GMOs and Humility

This year, I spent Christmas with some encouraging friends overseas, enjoying every minute of a second visit to a country dear to my heart: Peru! Some reflections from our time there...

Scrubbing was the task at hand as our team worked, scattered about rows of plastic tables and chairs on the grass outside the "comedor" at the orphanage. We yakked cheerfully while cleaning the dining hall furniture, and at some point our conversation turned to the controversial topic of GMOs, pesticides and RoundUp affecting our North American diet. Eager to share what I had heard, I blurted a few opinionated lines before being gently challenged by Barry: "You can make a lot of money off of fear, you know." I clammed up, slightly disgruntled that my firm position was now up for discussion. Yet as I listened I began to realize how much I'd been thoughtlessly parroting what I'd heard with no real research. The question was welling up in me -- partly due to curiosity and partly because I was still disgruntled -- and I finally worked up the courage to ask, "So, how does one know what sources of information to listen to on this?" The indirect answer that came was exactly what I needed to hear, "Just give thanks and eat it."

It's a simple, two-step solution: thank God for His provision, then partake. Yet how often do we (I?!) run to science, the internet or a trusted friend for answers before approaching God Himself? Isaiah 55:8-9 even explain that God's thinking isn't limited to our ability to understand. Not that we have no responsibility in in learning, researching and exercising discernment, those things are gifts from God, too. But it occurred to me that the conversation was no longer about the ins and outs of things organic and pesticide free -- it was about humility. Trusting in God's wisdom as provider. Seeking His thoughts rather than submitting to fear. Thanking Him for His gifts. Asking Him to be our teacher rather than merely parroting statistics and research. While considering what this kind of humility looks like, two things to consider...

Firstly, that God's wisdom is much greater than ours. (Greater? Okay, so this word may be a tad overused and might sound hollow, but what does greater really mean? More than, better than, bigger than, of increased value in comparison... what else can you think of?) In Job 38, God reminds Job of His supremacy. “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me. Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding," verses 2-4. When God directed Moses to lead His people to freedom, Moses hesitated, (Exodus 3-4:13). "You've got the wrong guy!" His excuses seem to say, "Send someone else." But God had already answered Moses' finite understanding and lack of ability when He said, "...Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you,'" (3:14). Ephesians gives us this picture of Jesus' sovereignty in 1:22-23, "And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all." Paul, in Acts 17:24-25 introduces God this way, "The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything." Yes, the God we serve is infinite and His wisdom is supreme... we can rest in this.

Secondly, God teaches us to trust His wisdom by acting in faith rather than letting doubt or fear cripple us. James 1:5-6 is an oft quoted passage, illustrating the doubting heart as being tossed in the sea. After Moses' initial hesitation to God's call, he is noted to have chosen faith in Hebrews 11:24-29: "By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them. By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned." James 2:17-18 further challenges us to step up and step out by putting this trust in the ultimate wisdom of God into action in the choices we make  -- choices that shape our lives day by day. Humility is submitting to God's thoughts and ways, rather than depending on our own. Proverbs 16:25 tells us, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death." 

So, did God really bring me however-many-kms across the globe to scrub some tables and learn about humility? Maybe. What response does this call for? Trusting His wisdom and submitting in faith, or as Barry said, "Just give thanks and eat."

Yearnings of the Homeland

// all i know is i'm not home yet / this is not where i belong

take this world and give me Jesus / this is not where i belong // 

 -Building 429

    Gazing at the storm through raindrops on the windshield, the waves were thrashing the beach and slowly taking over the shore one by one. The water rising to tumble over itself in its paradox of unpredictable yet orderly fashion. Whitecaps give way to some of the most beautiful hues of green, grey and those unnameable colours which eyes cannot decide on. A lone seagull would attempt victory into the wind, then disappear as the blustery song prevailed. 

    I watched the tide roll in for over an hour as the rain drummed and the car trembled in the gusts. Such beauty to behold in the word "STORM." I felt like Elijah standing in the entrance of the cave (1 Kings 19,) but rather than hearing a still small voice, everything in the storm was pounding, chanting, echoing a name - His name - the Creator. Showcasing the fingerprints of His handiwork from every possible angle. It was out there - His name - written on everything that moved and stood fast.

    In Romans, Paul writes that the invisible attributes of God are clearly seen in the things He made. (1:20) That explains why it is that when I take in creation I just can't get enough. Marveling at nature in light of God's word is perhaps the closest I can get to staring into the face of God. Even though I can't actually see Him, He is evidenced all over the place. Consider the wind - unseen yet clearly understood to be real and true. 

    I wondered, as I pondered these things and reflected on today being but a pit-stop on the eternal timeline, if I would one day miss this present shoreline, these mountains, the woods I now love so well... but no. I quickly dismissed the question, it is not the earth or creation that captivates me; it merely holds fingerprints, the living breath and soundtrack of the Most High; the Creator Himself. That is what really draws and enraptures my heart. Not the tide but the Tide-Maker. When we get to the Homeland, being right there in His very presence will be even more astounding.

