Wednesdays, as some of you know, are my days to volunteer at our crisis pregnancy center. Today two women were waiting as I arrived. With them was a baby and a toddler, both the children of one of the women. Since she was a new client I handed her the requisite paperwork to complete while I retrieved the correct size diapers and clothes that she needed for the baby. In retrospect I’m not sure she could read, at least not very well, because her friend “helped” her fill out the form and still it took her nearly half an hour to provide the most basic of information: name, address, children’s names, etc.

She requested clothes for her toddler as well, a sweet, quiet little girl with a dirty face, no shoes, and unkempt hair. We only have clothes up to size 24 months, I told her sadly. Our other counselor recommended a church in a neighboring town that offers a benevolence ministry once a week and I looked up the dates and times for her.

I asked the women if they attended church. They (of course) answered affirmatively but then upon further conversation confessed that, actually, no, they did not, at least not in a long while. I shared the gospel though neither of them looked me in the eye nor gave any indication they were listening or paying any attention whatsoever. The baby, however, smiled and kicked.

The mom asked for a baby bed, saying the baby was currently sleeping in the bed with her. I offered the option of completing a series of bible studies in exchange for a baby bed. Surprisingly she agreed. I hope she will do them. Maybe her friend will do them with her.

I had two other clients today, one a new client who knew she was pregnant but needed an official proof of pregnancy form in order to apply for government assistance. My last client I know by name because she and her husband and three small children come in for diapers regularly. They are a sweet, God fearing family who are needy. I don’t know much of their story except that they are Hispanic and love the Lord. I am glad they do come in once a month or so because it’s fun to see the baby grow and change. They shake my hand when they leave and they thank me with big smiles and broken English and the kids laugh at my “Adios!”

I sometimes feel slightly deceptive when I tell people I volunteer at the pregnancy center, not because I am in any way embarrassed by our work here but because they often assume we are then on the front lines of the fight for the unborn. It is true: we are passionate about the sanctity of life. We do occasionally have the abortion minded client and we pray for more to come to us for the truth. Yes, Lord, send us more!

However, my clients today represent the majority of what we do: provide diapers and clothes and pregnancy tests. And we are glad to do so, thankful for these cups of cold water that we are able to offer freely in Jesus’ name.

I’ve served women across racial and socioeconomic lines, young affluent women, women who speak no English whatsoever, women escaping terrible and abusive situations, women choosing to remain in terrible and abusive situations. Women whose husbands are in prison, women whose husbands are illegal, women who have no husband and have no idea who or where the father of her child may be. I’ve held babies who were handicapped, smiled and laughed with children who were filthy and smelled, and discussed the problem of evil and God’s sovereignty with a woman whose life bore the marks of the former causing her to doubt the latter.

These are conversations I would never have had apart from my work here at the center. I do not tell you these things for your admiration or appreciation. I confess them to you because I know my selfishness and my tendency to ignore those different from me.

My Wednesday life gives me a peek into the real lives and real struggles of real women and it reminds me again of the real gospel and that it is for real life. I’ve made this point before but I need to remember it again: most of what we evangelicals argue and worry about, whether it be complementarianism or Calvinism, these arguments have no bearing on these women’s lives. They need diapers. And clothes. And hope.

No doubt I am alone in this but here’s a newsflash: sometimes social media depresses me. I see the jockeying for influence and links and  followers and I get caught up in the frenzy and I find myself wanting to appear smart and opinionated and deep and wise. I know myself better than that but, still, I get sucked into a social media tailspin and I get frustrated and angry and depressed because my voice seems so small and it feels like no one cares about what I have to say and what I have to say seems rather dumb when there are so many smarter and with greater influence and it depresses me and…then…then I talk to a 25 year old woman who can’t read. Her children have no clothes. Her baby has no bed. And I remember all over again the realness of the need and the realness of the gospel and the realness of my privilege to serve her in the name of my Savior who loves me.

Sedan kanske man ska omvärdera vad ett “socialt liv” för en egentligen är? För mig är det att få kvalitetstid med min familj, min hund och emellanåt med pvn. Sedan kanske vi inte alltid gör det människor anser vara roligt. Med hunden blir det långa promenader, med mamma blir det pappersarbete för olika projekt och pvn släpar alltid med mig till gymmet. Det är kärlek på vårt sätt.

