Speak, O Lord

Speak, O Lord, as we come to You
To receive the food of Your Holy Word.
Take Your truth, plant it deep in us;
Shape and fashion us in Your likeness,
That the light of Christ might be seen today
In our acts of love and our deeds of faith.
Speak, O Lord, and fulfill in us
All Your purposes for Your glory.

Teach us, Lord, full obedience,
Holy reverence, true humility;
Test our thoughts and our attitudes
In the radiance of Your purity.
Cause our faith to rise; cause our eyes to see
Your majestic love and authority.
Words of pow'r that can never fail—
Let their truth prevail over unbelief.

Speak, O Lord, and renew our minds;
Help us grasp the heights of Your plans for us—
Truths unchanged from the dawn of time
That will echo down through eternity.
And by grace we'll stand on Your promises,
And by faith we'll walk as You walk with us.
Speak, O Lord, till Your church is built
And the earth is filled with Your glory.

"Speak, O Lord"
Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend
Copyright © 2005 Thankyou Music

My Heart Language

I'm a guest on LBT News today, sharing about my heart language. Check it out here.

What's your heart language?

God Sings

The LORD your God is in your midst,

a mighty one who will save;

he will rejoice over you with gladness;

he will quiet you by his love;

he will exult over you with loud singing.

Zephaniah 3:17

Goosebump-ingly amazing.

Read the chapter. 

It'll wow you!

"A Translator is a Traitor"

This phrase first attacked me from required reading for a Second Temple Judaism course I took in 2005. The book was about the Dead Sea scrolls, and I was caught off guard. I didn't like it.

"A translator is a traitor" is from the Latin play on words traduttore, traditore, literally "translator, traitor." Now I doubt that the one who thought of this brilliant combination intended to attack. His or her  point was probably a bit simpler than challenging my "life calling" and deepest desires to be involved in Bible translation. All the same, I felt conflicted.

I was reminded of the phrase again when I saw and retweeted this quote:

"Reading the Bible in translation 

is like kissing your new bride through a veil."

Haim Nachman Bialik (Jewish Poet, 1873-1934)

Both phrases have a similar message, as does the Hungarian fordítás: ferdítés, roughly "translation is distortion." You lose something in translation. Form and meaning are meant to work beautifully together in an original work. In translation, they're often in conflict and form bows to meaning, at least in a good translation.

I love studying linguistics and everything that goes with it - translation theory, hermeneutics, exegesis, discourse analysis, semantics, pragmatics, Greek, Hebrew, and all kinds of subjects to better understand what it takes to take a message in one language and communicate it in another. But when I hear these phrases, I'm intimidated.

These may be obvious truths, but often intimidation clouds truth and leaves fear and doubt. So I have to remind myself from time to time that...

1. God intends for the Bible to be translated. Ever since before the Scriptures were compiled into the form we have today - the Bible - God has supported translation. The Ethiopian eunuch read from the Septuagint translation. Jesus quoted from it.
   
2.  God uses translation to help us understand Himself.God came to earth through Jesus in a form we could understand and recognize.
   

   And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14, ESV)

3. God wants to communicate with us. God wants to communicate with us today, not just a couple thousand years ago.
   

   For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)

4. God loves the variety in languages.
   Though the variety in languages came out of a curse, God has brought Himself glory in it all.
   

   After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”(Revelations 7:9,10) 

5. God gives us the ability to learn and is with us!
   Though the earth was cursed at Babel with what has come to be thousands of languages, God has given us the ability to learn another language or several languages. He is able to communicate with us, we are able to communicate with Him (because of Jesus), and we are able to communicate with each other.
   

   And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20)

 
Is a translator a traitor?

No.

Translation is a used to communicate life-giving Truth.
And I am thrilled to play a part... whatever that might be.

