2019 Stories & Thoughts
I (Rich) wrote out some thoughts to God today...June 19, 2019
Dear God,
When you hurt for people, is it ever an ache? A numb kind of twisting, feverish heat? I guess you probably don’t have a stomach like mine God, but do you ever feel a gnawing pain in your chest when news hits you of pain, death, destructive stupidity, and terrible choices? Well, it hits me. The consequences of sin have recently been playing large in the news arena of my life. My feet drag, my heart hurts, and I work to push through the madness around me trying to keep my eyes open and my face alive.
Is it too much to ask of you that broken people would stop hurting themselves? I know she was struggling with depression and had alienated herself from her friends and family, but this? Really? Couldn’t you have kept her from suicide? Would that have been too much to ask?
I have to admit God, I hadn’t been in touch with her in the past twenty-some years, so I hadn’t prayed too much for her, really. Yes, I know we live in a sin-saturated world, and sin has consequences. I know we humans are the privileged (and cursed) recipients of that awesome and terrifying gift of free will. We have freedom to choose, but we don't have freedom from consequences. Even so God, in a way her suicide just made the world seem darker, more evil. Clouds block out sunlight, and darkness makes us falter. I prefer bright light, not these heavy clouds. I wish I had been in touch with her all these years. I just have some good memories from my growing up years, and then the news "Did you hear she killed herself?"
There’s this other problem I have, God. That guy in Haiti who abused dozens of innocent boys. Not for nothing, but you are omnipotent. Omnipotent means you can do anything. Is it to much to wish that you would step in and stop this kind of awful craziness? For some reason, you didn’t. When someone abuses kids I get torn up inside. The enemy went on an uncontested rampage right through the lives of innocent boys and used his lies and deception to such magnitude. I hate it, God. I absolutely hate it when the enemy moves in the hearts of broken people to hurt innocent people. Especially this sexual abuse of minors, God. You see it, right? You hurt too, right? I really wish you would, in your omnipotent glory, shut down the abusing wing of this creation of yours.
Humanity is broken. I get it. Believe me, I look in the mirror every morning so I’m reminded that, although we are made in your image, we are broken. And this perverted guy abusing those boys--it almost seems wrong to say it, but it's true that he also was created in your image. God, could you please step in and hold back the evil nature of your image-bearers? At least for the sake of the children? I love children, Lord. You've given me six precious children and I am watching them grow up. They make their good choices and they make their bad choices. I see their friends come around and I laugh at them. Tears come to my eyes, unbidden, when I think of the gracious gift you have given the world through children.
Back to those boys and young men in Haiti who were abused by this man. Please God, could you step down and show your deep Father love to them? They really need you right now, I am sure of that. Please care for them. Please give them your eyes. Please, Lord, be very generous to them right now and give them the privilege of delighting themselves in you. Your Father love is "vast beyond all measure" and I'd like to ask that you pour it out in great measure.
I've been listening to Book II of "The Gulag Archipelago" by Alexander Solzhenitsyn. I was struck by book one, but I'm scalded by book two. You know God, I believe you did a service to the world when you preserved the life of Solzhenitsyn so he could tell this story of the horrible Russian socialist experiment of forced labor. Certain portions of that book can only be swallowed in small pieces. I can listen to about twenty minutes until I have to wince, grimace, turn it off, and try to smile again. The gruesome cruelty of depraved guards and leaders almost makes me choke. Solzhenitsyn exposes the reality that the horrible line of sin cuts through every human heart. On one hand I'd like to say his book exposes the dark side of socialism--maybe so. But then again, I've seen enough of the dark side of capitalism in this money capital of the world that I know the blame does not lie solely with socialism. You said it yourself God...The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. Who can know it? If anything, Solzhenitsyn raises my awareness of the depravity of mankind. And I think of my heart. God, keep exposing my deceitful, wicked heart. Keep leading me towards humility and the fear of the Lord. I want nothing to do with pride, arrogance, self-protection, secretive sins, abuse. Let him who thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall.
In late May, we attended a funeral of a 50 year old Jamaican woman who had given her life fully to Jesus one month before she died. She was baptized in Texas, and showed such a sweet spirit. We met her only two weeks before she died. Her daughter introduced us to her, and her daughter was convinced you would heal her 50 year old mother. I guess the healing here on earth was not meant to be, eh? Cancer took her life, God. This made me think of my Mom. Taken from us at 55 years old by that mean-spirited thief we call cancer. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. It’s about time you kill him off, God. Could you just up and give death the smash? I’m sick of death. You would be doing us a big favor if you could kill him off.
