Talkin' 'bout ABC's!

Since I haven't been posting much I thought I might do this meme that I found on my buddy Brenda's blog from Beside the Sea. I probably shouldn't though since she totally got me on April Fool's day with one of her posts. Oh well, forgive and forget I say.


A - Age: 43.

B - Baseball Game or Ballet: Baseball baby!

C - Chore you hate: Cleaning the bathroom, yuck!

D - Dream Vacation: The Holy Land

E - Easter candy:Too easy. Jelly beans!

F - Favorite Flowers: A rose by any other name would be as sweet?

G - Games: Ummm, Poker's still a game right?

H - Height: 5' 8 1/2.

I - Instrument you play: Guitar and bass.

J - Job title: Receiving Associate.

K - Kindergarten Memory: Hiding in the little playroom they had.

L - Luxury you live without: Cable?

M - Mexican food choice: Whatever mi madre en law es making!

N - Nickname: bub, krazy joe, Paulie, Uncle Paulie, dad.

O - Overnight hospital stay: Never have had one.

P - Pet Peeve: Tardiness. Mine or others.

Q - Quotes you like: Therefore, change your hearts and stop being stubborn. - Deuteronomy 10:16. or God.

R - Rainforest or Redwoods: Rainforest.

S - Siblings: My beautiful sister Shelly!

T - Television favorites: The Office and American Idol.

U - Ultimate dessert: Ice Cream cake! MMMMMMM!

V - Vegetable you dislike: cabbage.

W - Ways you run late: Poop. I forgot to set my alarm last night. Only the second time I've been late to work in the last two years. See pet peeves.

X - X-rays you've had: teeth, arm, fingers, ribs.

Y - Yummy food you make: ummmmm, hamburger helper? I'm such a gourmet!

Z - Zoo animal that's your favorite: Monkeys!

An Error in My Thinking

One of the things that I assumed when I first started going to Journey was that everyone else there was perfect. Unlike me, of course. I looked around and everyone seemed so perfect. So, what's the word I'm looking for, put together. To me, everyone had given their lives to Jesus at an early age and had since been living a life of mission trips, Jesus camps, perfect marriages and children, and marvelous friendships. Now, I knew logically that it wasn't true but that was my perception at the time. I figured there were a couple other damaged goods kinda folks like me there but we were few and far between. Perhaps looked upon as a novelty for all the other good church going folk.

It's been awesome learning that I was totally mistaken. It seems I go to church with a bunch of other people that are just like me. People that struggled for years before finding "The Way". I love that phrase, I think that I picked it up in Acts. People that had and have what Ed called broken cisterns. My kind of people. I'd like to think Jesus' kind of people.

It's funny because I wouldn't have exactly thought of myself as Jesus' kind of people. Most of my experience prior to Journey had been (whether it's true or not I'm not sure, it was my perception) of Christians that seemed to veer from self righteous to patronizing in their attitudes to a person of my ilk. Nothing that exactly appealed to me to come over to that side of the fence. If I was going to be a prideful, arrogant know it all I could do it from my side of the fence. On my side at least I knew all the answers.

I'm always amazed how God works. How He puts exactly the people you need to hear right in front of you at the time that you need to hear them. That's happened many times over since I've been attending Journey the last couple of years. It's not just Journey either. In my travels through the Christ Following peeps on the Internet as well. In the last couple of years I've heard other Christ followers talk about their struggles with addiction, pride, sex, abuse, fear, money, depression, and all the other myriad issues that we as humans deal with in our lifetimes.

I love the hope that it gives me. Not that I want to be a shiny, happy member of the congregation. There are other things that I DO want that I see in my fellow Journeyites. I want their passion for Christ. I want their faith. I want their determination. I want their spirit of service to their fellow man. I'm blown away constantly by the things I see other members of my church doing. Whether it's leading people in prayer or adopting children from Africa or raising their children up in the Holy Spirit or helping people in TJ or feeding the homeless of a Friday night it inspires me to take that next step into a more aligned path with God. "The Way".

This is just a little thank you for everyone sharing their stories, their journeys, with me over the last couple of years. Letting me know that there aren't any perfect people. That God uses us in all of our inglorious natures to reach others that wouldn't be able to hear the Good News from any other person.

Thank you Lord for everything that I have been through. I understand now that I needed to do what I did so that I can reach those who might otherwise be unreachable. Thank You for those that You have brought to me that I was able to hear their message of Your grace and Your love for them and how through Your Son whose incomparable sacrifice made my life redeemable as well. Amen.

Thank You!

Sorry I haven't written before now but I'm sick as a dog. I caught whatever is going around and it knocked me for a loop the last couple of days. I want to send out a big Thank You to all who have given and prayed for Rahma over the last week. The good news is that thanks to your contributions Rahma is good for 3 months and a birthday present to boot! I'll write her a letter telling her about all the wonderful people that helped her.

By the way, it's Rahma's 5th birthday yesterday as well as my grandson's 2nd today. I think that I could use a couple of get well soon prayers, lol. Again, thank you for all of your help, you are the best!

Here she is!

Are you ready? Here's the most recent picture that I have received of her. Isn't she beautiful? Her letters are even better. I'm going to try to transcribe one on here.





This was the first picture we received of her. Can ya see why she's so wonderful? What a doll!




Here's my transcription of the first response letter we got from her!

