What about the OTHER son?

We find the story of the Prodigal Son recorded in Luke 15:11-32. In this parable, Jesus taught us a story about forgiveness and repentance. It is such an encouraging tale as well! Knowing that God looks for the return of sinners like a father looking for the return of a son who has wandered off. The love our father has for us is so amazing and unfathomable!

There is another side of this story, however, which doesn't usually get more thought. In verses 25-32, Jesus tells about the older son's response to the return of his brother. What was his reaction? Was the older son pleased? On the contrary, the older son was very angry at his father for accepting his brother, and he wouldn't even enter the house! When the father came out, the older son tells him of his frustration. He tells his father how he has SLAVED (the original word actually is the word for a slave's labor) for him over the years. The brother even seems to be jealous and thinks the father should not have received his brother back. His father tries to calm him down and help him see the reason that they should be happy: his brother was dead and still lives, he was lost but has been found!

The most interesting thing in this parable for me is how Jesus did not finish the story. We do not know what the older son said or did next, and we don't know if he listened to his father. This, I think, was intentional. As Christians, we are the older son in the parable. How should we respond if someone wanders away, then comes back? Should we reject them and cast them out? The father in the parable, representing our Father, accepted the wayward son and welcomed him back without any question! How can we be so foolish and let our silly feelings and opinions get in the way of someone who is lost returning to the flock?

So, what is the point of all this? We all were at one point the younger son, returning to our father, and he accepted us. Let us remember that we all were saved by grace, and that grace is UNDESERVED. Let us not look down on others who the father is willing to accept. If he will accept them, why shouldn't we?

Don't we have an amazing God?

Politics!!!

Many people on the internet are going crazy about the recent election and the results. Every since the campaigns started, many Christians have been posting statuses which have been pro-one side or the other, and have even been very ugly and disrespectful to one or both parties. Now that the election is over, people have been going so far as to say that this isn't God's will, or that God ISN'T in control of what has happened. I don't want to ruffle any feathers here, but I figured I would share a few things that I've been thinking about since all the posts popped up on my feed.

When the Christians in the first century were having difficulties with the government, what did the Apostles tell them they should do? While you think about that question, remember that this government was the very one that was arresting Christians and killing them for their faith. Look at what Peter says about this.

1 Peter 2:13 You submit to every human creation on account of the Lord, whether to king as supreme,
14 whether to governors as being sent through him into vengeance of the ones doing evil and praise of the ones doing good;
15 because thus is the will of the God while doing good to put to silence the ignorance of the unthinking men,
16 as free men and not having the freedom as a cover of the evil but as slaves of God.

Another thing to consider is Jesus. Remember who decided to have him killed? Peter has something to say about this as well...

1 Peter 2:21 For into this you were called, because also Christ suffered in behalf of you while leaving behind an example for you so that you might follow his steps,
22 who did not sin neither was guile found in the mouth of him,
23 who being reviled did not revile in return, suffering he did not threaten, but he handed it over to the one judging justly; 
24 who brought our sins in his body upon the tree, so that after dying to the sins we might living to the justice, you were healed by the wounds of him.

Considering all of this, does it really matter who we vote for? Does it really matter if we are living under a monarchy, communist dictatorship, or a theocracy? Jesus told Pilate that he came into this world to establish a HEAVENLY kingdom, not one upon this earth (John 18:36). A friend of mine put it very well:

"Me: I wonder who Jesus would have voted for...
Other me: Silly goose, you don't vote when you're king. You've already won."

Let's not forget that the victory has already been won and all we are doing is waiting for our king to return and take us into his kingdom. This is quite comforting, at least for me :)

What happened to your sunglasses?!?

I know you are wondering what on earth a blog with this title could have to tell anyone. Just be patient. All will be revealed... :)

Today was my day off! I spent most of my morning and afternoon reading about New Testament history, which is really interesting!!! If you are ever interested in reading about NT history, grab a New Testament Survey book. I have been reading the one written by Merril C. Tenney, which has been very informative. I also have The New Testament: It's Origin, Development, and Background by Bruce Metzger, which I also recommend. READ THEM! :)

I decided to go to the mall this afternoon to pay some bills and window shop. I rode a Jeepney there, which is a form of public transportation. I paid 10 pesos (about 25 cents) to get from my house to the mall. On the way there we passed through the center of town and I was reminded of something which I (fortunately) don't get to see very often.

Because of the sun today, I wore my sunglasses which I bought in the US last time we were on furlough. I was looking around from inside the jeep and suddenly, from out of nowhere, one of the hundreds of children in Cebu who live on the street jumped from the outside of the jeep and grabbed my sunglasses in an attempt to steal them! His plan backfired a little as the cheap plastic broke and all he was able to run off with was one of the temples (the part which holds the glasses to your head and rests on your ears). The rest of the pair fell onto the floor of the jeepney. I was a little disgusted. He didn't know that they only cost $5, but still, stealing someone's glasses? I guess I was more disappointed than anything else, after all, it's only a pair of sunglasses, but this boy made the effort to jump in and grab them off my face!