Even sickness is hard. Our 19 year old, vivacious, motivated, dream-big-and-serve-others daughter has been living in Myanmar for over five months. The last three weeks she has had diarrhea. She has lost weight and felt terrible much of that time. I don’t like it when my children are sick. We hope she will recover well. It doesn’t seem fair to me that you allow the ones who want to serve you and serve others to get sick and sometimes to die, God. Then we look around and see that often the ones who oppose you get along fine. Sickness is not fair. Well, I guess Jesus did say that you cause your sun to rise on the evil and the good. We can’t really expect fairness in this broken world. But can we at least ask for fairness? Can we at least push back against unfairness? I’d like an extended word with you on that sometime soon, God.
I wonder why that guy shot three rounds from his gun last week less than 300 feet from our backyard while we were praying in our living room? And why did he run through our back alley a few seconds later, right past our neighbor Scott? Would there be a way that your people could help to stop this crazy gun violence that has been escalating in America, especially the mass shooting epidemic? Even in Chicago a few years ago when we were thinking of moving there, one guy said that his main prayer is that “The babies stop shootin’ the babies.” He was referring to young people picking up guns and shooting other young people. The devil is stealing, killing, and destroying. It's happening all over. I would like to see more people walk into newness of life, and live life to the full through Jesus Christ! Why does the devil win so many of these battles?
Yes Lord, I know there are lessons to be learned in all of this. I know that you teach us even in the middle of trials. I will still praise you when my heart aches, when my stomach flames hot with something other than indigestion. I will look up to you when I have to almost pant to make it through a particularly tiring, draining day. I will praise you. I will serve you. I believe you, Jesus.
Thank you for a sound mind, Father. Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. My mind doesn’t always keep up with the rest of life, but it still is able to take in, process, and move forward with purpose. The mind is a fragile thing--easily broken but not easily mended. We have seen friends minds go off the tracks, and it's a sad thing. You are an amazing Creator, Father. Please give us sound minds. This disjointed, mind-bending, irreality exposure that chips away at a sound mind is destructive. Mental illness is real, but oh dear God is it painful and life-altering. Please equip your people with supernatural protection by your angels “encamping around about us.”
Give us sound minds, Lord.
Oh, and thank you for Andrew Peterson's song "Is He Worthy?" I have not cried over a song like that since my Mom's funeral in 2005. It's a powerful song, Father.
Do you wish that you could see it all made new?
We do.
Rich
When you hurt for people, is it ever an ache? A numb kind of twisting, feverish heat? I guess you probably don’t have a stomach like mine God, but do you ever feel a gnawing pain in your chest when news hits you of pain, death, destructive stupidity, and terrible choices? Well, it hits me. The consequences of sin have recently been playing large in the news arena of my life. My feet drag, my heart hurts, and I work to push through the madness around me trying to keep my eyes open and my face alive.
Is it too much to ask of you that broken people would stop hurting themselves? I know she was struggling with depression and had alienated herself from her friends and family, but this? Really? Couldn’t you have kept her from suicide? Would that have been too much to ask?
I have to admit God, I hadn’t been in touch with her in the past twenty-some years, so I hadn’t prayed too much for her, really. Yes, I know we live in a sin-saturated world, and sin has consequences. I know we humans are the privileged (and cursed) recipients of that awesome and terrifying gift of free will. We have freedom to choose, but we don't have freedom from consequences. Even so God, in a way her suicide just made the world seem darker, more evil. Clouds block out sunlight, and darkness makes us falter. I prefer bright light, not these heavy clouds. I wish I had been in touch with her all these years. I just have some good memories from my growing up years, and then the news "Did you hear she killed herself?"
There’s this other problem I have, God. That guy in Haiti who abused dozens of innocent boys. Not for nothing, but you are omnipotent. Omnipotent means you can do anything. Is it to much to wish that you would step in and stop this kind of awful craziness? For some reason, you didn’t. When someone abuses kids I get torn up inside. The enemy went on an uncontested rampage right through the lives of innocent boys and used his lies and deception to such magnitude. I hate it, God. I absolutely hate it when the enemy moves in the hearts of broken people to hurt innocent people. Especially this sexual abuse of minors, God. You see it, right? You hurt too, right? I really wish you would, in your omnipotent glory, shut down the abusing wing of this creation of yours.
Humanity is broken. I get it. Believe me, I look in the mirror every morning so I’m reminded that, although we are made in your image, we are broken. And this perverted guy abusing those boys--it almost seems wrong to say it, but it's true that he also was created in your image. God, could you please step in and hold back the evil nature of your image-bearers? At least for the sake of the children? I love children, Lord. You've given me six precious children and I am watching them grow up. They make their good choices and they make their bad choices. I see their friends come around and I laugh at them. Tears come to my eyes, unbidden, when I think of the gracious gift you have given the world through children.