The Bible speaks of many great men and women of old, who "...confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them." See Hebrews 11:13-16. Until then, we anticipate with wonder our Father's house... John 14:3 "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also." 1 Corinthians 13:12 "For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known."

Listen to Building 429 - Where I Belong

social media's loneliness phenomenon

Part of my training as a youth worker with Youth for Christ has involved and continues to include research on such topics as teenagers and social networking use, media, and technology. These subjects are of particular interest to me anyway; my ears always perk at other people's findings, discussions of statistics and impact on youth culture and development.

What I have come across, however, has pointed blankly to the fact that social networking through technology and the online world is affecting adults just as much as teenagers in today's western culture. For clarity, let me define "social networking" in this article as operated through technology: texting, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Myspace, Google+, MSN, chat rooms and others, mostly online or through instant messaging.

Culture Shift... Over and over, I have been floored by the seeming connection between the cultural shift toward social networking use with loneliness... a side topic of which is the connection of loneliness with the rise of depression statistics and surprising age-to-maturity statistics in comparison with previous generations. At this point I should perhaps remind readers that I am currently writing this article in Blogger's post editor on my laptop; maybe even mention that I currently have an unlimited text plan on my cell. I don't mean to say that social media and technology is bad, but I do find the cultural shift to be rather alarming given some of the effects it majors in. I feel it is important not to sweep the matter under the virtual rug.

This evening I was thinking of someone with whom I haven't spoken recently. I wanted to talk to her, but rather than picking up the phone to give her a call as I would have fifteen or even just ten years ago, I instead picked up my cellphone thinking, I should text her to find out how she is doing. I stopped myself when I realized that my excuse of texting her - she might be busy right now and I don't want to disturb her - was actually motivated by - I'm kind of busy and I'd like to know how she is but only with a one-sentence answer. I'd like to know that she is okay, but I only want a snippet, a status update, a tweet. I want a little bit of information quickly so that my attention span isn't taxed. I have fallen prey to the instant-convenience mindset. How selfish am I.

Relationships are messy. And they take work. And that makes them beautiful.

This past weekend at Youth for Christ, we held our May Long Weekend camp at Riverbend in Courtenay. A friend of mine from my teenage YFC days came as our speaker. Brittany Lawrence was a solid communicator with the group, presenting the idea of being a people "Connected" both to God and to each other. As she unfolded her thoughts, she shared a clip from TED Talks by Sherry Turkle: Connected, But Alone? (click for link). I found Sherry's perspective very useful in understanding social media and its relationship to what I might call the loneliness phenomenon. We are so hungry for connection and belonging, yet we are surrounded by the paradox of isolation. If you have taken the time to read this far and are interested, Sherry's talk is well worth the 20 minutes it takes to watch.

Kingdom Shift... Since I left Facebook nearly a year ago, I've had the opportunity to share with the youth on multiple occasions how freeing it has been for me. (For more on this journey, road trip to Facebook Free, but Not Faceless and Facebook Free, Indeed.) This weekend, I shared with the teens the side of my decision that involved acknowledging my hunger to control my image of how others would see me: to edit, to rehearse, to airbrush statements, captions, photos. My decision required me to admit that my Facebook page had become about me, and while this could seem like an obvious statement given the purpose of a profile page, for me it held much more than that. In closing my account, I described my page using the phrase "my kingdom" because it had become a way to control how I would be seen... how I would be understood. In reality, I would need to become much more concerned about God's kingdom. About Jesus becoming greater in my eyes; my self becoming less, my identity being based in my understanding of who God is; where I belong being rooted in how I relate to my Creator and Father.

Those of you who have been reading my meandering thoughts for some time now (thanks Mum and R. Nadai) have heard about the impact leaving Facebook has had for me. I never imagined it would be this big but I'm slowly understanding more and more of why it has made such a difference.

Facebook Free, but Not Faceless

I often refer to my Facebook decision of June 2011 and the life-shift it gave me. This is the letter I wrote to explain the closing of my account...

"Facebook Free, but Not Faceless"

Dear family and friends,

You may have noticed that things are disappearing from my Facebook page, or since you are reading this, that my status is indicating departure. It’s true: I’m deleting my FB account.

What this letter is not:
1.    a “Dear John” letter (unless your name happens to be John – then consider it a friendly greeting!)
2.    a condemnation of those who use FB
What this letter is:
1.    my desire to stay in touch and ways we can do that
2.    an explanation for anyone who is, at this point, scratching their head

The good news: we have other ways to stay in touch! (My phone number is... My email address is...) And there’s other ways, too, which you’ll have to ask me since I don’t like posting too much personal info on here.