Thinking back on that, I was reminded of something Jesus said which I'd like to share with you.


Luke 12:13 But a certain one out of the crowd said to him; "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."
14 But he said to him; "Man, who set me as judge or divider to you?"
15 And he said to them; "You watch and you keep from every greed, because life is not in what abundance a person has out of his possessions."
16 But he said a parable to them while saying; "The country of a certain rich man was fruitful.
17 And he considered in himself while saying; 'What will I do, because I have no place where I will gather together my fruits?'
18 And he said; 'This is what I will do, I will take down my storehouses and I will build up greater storehouses and I will gather together every wheat and my good things there
19 And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many good things being laid into many years; you refresh, you eat, you drink, you rejoice'
20 But the God said to him; 'Unthinking one, they demand from you in this the night the soul of you; the  things you prepared, to whom will they be?'
21 Thus will be the one treasuring for himself and not becoming rich into God."

I made this translation and tried to be as close to the original as possible. Please read another translation if you need clarification :)

Greed is messy, isn't it? That's my bit :) Have a great rest of your week!

Have a problem with a mouse in your house?

If you've ever had trouble with mice, this blog post is for you! This evening, Amy and I had to deal with a little mouse (and I mean little!) in our apartment. From our observations and lessons learned, I present to you Sara (and Amy)'s simple seven step how-to for removing pesky rodents from your domicile (including an ACTUAL EXAMPLE!)

Step 1 - Have a trusty feline present to take care of the little one.

Romeo first noticed that a mouse had come in and was climbing up our screen window. Amy then noticed that Romeo was on our kitchen counter staring intently upon the window above. Before shooing him off, she realized that the tiny mouse had reached our valence. EEEEK! Well, Romeo has always been fond of chasing cockroaches, lizards, my cat Princess, people, etc... surely he would literally jump at the opportunity, right? It turns out that our would-be mouser stared at the mouse for a good five minutes until he realized he couldn't reach it, then turned around and ignored it's presence. Hmph. Some use he was...

Step 2 - Discuss how to best capture your "friend."

Once the mouse moves to higher ground, you might consider putting your cat on the shelf the mouse has reached. I would not recommend this. Amy tried this, and the cat was terrified to be so high off the ground and immediately made his way to the floor. Instead, you and your companion should discuss in what way you would like to remove your "friend" and whether you would like him to survive the process. When you have decided this, proceed to step 3.

Step 3 - Buy/Purchase/Make a container to house your intruder.

We decided to catch our visitor and free him a distance from our house. We didn't have the ability to go and buy a live trap, and we didn't really want to wait for it to just waltz into our trap, so Amy put something together. We had a box from microwave popcorn and some neat flexible cutting boards, so Amy cut off the tabs of the box and we were "ready". The mouse was cornered behind our styrofoam cooler, so Amy positioned the box on one end and prepared the cutting board for closing the box once the mouse entered. My job was to "encourage" it to enter the box. I had a cutting board as well, and I was using the end of a serving spoon to "encourage." Well, to make a ridiculously embarrassing story short, the mouse ran away from the box and towards me, then I flipped out and it "jumped" down to the floor and behind our dishes cabinet. Yikes...

Step 4 - Calm your ridiculous older sister and form a new plan. 

This step is short. All you must do is formulate a plan and your ridiculous sister (who is an acknowledged pansy) will listen to your wisdom and force herself to participate. After all, she doesn't want to go to sleep until the mouse (which probably weighs less than her little finger) is OUT of your apartment. Grab a couple flashlights, because it is dark behind cabinets. The mouse will then proceed to climb UP the back of the shelf and stand on the edge, then hop down to the cabinet top. Don't worry, this is a "good" thing. Once it positions itself behind your microwave, switch roles with your companion. You take the box and two cutting boards (one to close behind the mouse, the other to make certain that it does not run out and jump on you) and get ready on one end of the microwave, while your sister watches the mouse and uses the end of a serving spoon to scare the critter into the box. Amazingly, this plan can work! After some jumping and squealing (?), you can close the box with the mouse inside (you are left to determine who did the jumping and squealing). Once you are sure the mouse is secure, prepare for step 5.

Step 5 - Conduct the mouse to its new home.

We recommend you choose a location FAR AWAY from your house. What good is it to catch the mouse and let it go right outside your house? It may come back! We walked all the way down the road. I held the light while Amy held the mouse in it's box (Yes, we had traded; she is much braver than I am). Once you arrive at your destination (we chose the entry of our road by a drainage canal), free your prisoner!