Back to those boys and young men in Haiti who were abused by this man. Please God, could you step down and show your deep Father love to them? They really need you right now, I am sure of that. Please care for them. Please give them your eyes. Please, Lord, be very generous to them right now and give them the privilege of delighting themselves in you. Your Father love is "vast beyond all measure" and I'd like to ask that you pour it out in great measure.
I've been listening to Book II of "The Gulag Archipelago" by Alexander Solzhenitsyn. I was struck by book one, but I'm scalded by book two. You know God, I believe you did a service to the world when you preserved the life of Solzhenitsyn so he could tell this story of the horrible Russian socialist experiment of forced labor. Certain portions of that book can only be swallowed in small pieces. I can listen to about twenty minutes until I have to wince, grimace, turn it off, and try to smile again. The gruesome cruelty of depraved guards and leaders almost makes me choke. Solzhenitsyn exposes the reality that the horrible line of sin cuts through every human heart. On one hand I'd like to say his book exposes the dark side of socialism--maybe so. But then again, I've seen enough of the dark side of capitalism in this money capital of the world that I know the blame does not lie solely with socialism. You said it yourself God...The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. Who can know it? If anything, Solzhenitsyn raises my awareness of the depravity of mankind. And I think of my heart. God, keep exposing my deceitful, wicked heart. Keep leading me towards humility and the fear of the Lord. I want nothing to do with pride, arrogance, self-protection, secretive sins, abuse. Let him who thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall.
In late May, we attended a funeral of a 50 year old Jamaican woman who had given her life fully to Jesus one month before she died. She was baptized in Texas, and showed such a sweet spirit. We met her only two weeks before she died. Her daughter introduced us to her, and her daughter was convinced you would heal her 50 year old mother. I guess the healing here on earth was not meant to be, eh? Cancer took her life, God. This made me think of my Mom. Taken from us at 55 years old by that mean-spirited thief we call cancer. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. It’s about time you kill him off, God. Could you just up and give death the smash? I’m sick of death. You would be doing us a big favor if you could kill him off.
Even sickness is hard. Our 19 year old, vivacious, motivated, dream-big-and-serve-others daughter has been living in Myanmar for over five months. The last three weeks she has had diarrhea. She has lost weight and felt terrible much of that time. I don’t like it when my children are sick. We hope she will recover well. It doesn’t seem fair to me that you allow the ones who want to serve you and serve others to get sick and sometimes to die, God. Then we look around and see that often the ones who oppose you get along fine. Sickness is not fair. Well, I guess Jesus did say that you cause your sun to rise on the evil and the good. We can’t really expect fairness in this broken world. But can we at least ask for fairness? Can we at least push back against unfairness? I’d like an extended word with you on that sometime soon, God.
I wonder why that guy shot three rounds from his gun last week less than 300 feet from our backyard while we were praying in our living room? And why did he run through our back alley a few seconds later, right past our neighbor Scott? Would there be a way that your people could help to stop this crazy gun violence that has been escalating in America, especially the mass shooting epidemic? Even in Chicago a few years ago when we were thinking of moving there, one guy said that his main prayer is that “The babies stop shootin’ the babies.” He was referring to young people picking up guns and shooting other young people. The devil is stealing, killing, and destroying. It's happening all over. I would like to see more people walk into newness of life, and live life to the full through Jesus Christ! Why does the devil win so many of these battles?
Yes Lord, I know there are lessons to be learned in all of this. I know that you teach us even in the middle of trials. I will still praise you when my heart aches, when my stomach flames hot with something other than indigestion. I will look up to you when I have to almost pant to make it through a particularly tiring, draining day. I will praise you. I will serve you. I believe you, Jesus.
Thank you for a sound mind, Father. Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. My mind doesn’t always keep up with the rest of life, but it still is able to take in, process, and move forward with purpose. The mind is a fragile thing--easily broken but not easily mended. We have seen friends minds go off the tracks, and it's a sad thing. You are an amazing Creator, Father. Please give us sound minds. This disjointed, mind-bending, irreality exposure that chips away at a sound mind is destructive. Mental illness is real, but oh dear God is it painful and life-altering. Please equip your people with supernatural protection by your angels “encamping around about us.”
Give us sound minds, Lord.
Oh, and thank you for Andrew Peterson's song "Is He Worthy?" I have not cried over a song like that since my Mom's funeral in 2005. It's a powerful song, Father.
Do you wish that you could see it all made new?
We do.