The slice: I’ve been on FB since fall 2007. I’m not against FB, or FB Users; this simply comes from my personal experience in the FB World. I know that some of you may disagree with me. And some of you may find yourselves with a similar experience. That’s not for me to make the call on, but here are the main reasons for closing my FB, summed up by two matters…

FB has taken away too much of my time. I admit: I’m addicted! I love people, and when I signed up, FB became a tool for me to connect with friends. That’s fantastic! But in my case, the unexpected happened… now 4 years down the road, I’m realizing that FB has actually been taking time away from the people I love and the people closest to me.  I have often signed on to check my inbox, only to find myself hours later looking at the clock, having forgotten what I signed on for.  Now the day is nearly over, or perhaps that evening phone call has gone by the wayside (for the 49th time.) I have actually lost sleep to FB. (How has it taken me this long to figure that out? Those around me: you know what I’m talking about! *blush*) With FB, there was never enough time to be online. And all of the sudden, there wasn’t any time to spend face to face with people or doing special things for them. Or, if there was, I was up all hours of the night trying to fit both in. (Random, not-so-random fact: Did you know that I have been sick more often in the last couple of years than during any time in my past? Interesting that it’s run parallel with my increase of FB use.)

FB has been feeding into the growing narcissism in me. Okay, this one is a little harder to explain, since me and God are the only ones who can see what’s going on in my head and my heart. I’ll take a stab at some examples, anyway:

In photos, we can look as good (or bad,) as we want. Lighting, blemish tools, scenery… I’ve learned that a picture’s worth a thousand words. But for me, seeing people’s pictures hasn’t equalled knowing the person. Think about it: how many people can describe Elvis Presley, Carrie Underwood, Kate Winslet or Roberto Luongo? And tell me, of those people, how many know them personally? On a face to face, “I really know what’s going on with you” basis? Photos don’t equal relationship.

In my FB status, I can let people in on what I’m thinking. It’s swell to be expressive! Trouble is, sometimes I spend too much time thinking about my FB status. I’ve actually found myself driving down the road, or walking across town, completely consumed with a status idea. Granted, I’m a bit of a writer. But I haven’t had much time to write in years, aside from my one-liner profile posts. I actually wrote the following in my journal on June 28, 201o; almost a year ago: “Sometimes in life we are so busy rehearsing our Facebook status or posing in our profile photo shoot that we FAIL to notice our surroundings, we neglect those around us, and we forget that there’s more to life than staring at a screen inventing forms of shorthand. Have we become slaves to things built with human hands?” I guess it took a year for this to fully sink in.

This has been me. I’m asking forgiveness. I’ve seen firsthand the change that has taken place in me. And I don’t like it. I want to be focussed on others; not on me, or my kingdom.

I’m also ready to move on. There is more to my story than what you’ve just read, and I’m not going to post it on the internet (see the part about narcissism.) It’s not a deep dark secret, and I would be happy to share it with you if you are really interested, but you’ll have to ask.

I’m not going to close this letter by saying goodbye, since that would be counter-productive. This isn’t goodbye, this is hello. I can’t wait to get to know you. For real.

Love to each and every one of you,

Kathleen

life shared

/ what is life / kept to ourselves / careful words composed / it's a book upon the shelf / a story never told / 

Deas Vail

[from my recent YFC newsletter...]

 

A memo from the road... about stories. 

I love a good story, especially if it's true. Right now I'm sitting in the backseat of a 15-passenger van loaded with Comox Valley Youth for Christ staff and overnight gear. We’re on our way home from the YFC  Regional Conference we attend annually in Chilliwack, BC. It's been a full four days of meeting with staff from other areas; both new missionaries and those we look forward to seeing once a year. In the midst of dining hall bustle, I found myself quiet with curious eyes, taking in the diversity of talents, giftings and personalities within the room. Observing laughter, conversation, people serving other people, and most of all, stories being shared. Each person so unique with different backgrounds and experiences. Everyone has a story.

As I got to know other staff this week, I was reminded that listening is so underrated in our society. We talk a lot of ourselves, but imagine with me: a world in which we listened more. What we would learn from each other? What could we glean from other people, like a farmer reaping grain for food and nourishment? What opportunities would we happen across to talk about Jesus? Imagine a world where we honoured one another’s stories more.

I read a quote in my grade 12 textbook that has stuck with me these ten years (mostly, I’m afraid, due to the fact that this does not come natural for me): “You have two ears and one mouth. Remember to use them in more or less that proportion.” As I process these things and enjoy hearing from other staff and the reason they are doing what they’re doing, my challenge is to remember that everyone has a story. When I come into contact with people, to wait before making judgments from their expression or demeanor.  To welcome their life story. To just... listen.

Last fall, a stranger sat down next to me in a coffee shop. She wanted to ask me some questions, but instead of replying outright, I mostly asked her questions about her story. This wound up opening a several hour conversation about who Jesus is that I would never have had the chance to take part in had I not been willing to chat, and even more so, to listen. When the lady started asking me questions, there were questions behind her questions, as Andy Bannister of Ravi Zacharias Ministries would say. She needed to be listened to. We all do. I don’t share this as a thumbs up for myself, but rather as punctuation — illustration, if you will — to this thought. Everyone has a story to share. Sometimes, we just need to reach out and ask.