The Body of Christ ...in China

We have had Chinese University Professors visiting with us at the church. They have toured around all the historical sites while staying with Christian families and listening to lectures on Religious freedom in America and Christianity. I worked through the details of the schedule, making sure they had a place to sleep. Sure there were some snafus like I forgot to order them boxed lunches to take with them for their departure to the next city. So I ran to Wawa and ordered turkey hoagies... I got to sit in on one of the lectures with the pastor - which was really just stories of his recent experiences in China. I emailed him after everyone had left:

“I gotta tell you I was so blessed listening to what you had to say to the Chinese. It’s easy to lose sight of the big picture when you focus so much on the details: Plane departures, confirmation #s, hours in a day etc. The thought occurred to me that someday I will get to heaven and I will see the fruit of all those collective labors. I helped make your schedule so you could get to the place God planned you to be so you could plant a seed. So someday I will see the results of all the seeds planted from your seeds. So I may not be planting seeds myself but I have been getting the farmer to the field. It was good to see that with fresh eyes. The body of Christ at work….”

His response to me:

“This is what Jesus was talking about when He said that not even a cup of water given in His name will lose its reward! All of our collective efforts make His ministry here on earth possible. Every task matters. As Francis Schaeffer used to say, “There are no little people.”

So maybe it wasn't so much the pride of working for a prestigious man but the honor of working for a humble servant of God and knowing that's not my part in the body of Christ anymore that has me feeling weepy (coupled with moving away from my friends). What I do have to look forward to is all the eternal glories of all the people rescued into family of God because I helped one man get to China, France, Africa, Spain, Phoenix, Florida. And his work multiplies as each person he plants a seed with goes forward with their own new seeds.

And so I will miss being apart of something so big and glorious.

Confession, Mourning and Redemption

Last week I handed over the reigns. I will no longer be assistant to the senior pastor. I found this to be a challenging task. I guess I never realized how much I liked the power of working for a "prestigious" man. (Even though he is extremely humble.) I lost my power. I realized that I had had secret pride because of my position of power. Rarely, did I brag on my boss -but I liked the idea that I had boss I could brag on.


I repented of this pride.


Then, I started to mourn the prospect of leaving my job completely. Being uprooted from the place that has been my home, haven and occasional headache for the last 4 years. Not seeing the people who have poured into my life at work or being near to my friends and former roommates has been suffocating me.

I have been weepy for days.


I have almost always worked in a meaningful job. Either working with children in some capacity on in my present job at the church. I may end up working in a "secular" job and not able to contribute to the cause for Christ as I have been. But God has reminded me of the fact that where ever I end up working in the next few weeks or months I have a special reward waiting for me someday. And maybe my contributions will just be different in a new place.

I'll post the specific of the "redemption" separately.

Salmon Cakes

One day my old roommates were busy in the kitchen mixing up a bowlful of pink meat. "What are you making?" "Salmon cakes. Do you want one?" one said. "Sure I'll try one." I replied and proceeded to eat the most delectable seafood dish ever! It was like a little piece of heaven in my mouth! They quickly came the house favorite and the "one" dish I could rely one to make for company.

But salmon in a pouch (that's what we used) is not that cheap. Walter and I wanted to make up a batch for lunches this week. We saw that the canned salmon was on sale half the price for twice the amount of meat in a pouch. SO we bought 4 cans!

I opened one can and it was all watery and then I saw its spine and I about hurled. This explains the tapered shape of the can. This also explains what the can means when its says "Traditional Style." They cut up a fish and stick the whole slice of fish in a can! I was completely grossed out. Walter had to pick out the bones. We now have a ton of them in the frig. but the joy of eating them has been diminished by the intimate knowledge we had of the fish before he got crumbled up and mixed in with eggs and mayo.

I'm happy to post the recipe if someone asks... just whatever you do buy the salmon in a pouch unless you have a thing for fish bones...
It may be a while before I feel an urge to make them again