Rich
Teach us to number our days... April 3, 2019
So that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Noting the fleeting nature of time while looking into the vast expanse of eternity brings wisdom. If there is wisdom to be obtained, I need it. Heading south on the New Jersey turnpike to Elizabeth, NJ, I thought of the hours, days, weeks, months, and years that make up life. The days zoom by, kind of like New Jersey drivers. Sometimes it seems the days are on a mission to nowhere—also kind of like New Jersey drivers. If I would count each year as equivalent to driving 65 miles per hour through a state of the continental USA, and I would actually live another 48 years (I’d only be 92, you know), then those years are going to fly by. That said, I may not even make it through New Jersey (this year) on this turnpike we call life.
Teach us to number our days, so that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90. We have lived in The Bronx now for five months. A few times in our new place of residence I have thought of a lesson I learned once from my friend Somsak Borrisuth. We were having a discussion about trials and struggles. In the middle of the discussion, he looked at me with serious eyes, cleared his throat, and said “People are stupid, Rich.” I am here because I love God, and I am asking Him to show me how to love my neighbor as myself. Even so, Sunny’s words ring true sometimes, even when I look in the mirror. :-)
I was running the other morning and entered a trail through Seton Falls Park when a choking wave of marijuana smoke clouded my path. I looked around to see the origin of this second-hand smoke, but I advanced a few paces before I saw a man, holding his smoking roll between his fingers. He was gazing out over a ravine, engulfed in a bluish-green cloud of weed smoke, with a can of beer in his hand. “He must be facing some tough times,” I thought as I panted along the path. Maybe my body is just getting more alert to the smells of weed, but I’m smelling it a lot these days. Second-hand weed smoke has yet to make me feel happy, alert, light, and free. It usually generates other feelings like sadness, sorrow, disgust, anger, and impatience.
But then again, I recognize that people gravitate towards what they have become accustomed to. Bad habits die hard, but they are very easy to create. One of the sly tactics of the devil is to introduce a bad habit through a person who is a bad influence, or through an evil time where we feel all down and discouraged. After the introduction of the bad habit, the devil feels he has a right to inhabit the person in order to steal, kill, and destroy.
Thursday evening I conducted a cold call to a residence in Spring Valley, NY, because the man had not been responding to the insurance company. I prefer cold calls to be at homes with well-lighted verandas, street lights, etc. There were no street lights here, there was no light on the side of the house near apartment 1, and no lights on inside the house. I made sure I had my hands out of my pockets so that the person could see I was not packing anything, and after a few knocks on several doors and a rap on the window, surprisingly the lights went on and the man I sought came to the door. That was the only success of the evening. He did not volunteer any information, would not give a statement, and instead gave a telephone number for his wife. He said his wife was involved in the accident. I called that number several times only to eventually find the next day that it belonged to a friendly Spanish-speaking man named Carlos. As I left that location I saw a bodega and went inside looking for something healthy to drink. Not much there in terms of healthy, so I bought a Dr. Pepper, which at least tastes good. I walked to the car, and a number of factors weighed on my mind enough to make me feel kind of morose, introspective, and low. I checked google maps to see how far away I was from a friend who lives north of the city—one hour. I thought of the Steve Camp song “There is a Love that Will Not Let Me Go,” speaking of God’s love. So I found that song and played it, sipping my Dr. Pepper as I drove home.
It could have been different, you know. Anybody can slide into morose, introspective feelings that sink low. Instead of Steve Camp, I could have turned on AC/DC’s “Shoot to Thrill” or some Def Leppard head-banging rant. Instead of a Dr. Pepper I could have bought a Jack Daniels. That would have made the evening head down a different path, I am sure. Thank you, God, for your grace. There, but for the grace of God, could have been the road I traveled. Instead of sending me into the wallowing pit of drunken depression, God reminded me through the song that He loves me wholly. I finished my Dr. Pepper without any mind-bending hallucinations. I take no credit for taking the way upward. Instead, I point back to the grace of God for showing me a way out when feelings wash over that threaten to sink me. Bad habits die hard, but they are very easy to create. God's grace, through faith in Jesus, moves us towards good habits. Each day brings us to forks in the road. Wow, what a set of choices we have before us!
Sunday evening, Avery came back from an event and discovered a man attempting to take another one of our bikes. Avery got off his bike, readied himself in case he needed to dash off, then turned his flashlight on and shone it in the man’s face. “Hey, that’s my bike you are trying to take.” The man looked startled and started walking off. He then said “Yo, you tryin’ to take pictures of me or something?” The bike is still here. We were telling Brianna about it later on a phone call to Myanmar and Bri told Avery he should not have done that, because what if the man had a G-U-N. Bri spelled out the word, and we watched Abby crease her brow and sound out the word. The light bulb came on in Abby’s face then, and she said “Bri, you said gun!” Thank God Avery was protected.