If God spare my life, before many years I will cause a boy that drives the plough

to know more of Scripture than you [priests] do. (William Tyndale, 1494-1536)

 The worldwide status of Bible translation (2010) - Wycliffe Bible Translators

Don't Stop at Vision 2025

"Isn't it incredible that there's a vision to begin a translation in every language that needs it by 2025?!"

I would love to get a dollar for every time I hear this. It's a common response when people hear that Josh and I are training for translation work. I'm not interested in debating here the likelihood of accomplishing this Vision (also known as Last Languages Campaign). Or what it's going to take. Or how good of an idea it is. Like in my What's it like being an MK? post, I want to respond from my heart to a question that rubs me the wrong way - though this one is rhetorical.

Yes, it is an incredible endeavor, and God is using Vision 2025. But. Please don't stop at Vision 2025.

One of my heroes from Bible Translation history, right along with Luther, Tyndale and Wycliffe, is William Cameron Townsend, founder of Wycliffe Bible Translators, affectionately known as Uncle Cam. You may recognize this famous quote.

"The greatest missionary is the Bible in the mother tongue.
It needs no furlough and is never considered a foreigner."
- William Cameron Townsend

This quote was instrumental in drawing me into Bible Translation. But as the years have gone by, through more reading, more discussing, more training, and more praying, I find that this quote is not what it's all about. And I don't think Uncle Cam would have thought so either.

In the same way, I don't think that those who had Vision 2025 believe that Vision 2025 is what it's all about. But I do wonder if that's the message that the church is getting... that you're getting. When thinking about the unreached, have you ever thought, "If only they had the Bible...." I have. People like accomplishable-in-my-lifetime goals. Quantifiable ones. Visible ones.

As Josh and I talk about what we want to be involved in, what we want our lives to be about, we have plenty of questions. But we do know that our end goal is not Bible accessibility.

There are many things that disturb me about Vision 2025 becoming the face of Bible Translation. Does the church know that a Bible translation is considered outdated linguistically about every 10 years? Does it know that the languages considered "still needing one" in Vision 2025 don't include every language that doesn't have Scripture? Does it know that the written Word is locked to someone who can't read? Does it know that Bibles can and do end up in warehouses? Does it know pages of Bibles can and are used to wrap food or as toilet paper? Does it know that the majority of people in Heaven could very well have never held a Bible in their lifetimes?

The Vision is wonderful, ambitious, and inspiring... but please don't stop there.

Our mission is not accomplished when people have access to the Bible. It's when every heart bows in submission to Jesus. And we all know that access to the Bible does not ensure this. I'm grateful for the translators and missionaries who have come off the field and said that we need to give more. We need Scripture engagement activities, literacy workshops, leadership training, and ethnomusicology. National leaders need to be identified and trained to carry on the work. God brings people to faith, and we can partner with Him in all sorts of ways. But please. Let's not stop at accessibility.

Missing Peoples - Church Planting in the Muslim World

I've been following the Cape Town conference in South Africa through videos/blogs found at http://conversation.lausanne.org. This video especially struck me. There are about 300 unengaged Muslim peoples in the world, and God is moving among them! Watch it to the end and you'll hear how local churches in rural Africa are mobilizing people for missions. The Nigerian church is committed to mobilizing 50,000 Nigerians to go to the Arab speaking Nigerians. This is phenomenal. Peter Tarantal (OM International) tells about a small, poor rural church that is supporting a missionary by selling their clothes and fasting.

 

"The Africans are coming!" - Peter Tarantal

Check out the site. You'll be informed/updated on all the leading issues the church is facing today, particularly as it grows in the southern hemisphere.

Assignments on My Mind

How would you define career? I kinda see career as the thing that takes up a person's time for which he or she is trained or being trained... or maybe it's just something that a person does to contribute to society (or even just themselves, I suppose). I'm not really sure. Anyways, for me, I like calling better, or maybe assignment. Beyond my role in WMPL Communications or my training in Linguistics, I recognize a string of "assignments" in life to which I am held accountable. These are my passions. My burdens. My joy.

