News

New blog @ http://lindsaybisschop.blogspot.com/

News... I am going to Africa for six weeks on January 8th. I start off in Mauritania (a country below Morocco and in East Africa) and then fly over to Tanzania. I guess I still have the travel bug.

Currently Reading The Weight of Glory By C. S. Lewis see related

Excerpt from The Weight of Glory by C.S. Lewis:

Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak.

We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.

I often live in the realm of the ordinary. I am not talking about the things I do, but my internal state of being. My eyes are not always adjusted to the spiritual dimension of life. Looking out I see ordinarinesss, not the intricate facets and beauties of life. It is as though I am seeing life in 2-dimension, not its proper 3-dimension. Ah, I am again glad to be be reminded that there is more to life than what I always see.

Seeing as I was told by someone that I should blog sometime soon, I will attempt to write a little blurb. It is hard to sum up time, events, relationships --life! I wish I could do a video blog, but I am neither bold enough nor eager to share such indepth information on the world wide web.

Last week my best friend got married to a wonderful guy. I am really happy for her. There couldn't have been a more special day for two fabulous and deserving people. What excites me is to see where the two of them will go in the future. They are a great team! Over the past three years, I have seen my friend become more mature as woman, friend, lover and worshiper. I love that this man makes her a better person.

This past week I decided to turn down an offer to go to France to teach English. When I first applied in January it seemed like the perfect thing to do. However, the hours are minimal, pay is barely feasible and my priorities have changed. I still want to try some new things, but I just moved and am enjoying the experience with my new roommate. Although my job is so so, I realize I don't have to do this forever and there will come a time when I need to move on. I guess what I am trying to say is that I sensed God's timing wasn't quite right.

I am off to the US for a couple of days and excited to see new friends and get a way for a while. Holidays here I come.

A trail of people stands outside the bus door as I run towards the bus shelter. Brightly coloured ponchos mix into the crowd of jeans and t-shirts. Out of breath and relieved to see the line up, I make my way to the end and wait my turn to pay the fare. As some inquisitive faces turn around, one of the younger girls recognizes me and a smile spreads across her face. Data, a smart and well spoken sixteen year-old, welcomes me and with a sigh of relief asks, “Do you know how to get to the party?”  Pulling out a scrap of paper from my pocket, I assure that I am capable of guiding the group on public transportation from Surrey to Burnaby for the annual refugee children’s party.

Inside I am not confident of my abilities. As someone who often gets mistaken on public transit, I can only imagine the challenge of walking with thirty people, mostly children, through several bus transfers on route to our destination in Burnaby. I am not completely certain which bus we are supposed to take. Yet seeing the reassurance on the faces of several women in the group makes me realize my sense of inadequacy only pales in comparison to the utter confusion these refugees encounter every day. The Karen refugees, who arrived from Burma eight months ago, buy food from a store that may very well keep back the change after their purchases. They would not know it. Many walk through neighbourhoods where they cannot read the road signs. They venture out on the bus when some do not have enough vocabulary to ask for directions if they were to get lost. They encounter a culture completely foreign to them every single day. I do not understand the shock of moving from a dirty hut with a broken roof to a country where you are expected to take a shower every second day.  A new ‘home’ where there is a switch to turn on the light and money comes out of a machine at a building called a bank.  

The lines move forward. One by one each refugee puts a hand full of coins in the dispenser and looks at the bus driver for help to count it. I let my coins drop and pick up my ticket. As I turn around Deila, a single mother of six, reaches out to give me a hug. “I looked for you in the parking lot before we left, but I couldn’t find you,” she says slowly with a bit of a laugh. “I was not sure, not sure you were still coming.” Apologizing for being late, I engage in a conversation about how she is doing. With such joy and ease, she intently explains how her ESL classes are going. Excitedly she describes how excited her kids are about today’s party. Her excitement is contagious. I cannot help but smile at her enthusiasm for life.

Almost sixty eyes watch my every move as we get off the Skytrain. I walk towards the bus stop with an entourage following close behind. Ten minutes later, the bus pulls up and we load onto the idling bus. The driver assures me we are on the right bus. Relieved by his guarantee, I smile at Deila as if to assure her, “It is going to be ok.” In her calm and serene way she smiles back. I realize she already knows things will work out. Her faith shines brightly through her smile. She trusts God to provide. My mind shifts back to a song she once sang for me. “We thank you Lord for food and friends. We thank you Lord for the birds that sing. We thank you Lord for everything.” Confidence in God allows her to face the culture shock. She will never be lost, with or without a transit guide like me.  I smile to myself realizing once again how much more I receive compared to what I give to these new friendships.

Take a soul break

So how is it going? 

I mean how is it really going? I asked myself that question today. I don't think I have been taking very many "soul" breaks in the last little while. I guess I just forget about my human need to slow the pace. Obviously, I slow the pace when I fall asleep, but other than getting shut eye I find it hard to just step back and take a "soul temperature" reading.

During my ride to class in downtown Vancouver, I was reading this good book called "The Cross Centred Life" by CJ Mahaney. I was really struck by how much I get stuck in legalism and burdened by condemnation. The gospel and the message of the cross hold so much freedom which I forget about or don't realize the power in. I get snowed under by my misled beliefs about salvation, grace and freedom. Anyhow, I was really encouraged by the message that "Christ died for my sin."  

So let me ask again, how are you doing?