This Sunday we plan to hold our first service at the E. 224th Street space near Boston Road that we will begin using for our meetings. This is a welcome step forward in the life of our church plant. It also involves a lot of work, planning, and preparation.
Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Rich
Teach us to number our days, so that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90. We have lived in The Bronx now for five months. A few times in our new place of residence I have thought of a lesson I learned once from my friend Somsak Borrisuth. We were having a discussion about trials and struggles. In the middle of the discussion, he looked at me with serious eyes, cleared his throat, and said “People are stupid, Rich.” I am here because I love God, and I am asking Him to show me how to love my neighbor as myself. Even so, Sunny’s words ring true sometimes, even when I look in the mirror. :-)
I was running the other morning and entered a trail through Seton Falls Park when a choking wave of marijuana smoke clouded my path. I looked around to see the origin of this second-hand smoke, but I advanced a few paces before I saw a man, holding his smoking roll between his fingers. He was gazing out over a ravine, engulfed in a bluish-green cloud of weed smoke, with a can of beer in his hand. “He must be facing some tough times,” I thought as I panted along the path. Maybe my body is just getting more alert to the smells of weed, but I’m smelling it a lot these days. Second-hand weed smoke has yet to make me feel happy, alert, light, and free. It usually generates other feelings like sadness, sorrow, disgust, anger, and impatience.
But then again, I recognize that people gravitate towards what they have become accustomed to. Bad habits die hard, but they are very easy to create. One of the sly tactics of the devil is to introduce a bad habit through a person who is a bad influence, or through an evil time where we feel all down and discouraged. After the introduction of the bad habit, the devil feels he has a right to inhabit the person in order to steal, kill, and destroy.
Thursday evening I conducted a cold call to a residence in Spring Valley, NY, because the man had not been responding to the insurance company. I prefer cold calls to be at homes with well-lighted verandas, street lights, etc. There were no street lights here, there was no light on the side of the house near apartment 1, and no lights on inside the house. I made sure I had my hands out of my pockets so that the person could see I was not packing anything, and after a few knocks on several doors and a rap on the window, surprisingly the lights went on and the man I sought came to the door. That was the only success of the evening. He did not volunteer any information, would not give a statement, and instead gave a telephone number for his wife. He said his wife was involved in the accident. I called that number several times only to eventually find the next day that it belonged to a friendly Spanish-speaking man named Carlos. As I left that location I saw a bodega and went inside looking for something healthy to drink. Not much there in terms of healthy, so I bought a Dr. Pepper, which at least tastes good. I walked to the car, and a number of factors weighed on my mind enough to make me feel kind of morose, introspective, and low. I checked google maps to see how far away I was from a friend who lives north of the city—one hour. I thought of the Steve Camp song “There is a Love that Will Not Let Me Go,” speaking of God’s love. So I found that song and played it, sipping my Dr. Pepper as I drove home.
It could have been different, you know. Anybody can slide into morose, introspective feelings that sink low. Instead of Steve Camp, I could have turned on AC/DC’s “Shoot to Thrill” or some Def Leppard head-banging rant. Instead of a Dr. Pepper I could have bought a Jack Daniels. That would have made the evening head down a different path, I am sure. Thank you, God, for your grace. There, but for the grace of God, could have been the road I traveled. Instead of sending me into the wallowing pit of drunken depression, God reminded me through the song that He loves me wholly. I finished my Dr. Pepper without any mind-bending hallucinations. I take no credit for taking the way upward. Instead, I point back to the grace of God for showing me a way out when feelings wash over that threaten to sink me. Bad habits die hard, but they are very easy to create. God's grace, through faith in Jesus, moves us towards good habits. Each day brings us to forks in the road. Wow, what a set of choices we have before us!
Sunday evening, Avery came back from an event and discovered a man attempting to take another one of our bikes. Avery got off his bike, readied himself in case he needed to dash off, then turned his flashlight on and shone it in the man’s face. “Hey, that’s my bike you are trying to take.” The man looked startled and started walking off. He then said “Yo, you tryin’ to take pictures of me or something?” The bike is still here. We were telling Brianna about it later on a phone call to Myanmar and Bri told Avery he should not have done that, because what if the man had a G-U-N. Bri spelled out the word, and we watched Abby crease her brow and sound out the word. The light bulb came on in Abby’s face then, and she said “Bri, you said gun!” Thank God Avery was protected.