Assignments on My Mind

• Set the Lord and my husband in the center of my life
• Create a place of refuge and love for those who live in and visit our home
• Recognize and act in ministering to needs at Hope Lutheran Church, Minneapolis and the Church at large
• Seek opportunity to share Christ with and pray for those who don't know Him and to encourage those who do
  
• Communicate the mission of God and the message of the World Mission Prayer League to the best of my ability
• Pursue information and opportunity for service in Bible translation/engagement

I found this list of 5 Career "Super Foods" from this random article by Lindsey Pollak. As I think about several somewhat-career-like issues in my life, these sorts of lists are helpful for me.

1. Daily Goals. "[S]et small, daily goals that will keep you moving forward. Big goals are important, but small goals get the job done."

(Check out this blog post.)

2. News. "[I]t’s crucial that you keep up with world news, national news and the news of the particular industry you want to join. We live in the Information Age, so the most informed people are the ones who are most likely to succeed."
3. Coffee. "While the actual caffeinated stuff helps a lot of people achieve their career goals, what I mean here is getting together with people for coffee -- also known as networking."
4. Mentors. "They are people who have “been there, done that” and are willing to share their wisdom to help your career grow. To receive the maximum benefit from a mentor, be sure to set up regular meetings... bring specific topics or challenges you’d like to discuss for each session."
5. Responsiveness. "With the amount of e-mails, LinkedIn requests, Twitter direct messages, voice mails, text messages and IMs we all receive, it can be hard to get back to people in a timely way. But those who are responsive -- especially to important requests and time-sensitive opportunities -- really stand out from the crowd."

What's it like being an MK?

Disclaimer: I edited portions of this post after receiving two very different responses. I do not intend this post to be offensive, hurtful, or sarcastic. It is simply to help you see into a mind of an MK and understand the deep sense of identity the label MK has.  -------------  This is probably the most frequently asked question of an MK apart from the impossible Where are you from? question. Uh, global citizen? My sister recently wrote on her blog, "They wanted to know what it was like to be a missionary kid. I would like to know what it was like to not be one." Seriously.  I'm an MK, or more specifically a TCK (third-culture kid). This doesn't mean that I grew up in a third-world country, though I did. It means that I've grown up in at least two different cultures, and  live a third. A culture that only fellow MKs will ever be able to relate to. We share in the identity crisis, the homelessness, the reverse culture shock... the rich childhood.  

   I can't tell you how many parents of MKs beg me for advice on how to relate to their child. I may have never met their child, I may never have been to their country, but I have a pretty good idea of what their dealing with. Any MK would.  One thing that most MKs have in common, is they love to talk about their experiences... only if they are certain they won't be ridiculed or alienated. The question What's it like being an MK? is typically interpreted differently by an MK and non-MK. To the non-MK (the ask-er) it may be a question about an experience similar to asking What was it like homeschooling? or How did you feel about moving as a kid? To an MK, the question is one of identity and can be difficult to answer. It sounds more like What's it like being American? Imagine answering that or What's it like not being an MK? Here are some questions that might make a conversation with us easier.  What do you miss most about the country you grew up in? What was the first thing you noticed when you returned to the States?What do you find disturbing about the American culture or political system?Would you tell me about your childhood best friend?   Try it sometime.  If you want to discuss identity with an MK, here are some suggestions: 1) Take him/her to a ethnic restaurant with familiar food. 2) Allow plenty of time. 3) Help him/her feel safe. 4) Find common ground, maybe with discussion on how his/her identity and experiences have influenced spiritual growth. 5) Share what it is like not being an MK (it might be difficult).   

    For those of you who are trying to relate to you MK friend or child, there are two realization that completely changed my life, freed me from anger, and gave me confidence and a sense of belonging.  1) My identity is in Christ.2) My home is in Heaven.    These, my friends, will never change -- no matter where I move, no matter what language I speak or use to communicate with God, no matter who my friends are or aren't, no matter how alienated I feel.   