Oavsett är jag lycklig över min tillvaro och min avsaknad av ett ordinärt “socialt liv”.

Diverse tankar ifrån mig som vanligt och kanske lite irritation över reaktioner som jag nu blivit van vid.

…Maybe it’s time to be a little *extra* ordinary.

We live in God’s world, we’re made in God’s image, and we interact with other people who have eternal souls. That makes theology vastly important and immensely life changing in our everyday mundane.

Theology is for homemakers who need to know who God is, who they are, and what this mundane life is all about.

From Glimpses of Grace: Treasuring the Gospel in Your Home by Gloria Furman

Blood oranges are not very common here in Ireland. I had heard of them but this was my very first time seeing one in the flesh, so to speak. I didn’t really know what to expect and so I was pleasantly surprised to discover the lovely variety of colours hiding underneath the ordinary-looking orange peel.

Who knew fruit could be so pretty!

This is something I learned recently, when I visited Tokyo city. A friend told me that when someone enters the train and looks funky, I can’t stare at them. I told her: Well, I am not staring, I am just “looking.” We’ll apparently looking is staring and staring is… Of course: rude!

When you look at someone too long in Japanese culture you are judging this person- in a bad sense. It’s kinda like a judgment stare.

Japanese culture is about fitting in. That’s why kids wear school uniforms, that’s why convenient store workers don’t wear earrings or accessories. If you make yourself different you provoke this order! That’s why there are so many youth kids in Tokyo who dress so weird and funky! Because they want to break of this order!

But as a foreigner we always have to have in mind, that we are guests in this country and with a white face we represent all foreigners and all nations! If you act inappropriate and get the “judgment stares” other foreigner will suffer from this reputation too- because we will most likely be put in the rude foreigner category. As guests we need to submit to the culture of the country we stay in- even if we don’t agree with everything it demands.

So if you see someone dressed up all funky- a quick look and then: hide behind your cell phone or iPod (like all the other Japanese on the train) and peek over now and then to be able to keep on staring within giving the judgment stare!

Jag och min yngsta son.

Reblogged from Ordinary Life :

Say the magic words, let gratitude protect you from negative emotions and bring you a new angle to see things.

Gratitude is not a mentality, it's an attitude.

we already talked about the politeness in this culture. Japanese are always polite, paying everyone the most respect, treating you higher than you actually deserve it. Everyone is probably familiar with the titles the Japanese give certain people.

“Maria-san”, “Shouta-kun”, “Jason-sama”, “Jenny-chan”…

So what are they for? And the question also: how do I not run into a big fat “no-go?”

San
San is a polite title that is used most. Co-workers and even friends call each other San. You will call people you don’t know well san. As a Japanese you will never leave out the san if you are not a very close friend with someone. Among friends who are more western minded leaving out the san is no big deal- even for Japanese. But if you speak Japanese with someone, it’s best and most natural to use the titles.
If you are a foreigner, nobody will expect you to use these titles. So if you don’t know what title to use as a foreigner, just don’t use it. It’s better than using the wrong title.

Chan
Chan is for girls than are younger than the person speaking. Usually its okay to call a girl chan, even if you are just a few years older. If you are very good friends with someone, age doesn’t matter and you can choose chan as well for someone older than you. But never use it for guys!

Kun
Kun is used for younger boys. Stay away from calling young adults kun. It makes it sound childish if you are not good friends with them and it can sound like you put them down if you are not close to them. I heard that kun is also used for female co-worker but I have never heard that in “action”. Little boys can be called kun for sure. If you want to use it for closer friend that is fine too!

Sama
Sama is only used for someone higher than you, like God, other gods, or high esteemed customers. When you are called out at a bank or other formal place they often call your last name with the title sama. Kinda weird sometimes!

With the titles: make sure to know how to use them when you use them. San is often safe for sure but if your relationship changes with a Japanese person (if you get closer friends), chan or kun is more appropriate, in order to show that you like them. I was in a situation once where I had to ask a Japanese person which title was better and she told me to call a guest of ours chan, to make her feel more welcomed.

She has the prettiest eyes. They’re full of soul.