This Sunday we plan to hold our first service at the E. 224th Street space near Boston Road that we will begin using for our meetings. This is a welcome step forward in the life of our church plant. It also involves a lot of work, planning, and preparation.
Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Rich
Through the eyes of a child... March 25, 2019
Caleb joined me on my Corsa Avenue prayer walk this morning. Almost non-stop chatter. After a short lull in the conversation, I was thinking how much I love our children.
"I'm glad you're my son, Caleb. God has given you many good gifts."
A short pause in the conversation as we walk. I'm thinking he is processing what I just said. Then he points to a side yard and says "That's actually a big stick over there, Dad."
Keep the encouragement coming, Dad, I tell myself. Five year olds don't always process it, but they need to know they are loved, too.
We see a sign about a missing little Yorkie dog that was lost a week ago.
"Dad, we should pretty much knock on every door in New York City to help find that dog."
We see a rusty old 1980s Caprice Classic parked on the street.
"Oh, I claim that car! I love that car! How do they park that cool old car on the street!?"
I didn't get as much praying done, but I saw the world a bit more.
Rich
"I'm glad you're my son, Caleb. God has given you many good gifts."
A short pause in the conversation as we walk. I'm thinking he is processing what I just said. Then he points to a side yard and says "That's actually a big stick over there, Dad."
Keep the encouragement coming, Dad, I tell myself. Five year olds don't always process it, but they need to know they are loved, too.
We see a sign about a missing little Yorkie dog that was lost a week ago.
"Dad, we should pretty much knock on every door in New York City to help find that dog."
We see a rusty old 1980s Caprice Classic parked on the street.
"Oh, I claim that car! I love that car! How do they park that cool old car on the street!?"
I didn't get as much praying done, but I saw the world a bit more.
Rich
Experimental Evangelism...February 5, 2019
Here in the Bronx, we have been asking the Lord to open our eyes to opportunities to share the good news of Jesus Christ with friends, neighbors and people we don't even know. As I noted in an earlier story, two of our bikes were stolen, which led to some good interactions with three homeless men regarding the need for Jesus Christ. One of the men still has the one bike. I’ve been keeping my eyes open for him, but I’ve only seen his bike once in the past two weeks, chained on Eastchester Avenue near Hammersley. I think those are open doors once contact is re-established. Obviously, the road from homelessness to Kingdom servanthood can be a long one, but a road needs to start somewhere, eh?
Last Wednesday, the back passenger side of our van happened to come into contact with the driver side rear quarter panel of a Toyota Highlander parked on Seymour avenue about two blocks from our house. Yes, it was clearly damage to the driver side rear quarter panel. And yes, we are fairly certain the damage was caused by us.
Should we leave a note for the driver? It only took a few seconds to decide yes, we leave a note with my name and number. I've been on the wrong end of the Golden Rule with vehicle damage one too many times. Below is our list of previous crimes against our vehicles:
Do to others as you would have them do to you. It makes sense. After all, we are telling our neighbors we follow Jesus.
A day later, I missed a phone call and then I received a text that made no sense to me…
“Hi I hope everything is okay I Receive th not if you no som body I teak there if you not than I teak to someone wech way you like”
Horrible grammar. Atrocious spelling. What does this person want? Oh well.
Two days passed by, and I missed a few phone calls again.
Wait a minute, could this be the owner of that Toyota Highlander?
Sure enough, he had read our note and was wondering if we want to give him an estimate or if he should check with his mechanic. I told him to go ahead and find out what he thinks it will cost. I was guessing between $200 to $500 in my head but I didn't tell him that. When he came back with an estimate of $300 I told him I'd come by and give him the money.
Ahmed, the Muslim owner of the Toyota Highlander, works at Kennedy Fried Chicken three blocks from our house. When I came by, I discussed the issue with Ahmed and handed over an envelope with $300. Ahmed had a kind of puzzled look on his face and said “I've never had anybody do this for me.” He showed me pictures on his phone of how his vehicle had gotten hit a few weeks before and he had gotten it repaired.
I told Ahmed that I'm a follower of Jesus, and that Jesus taught me to do to others as I would have them do to me. Oh, and Ahmed, since I'm giving you $300, please watch this Jesus DVD and read this book with the teachings of Jesus. I slipped a few Ray Comfort tracts in for good measure.
Since then, Sandy has stopped in twice to see Ahmed, and I stopped in once to say hello.
What is a soul worth in light of eternity? $300? $3,000? $30,000? To infinity and beyond?
Surely $300 is a drop in the bucket if it is a step to leading a man's heart to hear the promptings of the Spirit of God to come to Jesus.