   P.S. Here are a couple links that might help.  TCK Glossary Terms
Third-culture Kids

Qu'ran Burning Canceled (Prayer totally works.)

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- The minister of a Florida church said he has canceled plans to burn copies of the Quran because the leader of a much-opposed plan to build an Islamic Center near ground zero has agreed to move its location. (Sep 9, 5:25 PM EDT)

Please keep praying. It's totally not over.

Pray AGAINST the Qur'an Burning on 9/11

I just received this plea from my dear cousin, whose life will be in danger if this ridiculous Pastor Jones follows through with the plan of burning the Qur'an on 9/11. Please pray that if he goes through with this, that the message will be connected to him as a lunatic and not to "the West," Christians, or the military. 

Please pray with me that the church in Florida will NOT go ahead with plans to burn the Qur'an on September 11. Please pray for the safety of minority Christians around the world whose lives have been put in danger, and please pray for the Muslims around the world who will feel alienated by this insensitive and irresponsible plan.

With a gun at his side and a plan to burn, Jones thinks this will be an effective warning "to the radical element of Islam." Here's the message from the Pastor Terry Jones, who heads the little-known Dove World Outreach Center in Florida.

"The Vatican today denounced as "outrageous and grave" plans by a Florida church to burn copies of the Quran on 9/11." USA Today

"Germany's leading Jewish group condemned plans by a Florida pastor to burn the Koran on the anniversary of 9/11, saying it evoked the mass killings of Jews in the Holocaust that followed Nazi book burnings." Reauters

"A religious leader who met with Attorney General Eric Holder on Tuesday said the top US law enforcement official described as "idiotic and dangerous" a Florida church's plan to burn copies of the Koran on the anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks." AFP 

"He will bring total contempt from the world's fastest-growing religion against the world's oldest democracy. He will destroy the goodwill generations of Americans have worked to create in almost every nation. He will -- in just a few seconds of self-proclaimed glory and protest -- paint a target on the backs of U.S. troops, diplomats, foreign service employees, humanitarian relief workers and American tourists.Worse, still, Jones and his followers will provide our enemies with a propaganda tool that will outlast our lives and those of our children and their children." Richard Eubank, CNN

 

Bangladesh Swirly

Dad asked the family to caption this. After my brother captioned it "Bangladesh Swirly," yeah, no one else attempted to do better. Maybe he can relate. *giggling softly* I wish I knew where this picture was found. Amazing.

BANGLADESH SWIRLY

Status of Flood Victims in Pakistan - The Mission Exchange

The Mission Exchange announces the August 2010 Global Issues Update:  Status of Flood Victims in Pakistan

Complex global challenges impact Great Commission activities at every level. No matter how connected and motivated you are as an individual Christ-follower, church or mission leader, you can't be an expert on everything.

The August 2010 edition of Global Issues Update addresses the Status of Flood Victims in Pakistan with Anthony, a disaster and relief expert based in Europe. Anthony has been the Director of Crisis and Relief for Frontiers International for seven years. He has a long history with disaster relief in this area of the world, having been engaged with the 2004 tsunami, the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan, as well as Iraq, Kosovo and Lebanon. He is communicating regularly with people on the ground in Pakistan and well positioned to share about this tragedy.

By some estimates as many as 20 million people in 50% of the country have been affected by monsoon rains and extensive flooding. The death toll of approximately 1,600 from the initial flooding is expected to rise exponentially in the face of food shortages and the lack of clean water. The elderly and the young are most at risk. One estimate suggests as many as 300,000 infants and young children are at risk of death in the next few weeks from dehydration and water born disease.

Response to this tragedy has been slow. The church in North America, still engaged (and rightly so) with ongoing commitments to Haiti, has yet to rise to this challenge. We hope this timely downloadable webinar resource will help you speak up on behalf of the millions of Pakistani families who have lost everything in this disaster and are more concerned about staying alive today than rebuilding for tomorrow.