Shoes! It’s a do and a don’t! It all depends where you are at.
It’s a do when you are entering the house. This was my first do and don’t article. It is rude and an absolute no go to wear any shoes in the house that you have (ever) worn outside. House shoes are okay though.

Well when you are outside: leave your shoes on! In Japan you can’t walk around barefoot unless you are at the pool or at the beach. Don’t enter stores without your shoes on! In western culture being barefoot is not the best behavior but you can get away with it. Not in Japan! Even of you just want to run out of the house real quick: put on your shoes to avoid being looked at!

Every newby to Japan who was totally unfamiliar with the concept of eating rotten beans and but was sat in front of a bowl of rice with Nattou, has probably said or thought this phrase.

Nattou is fermented beans and very famous in Japan. A lot of Japanese like it, but it has a very strong and for some unappetizing smell to it. Well, we had some foreign students here who smelled the Nattou beans and yelled all across the room (full with Japanese who LOVE these beans): Ewwwww… that smells like feet!

Saying something negative about the food someone else totally loves is very rude in Japanese culture. Not taming your tongue can leave a wrong (or right… since you are behaving like a dummy) image about you with the people who are around you.

When Japanese don’t want to be rude (what they never want) they restrain from saying: I don’t like this but they rather say: I like something else better. It doesn’t mean, that you cannot state your oppinion, but with comparing a Japanese dish that everybody likes to smelly feet you are not far away from leaving a bad impression about yourself that cannot be revoked so easily.

So if you don’t like something: be quiet! Be considerate. Smile- say: I’m okay, thank you! And keep the names you wanna call the food to yourself!

Drinking…coffee, black.

Wondering…where is spring? My kids were on spring break last week and get this: we had snow flurries on Monday and Tuesday. In Alabama. In late March. On spring break. This is crazy. Y’all know I love fall and winter but there is time for everything and it’s time for spring!

Reading…the Bible this year with a straight-through approach. I downloaded the plan for reading the Bible in a year in a “canonical” approach (straight through) from Denny Burk. I like it. I’m currently in 2 Samuel and I like seeing the big picture of the biblical narrative as well as maintaining a clearer understanding of context. Of course, I’m not yet to the minor prophets! Speaking of prophets…

Considering…teaching the prophets in Bible study next year. Actually, if truth be told, it was not something I was considering at all until my friend suggested it and even then my first reaction was “but I just got out of the Old Testament!” But the more I think on it the more I’m intrigued. I mean, really, how many of us know much of anything about the prophets, major or minor? So, I don’t know. Have  any of you taught a similar course? Suggestions? Resources?

Reading…The Cross and Christian Ministry by D.A. Carson. After that I want to read Bryan Chapell’s Christ Centered Preaching. Not because I do, nor plan to, preach but because I want to be a better teacher. I’m also reading The Princess Bride and finding it hilarious in its snarky wit.

Adding to…my ever-increasing “want to read list” per your book recommendations in the comments on yesterday’s post. So many books, so little time!

Feeling…my weirdness (both introvert-related and not) all the more keenly lately and wishing I were not quite so strange!

Hearing…the laundry and the other items on my to-do list calling my name. And it’s Wednesday which means I will be at the pregnancy center today. A full day awaits!

Hoping...you all enjoy a wonderful April! Even so, come, spring!

when I want to really boggle my own mind
which happens more frequently than you’d think
I consider the grocery store

can you see it?
aisles and aisles of canned goods
drinks
medicine
produce
chips

then I think about all the grocery stores
just in my immediate area
from the big boys to the smaller mom & pop shops
and how if I went into any one of them
I could find just about anything I needed or wanted

then I branch out and think about
how these stores exist not just in my city
but in cities and towns across the nation

I think of those crazy statistics people
talk about like ‘if you lined up every can end to end
you could go around the world twice’
or something like that

I think of the food I throw out because
leftovers are never quite as good the next day
and my intentions for that lettuce were good
or why did I think I could switch to ‘light’

so how on earth is it remotely possible
that there is hunger

~~~

I’m challenging myself to write 30 poems in April. I’ll be the first to tell you that this one is not my best, but it’s something. The poetic juices need to get a little warm to flow better. Prompt taken from A Writer’s Book of Days by my friend, Judy Reeves.