving of His kind of love, his reckless love, his lack of abandonment, his drawing near to me so I can draw near to him type of love, but I am grateful and I try hard not to take it for granted.

So here's to growth... I hope you come along because it's gonna be one wild ride.

The goodness of God in the small things.

I am hearing news of things great and small that God is doing in our lives. To name a few personal things, I have been praying to not be lonely and God has been bringing new friends to me. I had a test due on Wednesday the 16th, of which I turned in unfinished and failed quite miserably, but after taking the chance at talking with my instructor, upon his request, and due to my grades in the class, he is allowing me to retake the same test and turn it in on Friday, the 25th. I have been praying to become more comfortable with who I am and God is slowly working the guilt for my past and I am thankful and more confident in who He sees me as and not just who I see myself. On bigger notes, my family in Taiwan, my christian brothers and sisters have found their building that God has allowed them to have and I am oh so excited for them!

Which brings me to this point... a reminder if you will of something God brought to my attention while I was in Taiwan. God answers the small and the large prayers and we should never been afraid to be bold in what we pray. I saw a post yesterday from a friend of mine, personalized for her, taken from 2 Cor 7:14, but I am going to give you The Message's version, which says, " God appeared to Solomon that very night and said, "I accept your prayer; yes, I have chosen this place as a temple for sacrifice, a house of worship. If I ever shut off the supply of rain from the skies or order the locusts to eat the crops or send a plague on my people, and my people, my God-defined people, respond by humbling themselves, praying, seeking my presence, and turning their backs on their wicked lives, I'll be there ready for you: I'll listen from heaven, forgive their sins, and restore their land to health. From now on I'm alert day and night to the prayers offered at this place. Believe me, I've chosen and sanctified this Temple that you have built: My Name is stamped on it forever; my eyes are on it and my heart in it always. As for you, if you live in my presence as your father David lived, pure in heart and action, living the life I've set out for you, attentively obedient to my guidance and judgments, then I'll back your kingly rule over Israel—make it a sure thing on a sure foundation. The same covenant guarantee I gave to David your father I'm giving to you, namely, 'You can count on always having a descendant on Israel's throne.' "

How awesome is God! He is there for us when we humble ourselves to him, and by his grace, when we don't. I love learning a little more each day about his love for us!

City on our knees...

I was sitting here at the computer, doing some homework and Toby Mac's song, City on our Knees came on and it made me think... why am i just sitting here. Not literally of course... but in the spiritual sense. How often do we wait for God to do things and just expect them to happen. When did we become so important to ourselves that we expect God to just figuratively, wave a magic wand and make everything better? How often do we hope for things to get better, but in the long run, complain because it doesn't happen on our time?

Lately, I have been so self-absorbed in my own sorrows and sadness about everything in my life that I have forgotten to just be still and know that He is God.Being a single mother and having the dreams and passions of having a husband, family and home become so strong at times that it's hard for me to function... I want so much for things to happen on my own terms in my own selfish wants and desires that i miss out on what God has for me potentially.

In my own little way, i have become a volunteer to write to deployed American soldiers as well as send care-packages. In my own lonliness, i have realized that there are others that are hurting and alone, so i am refocusing on those that don't have it as easy. While i can call my parents or see my son whenever I choose, there are those that miss mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, wives, husbands, sons and daughters and don't have something we take so much for granted.

So my prayer for everyone today is, not only be still and know that He is God, but be dilligent in praying for others. Be the light and the salt that he has created us to be. Reach out to those that are hurting and alone today instead of putting it off for another day or time or handing it off to someone else to do.

City On Our Knees
City on our Knees by TobyMac
If you gotta start somewhere why not here
If you gotta start sometime why not now
If we gotta start somewhere I say here
If we gotta start sometime I say now
Through the fog there is hope in the distance
From cathedrals to third world missions
Love will fall to the earth like a crashing wave

Tonight’s the night
For the sinners and the saints
Two worlds collide in a beautiful display
It’s all up tonight
When we step across the line
We can sail across the sea
To a city with one king
A city on our knees
A city on our knees
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

If you gotta start somewhere why not here
If you gotta start sometime why not now
If we gotta start somewhere I say here
If we gotta start sometime I say now
Through the fog there is hope in the distance
From cathedrals to third world missions
Love will fall to the earth like a crashing wave

Tonight’s the night
For the sinners and the saints
Two worlds collide in a beautiful display
It’s all love tonight
When we step across the line
We can sail across the sea
To a city with one king
A city on our knees
A city on our knees
Oh-oh-oh

Tonight could last forever
We are one choice from together
Tonight could last forever
Ooh
Tonight could last forever
We are one choice from together
As family
We’re family
Oh Tonight could last forever
We are one choice from together
You and me
Ya, you and me
Tonight’s the night
For the sinners and the saints
Two worlds collide
In a glorious display
Cuz its all love tonight
When we step across the line
We can sail across the sea
To a city with one king
A city on our knees
A city on our knees
Oh oh oh
A city on our knees
A city on our knees
Oh oh oh
If we gotta start somewhere why not here
If we gotta start sometime why not now

In Christ,
Ges

One Month...

It's been one month since my last post and almost one month since I left my home in Taiwan. My resolutions for the new year are 1) no drinking for one year... it's a coping mechanism that needs to not be so... coping? and 2) read through the entire bible in 2011... this one, I am trying to stay caught up on, and am realizing how hard it is to make it habit and keep it going. I have never kept a resolution in my life and I think it's time to start.