Global Issues Update is a bi-monthly (6 times per year) downloadable webinar that focuses on big picture issues impacting the world of missions. Because of the urgent nature of this edition of Global Issues Update we are offering it for FREE to everyone. Please distribute this widely in your circles of influence.

Natural Disasters

Today is World Humanitarian Day. No wonder I feel overwhelmed with the devastation around our globe. Here's a little something from ReliefWeb:

Russia and Pakistan events are the two with which I feel most connected. My brother just spent two and a half weeks in Russia and told us of the widespread impact of the fires. And I have family in Pakistan, experiencing the flooding firsthand. There is potential for disaster anywhere we go. There's also potential for prayer wherever we are. Will you pray with me for our globe?

Fires in Russia - Did you know that July was the warmest month ever in Moscow, Russia, since the beginning of modern meteorological records, which is about 130 years?!

Floods in Pakistan - More than 1,600 people have been killed, while 14 million others have been displaced and affected as a result of the devastating floods in Pakistan. Yeah, it hasn't stopped raining yet. You know who's been sending aid? China, Kuwait, Afghanistan, Australia, Czech Republic, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, USA, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Ireland are among some of so many more. As of today over 400 million dollars has been given and more has been pledged (OHCA, Aug 19).

Minister Power of Ireland said today, "The floods in Pakistan are the greatest humanitarian challenge facing the world today but we should not forget that there are many other humanitarian crises which need our attention."

All rights reserved by islamicreliefusa

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May the Lord use our prayers and the hands of His people to bring aid to the victims of these disasters. Beyond this, may He use our prayers and actions to bring hope to them - hope found only in Jesus, the Calmer of the Storms.

Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, 

and the ends of the earth your possession. - Psalm 2:8

Am I a missionary?

As I've written before here, Josh and I have been asking questions of ourselves concerning our missionary call. What is it?


If I were to define missionary with a typical circular dictionary definition, I would use one sent on a mission. It seems to me that the Bible doesn't focus much on what we know of a missionary today. You know, someone who leaves there home to spread the Gospel to people who need it. Sure there are plenty of characters who fit that image, but I think the Bible focuses more on various "missions" on which Christians were sent. God called all kinds of people out of their normal routine to go on various missions, and then, they would return to their homes and routines. So is a missionary only a missionary when he or she is on a mission?

I think it's easy to get caught up in defining who a missionary is and what a missionary does. I fall into this. *guilty* I've been talking about being a missionary in training for about 5+ years now. What if I never go overseas? Did I miss my calling. Did I misunderstand my missionary call?

I felt this quote from The Missionary Call to be quite freeing and inspiring:

“As you examine your heart for evidence of a missionary call, look for a burden to fulfill the Great Commission and obey the Great Commandments that is guided by a Great Compassion.” (Sills, p.58)

So Josh and I have been doing this. We want to step away from the expectations of who a missionary is and what a missionary does. We want to examine our hearts to understand better the burden God has placed there. What are we compassionate about? What are the gifts He's given us? In what environments do we thrive?

We want these answers not just to prepare us for work overseas, but to guide us and our ministry for our entire lives. Right now we're in Minneapolis, not Africa. Our gifts weren't meant only for overseas ministry. What are they and how are we using them right now? I think that might have something to do with being one sent on a mission.

Since 2009...

My aunt got me started on the tradition of writing in a birthday journal. Since I just turned 24, it was time to write again. This is a bit of it. Since 2009...