This is a new type of evangelism. We will call it vehicular experimental evangelism.
And we will pray for Ahmed.
Rich
Last Wednesday, the back passenger side of our van happened to come into contact with the driver side rear quarter panel of a Toyota Highlander parked on Seymour avenue about two blocks from our house. Yes, it was clearly damage to the driver side rear quarter panel. And yes, we are fairly certain the damage was caused by us.
Should we leave a note for the driver? It only took a few seconds to decide yes, we leave a note with my name and number. I've been on the wrong end of the Golden Rule with vehicle damage one too many times. Below is our list of previous crimes against our vehicles:
- Honda Civic back windshield broken on Force Tube Avenue, probably 1997
- Honda Civic car stereo stolen, probably 1999
- Mazda MPV both front door locks jimmied by a screwdriver or something on Shepherd Avenue in the middle of the day, costing us nearly $400 to replace the locks… the person got a handful of change. This was probably 2001
- Mazda MPV car stereo stolen, separate incident (Force Tube Avenue also, I think)
- Chrysler Town & Country back window broken
- Chrysler Town & Country passenger side window broken while parked on Jamaica Avenue… the person walked away with about $3 in change
- Ford E-150 side window behind driver’s side cracks all around it while Sandy is merging onto Belt Parkway. (2013?) The repair technicians who replace window saw the hole in the middle of the window, with the cracks emanating in all directions, and told Sandy that it was a bullet. If it was a bullet, probably a BB gun or pellet gun. Caleb was in the car seat near that window. Nobody hurt.
- Ford E-150 covered in graffiti one morning when I came out to the van (2013?) Paid the car wash $20 to take it off with their “good stuff.”
- Ford E-150 hit on Jamaica Avenue, taking out our steering capacity (2018)
Do to others as you would have them do to you. It makes sense. After all, we are telling our neighbors we follow Jesus.
A day later, I missed a phone call and then I received a text that made no sense to me…
“Hi I hope everything is okay I Receive th not if you no som body I teak there if you not than I teak to someone wech way you like”
Horrible grammar. Atrocious spelling. What does this person want? Oh well.
Two days passed by, and I missed a few phone calls again.
Wait a minute, could this be the owner of that Toyota Highlander?
Sure enough, he had read our note and was wondering if we want to give him an estimate or if he should check with his mechanic. I told him to go ahead and find out what he thinks it will cost. I was guessing between $200 to $500 in my head but I didn't tell him that. When he came back with an estimate of $300 I told him I'd come by and give him the money.
Ahmed, the Muslim owner of the Toyota Highlander, works at Kennedy Fried Chicken three blocks from our house. When I came by, I discussed the issue with Ahmed and handed over an envelope with $300. Ahmed had a kind of puzzled look on his face and said “I've never had anybody do this for me.” He showed me pictures on his phone of how his vehicle had gotten hit a few weeks before and he had gotten it repaired.
I told Ahmed that I'm a follower of Jesus, and that Jesus taught me to do to others as I would have them do to me. Oh, and Ahmed, since I'm giving you $300, please watch this Jesus DVD and read this book with the teachings of Jesus. I slipped a few Ray Comfort tracts in for good measure.
Since then, Sandy has stopped in twice to see Ahmed, and I stopped in once to say hello.
What is a soul worth in light of eternity? $300? $3,000? $30,000? To infinity and beyond?
Surely $300 is a drop in the bucket if it is a step to leading a man's heart to hear the promptings of the Spirit of God to come to Jesus.
This is a new type of evangelism. We will call it vehicular experimental evangelism.
And we will pray for Ahmed.
Rich
Reflections on 2018... January 1, 2019
I don’t know yet what my word, or passage, is for 2019. But here we are, into this new year!
A little over a year ago, in late December of 2017, Sandy and I were talking together about our planned move to The Bronx. I told her of a recent time of hearing from God while sitting in the van, and how I felt the amazing, overwhelming sense of God’s love for me. In that awesome period of being in His presence I knew that, no matter what happened, He would direct our steps in 2018. Around that same time, Sandy had a word for 2018 that was our reality for last year. Abundance. Abundance was, and is, the reality that God gave and is giving. Abundant life. Abundant blessings. Abundant grace. Abundant worship. Abundant coffee. Abundant trips to the Home Depot.
Abundant blessings of 2018:
This year, by God’s grace, I will:
God is worthy to be praised!