I have had the opportunity to tell people about my trip to Taiwan, but I really feel I would like to tell more... I just don't know how to. I also don't know if it's me or God in me wanting to do so.... I know he gives us the desires of our heart, which are his desires, but i also know that not all desires are his... we tend to get in the way... a lot. I keep thinking about the man outside of MRT 6 in Ximen. He had a wheel-chair and would play harmonica for money, but he did it not in his chair, but laying on the ground with a bowl in front of his face. And I keep thinking about that scene and how it translates to us.

What I mean is... how often do we settle for handouts of the world when we should be striving for the gift God has to offer us. Why do we so often, have our face in the ground, performing the same routine, when god has so much more in store for us? It makes me wonder, how often do I settle for something less than I deserve? I know I've done it my entire life... relationships, jobs, school, family... I perform my routine the same, day in and out, and settle for the return of complacency and pseudo-happiness... but man.... God wants me to CHASE him, because even though I don't see it, his gifts are perfect. He gives us Joy and Peace and even though he doesn't promise us "happiness", when we rely on him to provide, we are happy and content in what he offers us.

I want more of that... I have decided that I am tired of settling and to do so now, after all He has been teaching me, is waste. And I deserve so much more than that...

I Just Realized...

I have posted nothing in 2011...

Things have been busy here in Taipei... I have been running, running, running... it's hard to believe that I'll be leaving Taiwan in less than a week and I must say, I am quite sad to be leaving. I have fallen in love with the people and have been learning so much since I've been here. I feel like I have made life-long friends that will always be a part of my life in some form or another and I hope to be able to come back before the end of this year if I can find work in my field.

I have a couple of interviews to take care of before I head home... one with "Rose" and one hopefully, but yet to be finalized, with Tobie Openshaw... a documentarian living here in Taipei. I am interested in learning more about his work on the Betelnut Girls... a project he's been working on and the culture behind it... I'll also be talking about Religion and Culture and how the Taiwanese explain conversion to Christianity... It will be fun and exciting and I'll have the chance to learn even more than I have already since I've been here.

So things that I have learned since I've been here:
1) Taiwanese people are incredibly nice and are always willing to share their culture with you.
2) They are a shy people, that even if they can speak some English, they will not for fear of making mistakes.
3) There is little to no crime... however I don't know what corporal punishment is here and if that is the factor.
4) The temples, although beautiful, have a dark and oppressive feel... quite ominous in knowing that their gods of wood, metal and stone will never hear their prayers...
5) Many Taiwanese want to see their land healed by God and their people saved.
6) The food is wonderful... even if some of it is freeze dried and looks at you while you eat it.
7) There is a hunger and thirst for God and his Spirit, even if they don't realize it yet.
8) There is a strong respect for the elders here... something Americans should learn and adopt.
9) People live simply here... it's not about living in wealth... they do what they need to in order to survive/ After 30, they should have a steady job and be finished with school.
10) They are eager to teach you their language and always want to know what you think about their country.

I have learned so much more that can't be placed in words, but I will try and write more once I figure it out. that's all for now I suppose.

Me

Thoughts over Japan...

It’s hard to believe that I am flying over Japan and that we are 2 hours out from landing in Seoul… Dusk is hitting the skyline and casts a glow across the cloud layers. I had forgotten how beautiful it is up in the air. To think that this is happening is so surreal for me. 9 hours ago, I was sitting in the Seattle airport waiting for my flight to arrive. I must say that anxiety did set in somewhat once we began to taxi for take-off. The thought of flying over thousands of miles of ocean was a bit overwhelming. But I’m happy to be here. It has given me perspective on life and faith and trust in God and reminds me that all things through Him are possible.

We are about 850 miles outside of Seoul and you can feel the plane bank in the direction of South Korea. I haven’t been able to check my email and at this point in time, I have been able to sleep for a few hours off and on. I am thinking I may place my things in the hotel and go see the city. If it’s possible and if time allowed, I am hoping that my friend and sister Ji-eun received my email and will be able to meet me at the airport. I would really love to spend some time with my longtime friend before I leave tomorrow.

It’s meal time on the plane. I slept through the first one about an hour after we left Seattle, which was fine since I ate before we left. I am having chicken and rice with veggies, salad and fruit. I can see Japan below us… snow dusts the landscape and it’s funny to me. I’ve always wanted to see Japan, and well, I guess I get to. It looks like I’ll get to experience the sunset from up here tonight. I’ve always enjoyed that more anyways.

I miss my family. I wish that I had been able to speak with them before taking off. I really wanted to tell Iszac I love him and that I would see him soon. I know he knows that I love him, but it still would have been nice to hear his voice. I will send him a short video when I get to the hotel so he can at least see and hear me. I see and hear children on the plane and it makes me wish he were here with me. I would let him sit next to the window so he could look outside. He would really like that.

I’m trying to think about what it will be like away from friends and family. I know I’ll be in another place for a time, but I keep thinking about the opportunities I am gaining, the knowledge to put on a resume and the experience of putting into action what I have been working hard to learn. (Sidenote… this shrimp and crab salad is delicious. It has carrot, dill, a small bit of rice vinegar and baby shrimp with crab pieces… yum. ^_^). I even brought 2 of my applied anthropology books to refer to while I’m here. I figured I might need them when I go out and about and it would be good to have Van Willigen by my side to share with haha.

So I think that’s going to be it for now. I may write again tonight. I know that I still have some catching up to do from the last few days as I’m sure everyone is curious how I got to this point. It’s really an amazing story. So for now, Sleep well friends and family… I love you all.

Ges