• I've prepared to leave the country long-term and not gone.
• I've resigned from an organization and joined another.
• I've surrendered marriage and been given a husband.
• I've had many vaccinations and not needed their effect.
• I thought I was done at SIL-UND and was blessed with another summer taking literacy.
• I've said "goodbye" to my 4 siblings and gained 7 more.
• I've said "goodbye" to 2 nieces  and 1 nephew and gained 2 nieces and 6 nephews.
• I've grieved leaving my parents and gained another set.
• I've talked about moving from "home" for a mission field and seen my parents move to Alaska, a mission field.
• I've given my car and other earthly possessions away and have been given them back.
• I've taken leave from graduate school and have begun helping a husband through school.
• I've studied my identity and calling and gained a whole new set.
• I've prayed about a host family and have begun hosting my brother.
• I've prayed about a partner in ministry and have gained a partner for life.
• I've prepared for the village and moved to the city.
• I've worried about safety and have been given a protector.
• I've done pre-field counseling that turned into premarital counseling.

I've walked with the Lord.

I've seen His hand on my life.

I've been encouraged and affirmed.

I've been provided for.

I've grown.

I still love people.

I still want to be a missionary.

I still want to do Bible translation.

I just gave it all up to marry a man 

who wants to give it all back... and more!

Good thing that God does what He wants. 

His way is way better anyway!

When we walk with the Lord...

Someone mentioned this song at work the other day. It has a special place in my heart because of Summer 2007. It was my second summer at SIL-UND, and I was taking Package B. In the midst of the most academically difficult times in my life, this song was continually on my heart. I thought of it daily as I walked to and from class. I recognize this was a significant time in my life as the Lord softened my heart toward Bible translation work. I don't remember singing this song much as a kid, so it was surprising when I just couldn't get it out of my head. I felt quite ministered to. The Lord gently pounded this message into my head, particularly the first verse and chorus. Please pray with Josh and and me as we seek to bring the light of His Word to those who do not yet have it in the language of their hearts.

When we walk with the Lord
In the light of His Word
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will;

He abides with us still,

And with all who will trust and obey.

Chorus:

Trust and obey,

For there's no other way

To be happy in Jesus, 

But to trust and obey.

Not a shadow can rise, 
not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, 
not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.


Not a burden we bear,

Not a sorrow we share,

But our toil He doth richly repay;

Not a grief or a loss,

Not a frown or a cross,

But is blest if we trust and obey.

But we never can prove

The delights of His love

Until all on the alter we lay;

For the favour He shows

And the joy He bestows

Are for them who will trust and obey.

Then in fellowship sweet

We will sit at His feet

Or we'll walk by His side in the way;

What He says we will do,

Where He sends we will go;

Never fear, only trust and obey.

You Better Take Squatty Potty 101

If you don't know what I'm talking about, or have never used one, or have never successfully used one, check this out. It will help you out. You might need it. Squatty potties are moving west.  Check out this article my dad just sent me.

Shopping Center Bosses Bow to Muslim Activist and Install New ‘Asian Toilets’… (Daily Mail)

For centuries, the great British loo has been a matter of envy to the rest of the world. Thanks to the efforts of pioneers like the legendary Thomas Crapper, we have long since led the world in comfort and hygiene. Now, however, that could be about to change. For most of us, the squat toilet is nothing more than a staple of horror stories about old-fashioned French service stations or the exploits of adventurous backpackers in far-flung parts of India. But this basic form of plumbing, also known as a Turkish toilet or Nile pan, could be coming to a shopping centre near you – and all in the name of cultural sensitivity.

From next week, shoppers in Rochdale who push open the cubicle door expecting the reassuring sight of a modern, clean lavatory could instead be faced with little more than a hole in the ground. Bosses of the Greater Manchester town’s Exchange mall have installed two as part of an upgrade costing several thousand pounds after attending a cultural awareness course run by a local Muslim community activist.

A familiar sight in parts of the Middle East, and still sometimes seen in France and Italy, the toilets require users to squat above them, rather than sitting. With one in ten of Rochdale’s population of Pakistani or Bangladeshi origin, centre managers say they have been told some members of the local Asian community prefer them for cultural reasons.