Rich
A little over a year ago, in late December of 2017, Sandy and I were talking together about our planned move to The Bronx. I told her of a recent time of hearing from God while sitting in the van, and how I felt the amazing, overwhelming sense of God’s love for me. In that awesome period of being in His presence I knew that, no matter what happened, He would direct our steps in 2018. Around that same time, Sandy had a word for 2018 that was our reality for last year. Abundance. Abundance was, and is, the reality that God gave and is giving. Abundant life. Abundant blessings. Abundant grace. Abundant worship. Abundant coffee. Abundant trips to the Home Depot.
Abundant blessings of 2018:
- An opportunity to wrap up a one-year return to Followers of Jesus School. It was a privilege to be involved again at Followers of Jesus School.
- The privilege of being reminded all year long of how good it is to be a part of the church of Jesus Christ, both locally AND globally.
- The joy and pain of beginning a new church planting venture in The Bronx: joy in the new, pain in the losses and the saying “good-bye.”
- The excitement, mixed with unending projects, that accompany first-time homeownership that began in September 2018.
- The privilege of walking the light, as Jesus is in the light, and having fellowship with “one another.”
- The reminder that God gave in December that freedom from sin, guilt, and shame is a freedom to be cherished AND celebrated.
- The amazing October gift of a 7-day 20th Anniversary trip with Sandy to Colorado. This trip mixed couple time with ministry time, and it also gave us personal reflection time. Wow!
This year, by God’s grace, I will:
- Take every opportunity to move into, remain in, walk in, and live out of the presence of God. I want to have “fullness of joy” as I live in His presence.
- Love my wife, and aim to live with her every moment in an understanding way.
- Raise my children in the nurture and instruction of the Lord.
- Share the good news of Jesus Christ with at least 5 people each week.
- Read through the Bible again
- Advance in Xactimate software proficiency as a property adjuster.
- Run 500 miles (average 42/monthly)
- Memorize Romans 1-2
- Take Benjamin on a father/son trip we missed last year
- Practice hospitality with a goal to really show love to EVERYONE who enters our home.
- Perfect my ballet jump. :-)
- Fast at least one day a week.
God is worthy to be praised!
Rich
B3-Banners By Bri.... November 2018
Brianna Raquel Schwartz, our nineteen year old daughter, is planning to go to Myanmar (formerly Burma) from January 9 to July 9, 2019. She will be helping a family there. If you are interested in further details about that you can contact her or us.
So in the past several years, Brianna has developed an artistic bent towards creative banners and signs. A few of the banners she created in the last month or so are shown on our facebook 11/27/2018 post. If you are interested in ordering a custom-made, one-word fabric banner from Bri, message us and I’ll let her know. You can choose the word, the size, and a font color of either black, gold, or bronze. For you ladies who have a husband whose birthday is in December, I’m sure you want to order a 6’ x 8’ banner that says “Amazing” on it and hang it in front of your bathroom for him or something. Hah! No, actually a word like “Sing” or “Simplify” or “Coolness” or “Eggshells” could really startle visitors. Maybe you would do better though to choose an action word like “Pray” or “Love” or a noun like “Joy” or “Grace” or “Hope” or “Faith”
You choose the word, you choose the size and the font color, and Bri will aim to get something to you.
Pricing for the banners is a suggested donation of $30-$50, depending on the size of the banner and your available resources.
Also in the FB photos are some sample 8 ½” x 11” cardstock verses and quotes that Brianna has made. You can order basically anything you want her to write on an 8 ½” x 11” cardstock, and she will aim to get it done and mail it to you. Suggested donations for those 8 ½” x 11” cardstock creations is $6-$10.
So in the past several years, Brianna has developed an artistic bent towards creative banners and signs. A few of the banners she created in the last month or so are shown on our facebook 11/27/2018 post. If you are interested in ordering a custom-made, one-word fabric banner from Bri, message us and I’ll let her know. You can choose the word, the size, and a font color of either black, gold, or bronze. For you ladies who have a husband whose birthday is in December, I’m sure you want to order a 6’ x 8’ banner that says “Amazing” on it and hang it in front of your bathroom for him or something. Hah! No, actually a word like “Sing” or “Simplify” or “Coolness” or “Eggshells” could really startle visitors. Maybe you would do better though to choose an action word like “Pray” or “Love” or a noun like “Joy” or “Grace” or “Hope” or “Faith”
You choose the word, you choose the size and the font color, and Bri will aim to get something to you.
Pricing for the banners is a suggested donation of $30-$50, depending on the size of the banner and your available resources.
Also in the FB photos are some sample 8 ½” x 11” cardstock verses and quotes that Brianna has made. You can order basically anything you want her to write on an 8 ½” x 11” cardstock, and she will aim to get it done and mail it to you. Suggested donations for those 8 ½” x 11” cardstock creations is $6-$10.
