Inafaa, Haifai

"It works; it doesn't work."

I am sitting at the Java House in Nairobi, where they have wi-fi!! When I am home, Quickbooks won't work on my laptop. It decides that it wants to register AGAIN, and apparently it doesn't like my internet connection at home, because it gives me a phone number in the USA instead of registering again. But when I am sitting here at Java, it works! And it doesn't say anything about registering. And apparently the Quickbooks support people don't know what to do about that, because they do not respond to my emails (except to write me asking me to contact them and say I am satisfied with the service!!!). Also, when I call them from Nairobi, they apparently don't like my sometimes bad phone connection, because they give up quick and tell me they have to go. Oh, well. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. (Did I mention that my Quickbooks program on the other laptop refused to register online, and they didn't give me a code to use when I called, so in a few days QB will quit on me. It's a little hard to get that code one needs to keep QB running.) I'm saying all this so that those to whom I have to report financial information will please forgive me for being late.

On the other hand, I can't get my Go Daddy email to come up when I am at Java House, but at home on my slow connection with the cell phone company it comes up and works. So "it works' it doesn't work"

Life is full of little twists that can raise stress levels and irritate us. I've been working on staying conscious of the Biblical command to "Rejoice in the Lord always." If we are willing to obey all that is written in Scripture, then this is our daily job - to rejoice! And of course we have much to rejoice about - forgiven sin, the Spirit within, fellowshipping with friends.

The Lord has set up life very well. Whether it works or doesn't, rejoice!

The true joys of life are not hard to find.  They present themselves to us in the ordinary movements of our lives.  We go someplace, and there the joys are to be found.  We come home, and the joys are there already.  

This weekend we are in Iowa - Cedar Rapids - to see old friends and visit with the Central Church. Richard and Diane Bradford have a daughter entering Abilene Christian University in the fall, and they have four 15-year-old sons who are a great mix of interests.  We've talked about school, and played table tennis, and looked at snowboards, and listened to drumming, and gone out for coffee together, and watched March Madness basketball and compared computers.  These are true joys with people we love.

And this afternoon it started to snow.  We seldom get to see snow, since most of our time is spent in Nairobi, Kenya, and when here we are often in Southern California.  And deer were running in the trees behind the house in the snow.  So I called California, and talked to a grandchild who loves the snow, who would be outside making snow angels no matter how cold it gets.  And that true joy told me about the great race at school and the award.  That's a true joy.  

And I share all this with Darlene.  True joys are all around and constant.  God made our lives for this, for joy that erupts in laughter and affection and hope.  All I want for my life is that I can share the true joys with street kids, who have borne the great abuse of having no one tell them how wonderful they are and how much they deserve to revel in true joy.

May your joy be full today, and true.

Surprised by Joy

We came to Oxford, England, to visit friends posted here to teach by Abilene Christian University.  Darlene has read the Narnia stories by C. S. Lewis to all the street kids in our Kamulu program.  And this year we took all the kids and team to see Prince Caspian because two young girls in Thousand Oaks, California, gave their earnings and allowance and money from recycling to Made in the Streets so we could do something with the kids.  It was a great experience -- 75 of us went to the theater in Nairobi on a day when they gave away hot dogs, popcorn and a soda with the price of admission.  The kids loved it, and Francis Wahome told us afterwards that he did not drop even one grain of popcorn but ate it all.

We had no idea we would get to see all the C. S. Lewis memories.  Mel and Jan Hailey took us on a walking tour of Oxford.  We walked down to Magdalen College where Lewis taught.  And we went to his house and walked around the little lake and wildlife trail where he often walked, which must have been his inspiration for Ransom's walks in Out of the Silent Planet.  And we saw trees there that looked like the Ents in Tolkien's stories (Tolkien was a friend to Lewis).  We walked over to the Trinity Church where Lewis attended and saw his grave in the cemetery.  And finally we went out to eat at his favorite restuarant.  

Needless to say, this was a rich experience.  Lewis influenced me greatly with his wonderful arguments in Mere Christianity about the value of the coming of Christ into the world and about the moral teaching of the Bible.  I saw in That Hideous Strength the necessity of taking action when truth and hope and joy are threatened.  

I feel once again a sense of joy, a sense that I am blessed above all men, a sense that God thinks about me and remembers me and makes a way for me.  

May you find an unexpected joy today,

charles