If you look up this article and review the comments, you'd think the world is coming to an end. I, on the other hand, think it's a great idea. Having grown up in Bangladesh, I can say with credibility that there are perks to this.

5 Reasons For Squatty Potty Usage (according to me)

1. You don't have to sit on it. Seriously, we already step in it when people miss. Who hasn't sat on a wet toilet seat in a public bathroom? And no, four squares of TP do not help. You'll never need these.
2. It's way easier to clean. The toilet and yourself. I think its silly that we take paper, smear, and then treat rashes. Wouldn't you rather give yourself a mini-wash? Refreshing.
3. It's way green. We're all about going green right? Say goodbye to plumbing issues.
4. Better for you. I have to admit that my knees don't like the squatting much, but a chiropractor just told me that sitting is terrible for your back. This article said this: "Why do we in the Western World suffer so many cases of colon cancer, constipation, diverticulitis, IBS, prostate/uterine disorders and other diseases that other countries do not? The answer may well be in whether you use a squat toilet or not."
5. Kid friendly. Though you may think this is debatable, I think a hole is way better for kids. My mom used to stand us up on the porcelain thrones. Way less fun.

To make a fair argument, I must express the negatives I see. First, I already mentioned, it kills the knees. But with the added exercise, maybe I wouldn't such bad knee problems. Second, it's way easier to loss your chapstick. You really have to hold on to your stuff and your clothes. Third, I'm left handed.

Squatty Potties, welcome to the west.

Designate a place outside the camp where you can go to relieve yourself... 

as part of your equipment have something to dig with, 

and when you (want to) relieve yourself, 

dig a hole (in the ground)... and cover up your excrement.

(Deuteronomy 23:12-13)

The Missionary Call

Thanks to our friend Anna and her cabin, Josh and I were able to get away to Bemidji, MN for a weekend. We took a stack of projects with us, but the most productive thing we did was read and discuss this book: The Missionary Call - by M. David Sills. We've been directing a large portion of our thoughts, discussions, and prayers on what the Lord might have for us next year after Josh graduates.

We asked questions like these:

• What is a missionary call? Does everyone have one?
• What are the means God uses to call a person?
• Is there a difference between a missionary call and an assignment?
• What is the purpose of missions?
• What does God command and promise regarding missions?

Then we asked questions of ourselves:

• What does our missionary call look like?
• What are we compassionate about?
• What would an assignment look like?

I think some of our finding will be topics for some following blog posts. Stay tuned and comment with your thoughts on a question or two.

In the meantime... I would highly recommend going to Bemidji.

“...to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, 

so that they may turn from darkness to light 

and from the power of Satan to God, 

that they may receive forgiveness of sins 

and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.” 

Acts 26:17b-18

World Maps & Clocks

Here's a population clock to see lostness growing as the population increases. I wonder how accurate this is. How could anyone ever measure this? Oh well... it's still sobering.

 On another note, here's a clock on CO2 emissions, birth rate & death rate simulation. Kinda cool, though I don't agree that global warming "is almost without a doubt the most important issue to face our generation, and quite possibly any generation in history. " And why do they say "almost" and "without a doubt"? Whatever. I think the map is cool.

 I love maps and numbers. Have you seen anything like these?

Mamihlapinatapai

Mamihlapinatapai (sometimes spelled mamihlapinatapei) is a word from the Yaghan language of Tierra del Fuego, listed in The Guinness Book of World Records as the "most succinct word", and is considered one of the hardest words to translate.^[1] It describes "a look shared by two people with each wishing that the other will initiate something that both desire but which neither one wants to start."

The word consists of the reflexive/passive prefix ma- (mam- before a vowel), the root ihlapi (pronounced [iɬapi]), which means to be at a loss as what to do next, the stative suffix -n, an achievement suffix -ata, and the dual suffix -apai, which in composition with the reflexive mam- has a reciprocal sense.

1. ^ Matthews, P. (ed.). 1992. The Guinness Book of Records 1993.

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