Dear Paul Stevens,

Rahma greets you she says praise the Lord Jesus! She says she is fine together with her family and continuing wel with their daily activities. She asks is your family fine?

She says that she thanks you so much for your prayers for she is continuing well with her daily school studies together with the Bible studies she is studying on Saturday at the central.

She continues to say that she thanks you so much for the good letter you sent her. She says she was very happy to know your family also she was very happy to get information that you are living in San Diego city, she says may God bless you so much for your love.

She says that the weather condition here now in lringa is rain then they have start to prepare the fields and grow different crops. She says she loves you so much and she would be happy if one day you will come to their home. Lastly she says be blessed with the Lord.

Rahma

How's that for a letter! Can you see why I can't just turn away? I want to thank everyone that's given so far, whether it's through money or prayer. God is so blessing you for giving this wonderful child a chance. God loves you and so do I!

A small plea for Compassion

I'm going to have to start posting again. I don't want to be put in the "blogatical" category. Seems as if everyone is going on some kind of break from blogging. Carlos, Anne Jackson, even Heidi at Candid Chatter. Soooo, maybe I'll blog a little more to make up for their lost voices.

It's funny how Satan works. He knows where my pride and ego are. He knows where I'll normally stop relying on help from God and the people he puts into my life. He knows that I want to be able to declare myself "self-sufficient" without the need of help from anyone. That's a real bad place for me to be. When things are rough, especially financially, I have a tendency to shut up and try to figure out a way around it. I would never ask for help. I can figure it out by myself.

That's why I love the spiritual principle of tithing. It makes me totally rely on God instead of leaving myself to my own devices. It makes me take some kind of "ownership" interest in my church. I feel that when I'm tithing it really is "my" church, my family's spiritual home. What's awesome is that God hasn't let us down. No one in my house is going hungry, the bills are somewhat paid, and we have a roof over our head.

It's also making me reach out to you. The people that read this blog. To do something that I totally hate to do. Which is ask for some help. Not for me necessarily. To help someone I really care about. My Compassion Child. Rahma from Tanzania.

We have barely been getting by financially. The last couple of months I've been able to keep my commitment to her but this month I haven't been able to figure a way to do it. I know that it's only $32 a month. If I could figure out where to get it from without asking for help I would do it. I still wouldn't ask for help but I think God is leading me to do this. To put down my ego. To swallow my pride. To let others do what I can't. As hard as that is to admit.

The old me would have let her go. Cut her loose. Push her off on to someone else. That not what the new me is going to do. I'm going to figure out how to help this girl. Even if it means, gulp! asking for help. I don't care if I have to beg for $32 a month every month for the rest of my commitment to her.

So Rahma is now going to be God, Me, and Poker's kid. I'm going to figure out a way that you can give money to her. If anyone has suggestions let me know. Any money that you give will go straight to Rahma's Compassion account. She writes the most beautiful letters also. I'll put them on here for you to read. I'll put her picture up so you can see what a beautiful little girl you are helping. So that you can see how His Compassion reaches across the world.

Anyways, do God a favor. Help me give Rahma a hand up. He'll most assuredly appreciate it. He wants to show me and you His love for all of His children.

This might help facilitate things for the time being. If you want to write a check, money order, or send cash Here's where you can send it.

Paul Stevens
4250 Parks Ave. #16
La Mesa CA 91941

I'm looking in to getting a paypal account set up as well. Their site was enormously slow this morning so I'll take another crack at it right now. Thanks again.

OK, here's the paypal button. Hopefully it should work. I'm not a genius at these things. Thanks again again.

I think this is my most edited post ever. I forgot one more thing. If you can't contribute anything don't feel bad. I wouldn't be able to either right now. Just do me one more small favor. Pray for Rahma. She's such a great kid. I love her to pieces. Oh, and maybe a prayer or two for me and my family. We could use them as well.

Quiet

If y'all are wondering why I'm so quiet lately, I believe it's because I'm in a season (maybe most overused word in American Christendom) of God telling me to shut the F up. And listen. So I'm listening. I'm hearing. It's all good. I'm sure that I'll be back soon. It's hard to shut up a talking donkey like myself for too long. Loving God, Jesus, my family, my Church, and my country more than ever.

Denying The Resurrection

I found this blog entry by Peter Rollins. It was so good that I had to borrow it.

I am four days into my ‘Lessons’ tour and so far loving it. My time to date has been spent in Calvin College engaging in fascinating debates with Kevin Corcoran, Jason Clark, Jamie Smith, Lori Wilson and Michael Wittmer. Many subjects have been covered, but perhaps the most pertinent one revolved around the place and nature of belief in faith.

At one point in the proceedings someone asked if my theoretical position led me to denying the Resurrection of Christ. This question allowed me the opportunity to communicate clearly and concisely my thoughts on the subject, which I repeat here.

Without equivocation or hesitation I fully and completely admit that I deny the resurrection of Christ. This is something that anyone who knows me could tell you, and I am not afraid to say it publicly, no matter what some people may think…

I deny the resurrection of Christ every time I do not serve at the feet of the oppressed, each day that I turn my back on the poor; I deny the resurrection of Christ when I close my ears to the cries of the downtrodden and lend my support to an unjust and corrupt system.

However there are moments when I affirm that resurrection, few and far between as they are. I affirm it when I stand up for those who are forced to live on their knees, when I speak for those who have had their tongues torn out, when I cry for those who have no more tears left to shed.

That's where I want to get.