April 21, 2009.

Tomorrow, April 21, 2009, is Holocaust Remembrance Day...

From the US Holocaust Memorial Museum...

NEVER AGAIN: What you do matters.

Remembrance obligates us not only to memorialize those who were killed in the Holocaust but also to reflect on what could have been done to save them. An engaged citizenry that embraces the power of the individual to make a difference is the frontline defense for strong, just societies. What we do—or choose not to do—matters.

Last night we watched, The Courageous Heart, about Irena Sendler who risked her life in order to save approximately 2500 children from a Polish Ghetto. It's the 4th movie (The Boy in Striped Pajamas, Defiance, Sophie Scholl, The Courageous Heart) I've seen in the past 5 months about World War II and the Holocaust... (It seems a bit 'ironic' and leaves me wondering if Jesus is trying to send our hearts a message - I remember asking Ryan a few times if it was anything out of the ordinary for so many movies to be shown at the same time...) Anyway, my heart has been so stirred... There's something that whispers in the quiet of my Spirit... Beckoning me to live for something worth dying for... I ponder a message by Richard Dahlstrom on Palm Sunday... He shared the heralded idea of simply LOVING Jesus... and all that he offers - love, compassion, service... but when it came down to it... But the question he posed is, "How did the 'world' turn against Jesus in just one week?" He proposed that though the ways of Jesus are attractive, the cost of truly following Him proved to be much more than what people bargained for... I guess I've wondered... How much of this is my reality? I mean truly. I LOVE the ways of Jesus and long to be like him - but sometimes the cost does feel too weighty... or instead I throw it over my shoulder as if it weighs nothing... not understanding what He's really asking of my heart...

Several months ago Pastor Richard Dahlstrom at Bethany Community Church of Seattle shared the story of Sophie Scholl, a college girl who was killed for her association with The White Rose... She, her brother and close friend published documents in opposition to the Nazi way of thinking. In the end they were all three beheaded for their efforts.

The point is that all through history, people have had the courage to stand apart from the prevailing ruling powers in order to defend those who can't defend themselves, or inorder to bring a particular evil into the light. This is the responsibility of people of faith, and when we abdicate that responsibility we rob the gospel of its power, and in doing so distort its true nature, for it is intended to bring "freedom to captives, justice for the oppressed" and so much more to our broken and hurting world."

Do you feel it? Can you hear Him calling you out? For me, it's whispers towards a life of faith. Faith that my fasting and praying CAN change history. That my cries for those who are silent in the womb would be heard by the Most High. That His kingdom would be uninhibitedly revealed through my life and on this earth.

So I speak to myself just as much as you today... What you do matters.

It's true...

It really has felt like forever since I've written anything meaningful.... And honestly, I don't have much to write. There are always things rumbling around in my mind but I don't know if I have anything meaningful enough to articulate at this point...

So here's a little update on my life... :-)

It is absolutely BEAUTIFUL outside today! I had my first picnic table lunch here at Parkland Chevrolet and loved it... The first of many, I hope! Good lunch. More leftover chili from Ryan's birthday dinner on Saturday evening, a good book, Loving Our Kids on Purpose, and a conversation with a stranger. Wow, what a story HE has! He and his wife have been retired for the past 6 years. 30 some years ago he moved here to Tacoma as an employee of Boeing... Now he spends his time in his garden and traveling. He and his wife will be finishing up their Lewis and Clark adventures across the US in a few weeks! And then be making their way on a tour of Europe later this summer... He has hopes of returning back to his family in Cape Cod but will miss the mountains and hiking... It was such a fun conversation, though admittedly he wished he was at home in his garden rather than waiting for an oil change and anticipating a conversation with a Sears employee over his new and broken freezer... I just love people... :-)

So, I just started reading the above mentioned book last night when I crawled into bed. Good stuff. The author begins with the "why" on loving our kids. He explains that most parenting techniques focus on obedience and would qualify this method of parenting as the lesser way... As it produces a fear of failure in children and often emphasizes rules over relationship. I'm only a little way into the first chapter but have already been challenged by my own default response to the people in my life who may stumble in disobedience. I realize how quickly, I desire to have it simply eradicated from someone's life... While my motivation may be pure, I think I am missing the point... The author proceeds to dive into how this all relates to the covenants of both the Old and the New Testament in the Bible. (The Old being composed of an external blessings and punishment based on our obedience and the New relating through an internal law that has been "written on our hearts")

"When the law is written on our hearts and minds and when God Himself dwells in us, we no longer need to be controlled from the outside, because we have the capability and responsibility to controll our selves - to tell ourselves what to do and to make ourselves do it... Because sin has been dealt with in the new Covenant, we no longer need to be punished or controlled but need to learn to manage our freedom respnsibly, which chanes the goal of government as well as the goal of parenting. When love and freedom replace punishment and fear as the motivating forces in the relationship between parent and child, the quality of life improves dramatically for all involved. They feel safe with each other, and the anxiety that created distance in the relationship is chased away by the sense of love, honor, and value for one another."

I look forward to more of his insight and I also find myself pondering my childhood and what it was like growing up... Revisiting what relationships looked like in my family and how we related to one another... Though I am sure that all of this will be helpful in parenting one day, my heart is to truly learn to love those who already surround me... To truly live deeply with those people: Ryan - my boyfriend, the Gentile's - my family I live with, my accountability partner and close friend - Jenny, my boss and co-workers... I long to know how to release my friends into greater freedom through love.

Anyway... That's not really what I intended to write, but good stuff anyway!

Yesterday was Ryan and my 6mo lunaversary. Haha. That's what he always says - as anniversary is defined at the year and luna - the month. We had SUCH an amazing day! We spent our time down at Ocean Shores. Let me just tell you that it was SOOO beautiful! In my few trips to the ocean (here in WA or OR) it's ALWAYS been COLDDDD. But yesterday was PERFECT! We spread out a blanket on the sand and soaked up some amazing rays... Definitely NOT warm enough for bathing suits but still just a wonderful... Good snacks, good company, a nice nap and a book... *sigh* Absolutely amazing! I really wanted to find a sand dollar but was a bit disappointed to find that the unbroken ones were still alive... Haha... So instead we tossed them back into the sea and I came home with a half of one all dried out. :-) I asked Ryan on the way home, if I could have put one of the live ones in the oven and he said that my idea was so mean and would make the house stink like dead fish.

Saturday, Ryan went to Crystal Mountain - snowboarding with his roommates, Jay and Jacob and one of his best friends, Garrett. Apparently it was phenomenal and BEAUTIFUL weather! They all three came home with sunburned faces and worn out bodies. It was a late birthday gift to Ryan and we all finished the day with homemade chili - that was delicious! And Ryan's favorite, cheesecake from Costco!

So there's my latest for you... I would love to keep you more updated... I think I just figure after not writing in so long, what do I have to say?! So much and so little to share... Oh - I've also been doing some more photography and learning a lot about light and the such... I need to finalize my website and then I can share it with you! :-) I hope you're doing well - if anyone is still out there reading!

Bless you today and hopefully you'll hear from me again soon!