Step 6 - Look frantically around and at the box and realize that you DID NOT CATCH THE MOUSE!!!

This is followed by the sub-step "return to your house and find that the mouse is still under the microwave where you left it." You may facepalm if you like.

The rest is easy. Follow your earlier plan. Inwardly laugh as your older sister flips out while the mouse, instead of scooting submissively into the box, shoots off the counter and heads for the back door. After containing your mirth and calming your sister (again!), ascertain where exactly the mouse is now. If your mouse did as ours did, you will find it in the corner of your back door. Specifically in our case, the mouse was wedged in the gap between our door and the edge of our floor. As I hesitantly peered down, I saw its little tail and two back feet suspended in the air. It was stuck. You may laugh at the mouse, just be sure that you don't startle the mouse. Now slowly open the door, just enough to free it, and then shut it back once the mouse has escaped. After this you are done!

Step 7 - Crazy-clean every utensil you used, throw away any disposable item used, and laugh at your lack of courage. 

This is self-explanatory. One very important thing you must remember to do is seal off the hole through which the mouse exited (and probably entered). Use as much duct tape as you feel is necessary. The same goes for the amount of soap you use when you wash the dishes.

So there you have it. Seven simple steps. I hope this has helped you, and perhaps made you laugh :). God bless you!

Ones who have been called out...

What is the life of a Christian supposed to be like? A vacation? Too often people hurry, study, and prepare themselves for becoming a Christian, then when the water dries off they sit back and relax. Christianity is not about relaxation! We have been called to do something. What? See for yourself...

1 Corinthians 5:11-21 (SAM)
11 Therefore having known the fear of the Lord we persuade men, but we have been revealed to God; and I hope also to be revealed in your conscience.

12 We are not again commending ourselves to you but giving to you opportinity of boasting in behalf of us, so that you might have something to say to the ones boasting in face and not in heart.
13 For if we are out of our senses, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you.
14 For the love of the Christ holds us fast, after judging this, that one died in behalf of all, therefore (the) all died;
15 and he died in behalf of all, so that the ones living might not live for themselves but for the one who died and was raised in behalf of them.

16 Therefore from now on WE know no one according to the flesh; if we even knew Christ according to flesh, yet now we know him no longer in this way.
17 Therefore if a certain one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things have passed away, behold new things have become;
18 But (the) all things are out of the God who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave to us the service of reconciliation,
19 in that God was in Christ reconciling world to himself, not counting (the) their trespasses to them and putting the word of (the) reconciliation in us .
20 Therefore we are ambassadors in behalf of Christ as (the) God urging through us; we beg in behalf of Christ, you be reconciled to (the) God.
21 The one who did not know sin was made sin in behalf of us, so that WE might become justice of God in him.

Ephesians 2:10 (SAM)
10 For we are work of him, being created in Christ Jesus on the basis of good works which the God prepared beforehand, so that in them we might walk.

What is it we have been called to do? You see it, now let's do it :)

Abraham's Family Tree

Have you ever read the story of Abraham and wondered about how everyone was related? I made a chart a few years ago and figured I would share it with you all.

We know that Abraham and Sarah were half-brother and sister. They were married and had Isaac, who married the daughter of his cousin. They then had two sons, Jacob and Esau. Jacob married two sisters, Rachel and Leah, who were his cousins, both first and second degree. There's also the strange story of Lot and his two daughters who bore children through him.  

AND YET, God decided that this man and his family would receive the promise which made his descendants God's special people! Isn't it interesting how the Lord works?

The C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N Song

As a prelude to what follows, I would like to establish the fact and inform you all that I LOVE Greek. Koine Greek, the Greek which the New Testament was written in, is one of my passions. After going through a study course under my parents I have loved working with the language and reading and translating. Considering that, continue reading. 

I was laying in bed last night and thought this up. The following are the words for the song in Greek instead of English. This is what happens to an aspiring Greek scholar at 3 AM. Enjoy :)

I am a χ

I am a χ-ρ

I am a χ-ρ-ι-σ-τ-ι-α-ν-ο-ς (Christian)

And I have χ-ρ-ι-σ-τ-ο-ν (Christ)

In my κ-α-ρ-δ-ι-ᾳ (Heart)

And I will α-γ-α-π-η-σ-ω ([I will] love)

All the κ-α-ι-ρ-ο-υ-ς (Time[s])

I have heard two English versions of this song:

I am a C

I am a C-H

I am a C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N

And I have C-H-R-I-S-T

In my H-E-A-R-T

and I will L-O-V-E, love him 

all the T-I-M-E, time!

And with an alternate ending:

I am a C

I am a C-H

I am a C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N

And I have C-H-R-I-S-T

In my H-E-A-R-T

And I will L-I-V-E  E-T-E-R-N-A-L-L-Y!

Such lovely memories :) Have a great day!