Philosophy Phriday

Here are a few random, only slightly connected, tidbits of information that I both want to pass on and to talk about. What are your thoughts?

International Justice Mission: Global Prayer Gathering
I just posted a bit over on I2A about IJM's Global Prayer Gathering, going on this weekend in the D.C. area. I wish I could be there - it sounds phenomenal! In any case, if you're like me and interested in IJM's work but cannot go to the GPG, you can geek out and follow the live blogging from the event. I'll be checking in all weekend.

Sara blogs
Well, she's gonna give it the old college try. Sara Groves, as many of you know, is one of my all time favorite artists. I love her music, and the thoughts she shares in interviews have always made me wish that she blogged. Well, she didn't want to, but to really share her experiences in Rwanda Sara has decided to start her own blog. Go check it out. With a little encouragement, maybe she'll get the hang of it and blog even more.

Cowboy tactics?
Speaking of IJM . . . I mentioned (on I2A and I think here as well) a nice article that was published in the New Yorker about IJM and their work. One of the big problems that some people have with IJM is the way they organize and work with local authorities to raid brothels and businesses that hold people (children and adults) in slavery. The critics label these as cowboy tactics (and directly or indirectly relate them to the Bush administration and their initiation of the war in Iraq) and allege that such strong-arm tactics terrorize the "rescued" prostitutes and slaves and open them to abuses from the local authorities. And, to be fair, there is some truth in that. Gary Haugen (IJM's founder and president) likes to describe the law systems of most developing nations as remnants of colonial legal systems that were designed to keep the local population in check and under the authority of the colonial power. IJM works to change this, but many places the police are seen as at least as bad an option as the brothel owners who enslave and torture the women and children they sell.

The question remains, though: what are they (IJM) and we to do? America is currently demonized for our perceived cowboy tactics (rightly or wrongly, we can debate about for years to come). My experience with the people at IJM (albeit limited) is that then are people of peace and of prayer. They cannot simply stand by and watch as people live in slavery (no more than some people could in the U.S. 150 years ago, or in England 200 years ago). They seek out men of peace in troubled areas, to effect change in corrupt and misapplied legal systems. Every person who works for IJM probably spends more time in prayer every day than most Christians do in a month. And, to be fair, some of their critics will never be happy unless IJM concedes to their thesis that the violence and abuse inherent in the sex slavery they fight stems mainly from the criminalization of prostitution itself. In other words, as long as IJM wishes to remain a Christian-based organization, they will also have detractors.

What are your thoughts on this?

So what?
I heard this interview on NPR a couple of weeks ago, and it has really stuck with me. They are talking with author Thomas Ricks, whose new book finds little to like about the ability of the U.S. to withdraw from Iraq, no matter what political party is in control of the White House. His big point is that, from his analysis, withdrawal in the near future (at least the next few years) will almost inevitably lead to genocide in Iraq. A debatable point, but one worthy of discussion.

He mentions, though, that as he recently talked about this to a group of people one person in the audience interjected "So what?" and another chimed in "Genocide happens all the time" (you can here this at about the 5:20 mark in the interview). The audacity, the selfishness, the carelessness of those remarks struck me and sticks with me. Several who commented online took the view that genocide is simply a way of life in some cultures, something that Western culture does not understand, and that Westerners should not try to force change on these other cultures.

Okay, honestly, I cannot express the anger that burns in me when I think of this callous attitude. It happens? So what? Nonsense! Yes, it does happen - in fact, there are multiple places (Darfur, parts of DRC, etc.) where it is happening today, and is being ignored by the global community. And their response is let it!?!? It's too much for us to handle, so let's just ignore it? Maybe it will die off on its own, eventually? I wonder how their thoughts might run if, for example, extreme racial violence broke out in LA or New York, with one group purposefully and indiscriminately inflicting terror and killing off another group? Would their blasé attitude change if it affected them, their families, or their friends?

Okay, so I've been ranting a little bit in this post. Maybe my thinking is off-base in some way on these topics. Maybe there are some things I just don't understand? I know that to be true. Does anyone have any thoughts on these topics? I'd love to hear them.

Tags: Sara Groves, Gary Haugen, Global Prayer Gathering, Genocide, Prostitution, Slavery, Brothels

Goodbye, Brad

Today, my friend Brad Wims was called home to be with God. I asked you to pray for him last week, and now I ask that you pray for peace and comfort for his family. He leaves his wife, Jenny, their five-year old son Zeke, and their two-year old daughter, Kaelyn. Here's a pictuer of him from last Friday, napping with his little girl.

Goodbye, Brad. See you on the other side. Or, since I know how much you loved your Aggies - see you at the 12^th Gate.

"Mighty to Save"

¹⁶On that day they will say to Jerusalem,
"Do not fear, O Zion;
do not let your hands hang limp.

¹⁷The LORD your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing."

Zephaniah 3:16-17 (NIV)

Isn't it funny how some phrases can become so oft repeated that they become cliché? The frequency with which I've heard "mighty to save" used in recent months brings this thought to mind. Literally everywhere in religious circles, this phrase is en vogue and everyone seems to be using it. I hear it in sermons, I heard it used multiple times in recent concerts. The song by the same name (now up for a Dove Award) has been on the radio. The phrase so permeates Christian culture today that I almost wonder if it is becoming a lip service to those who use it so glibly.

And yet, this is an old, old truth. I just recently realized that a favorite hymn uses this same line, "Rescue the Perishing", written by Fanny Crosby in 1869 - "Tell them of Jesus, the mighty to save.". These words, spoken to give hope and comfort to the people of Judah that, despite the coming wrath of Jehovah, He will always be their strength and refuge. These words, which still give peace and hope today. They meant so much to Laura Story as she and her husband dealt with his recent cancer that she included the popular Hillsong song on her recent album - the only song on the album she did not have a hand in writing.

No, these words are not cliché.

I pray these words for a friend today. Like Laura Story's husband, his body is wracked with cancer. Brad has been fighting this for some two years, now; he has been under Hospice care since just after Christmas. Read more about his fight and his family at his wife blog. I've mentioned Brad before and his and his family's struggles. Brad's had some good days and bad days in the last couple of weeks. He's still praying and believes in God's mighty power to heal him.

I don't know God's will in this. I know Brad has been through much, and his family have cried with his pain and rejoiced in the triumphs. Please pray with me today that God sees fit to bring health to Brad, and that in these days of struggle every moment with his wife and two young children be moments that will last a lifetime.

Jehovah is mighty to save.

Pray

Bart Millard is the lead singer for MercyMe. You probably know that. His baby girl, Sophie, is in the hospital with RSV and has been since Sunday. She's not doing well and they moved her to ICU this morning. Please pray! (Read updates on Bart's Twitter.)

It could be worse . . .

It's been a long Christmas week. Forgive the blithe nature of this post, but I'm just too tired for anything but listing the facts.

• Lil'er E had a cold all week. Hey, it was better than the RSV he had last Christmas.
• Getting ready to leave for my parents for five days, I notice that our cat had not eaten any food for a couple of days. I got a bad feeling about that.
• Lil'er E cries the whole seven hours to Abilene.
• On Christmas night, after a nice day with my parents, brother and sister-in-law, and niece and nephew, Mrs. E and I went on a double date with my brother to see Seven Pounds. A depressing movie, after which my sister-in-law checks her voice mail to discover that her 46 year old aunt has died. Apparently a suicide (the facts aren't all in), on Christmas Day. Worst part of the holiday. Period.
• Lil'er E, while getting over his cold, discovers that he can climb out of his pack-and-play bed and run to freedom. Which he did all last night. No real sleep for Mrs. E and me from 2 am on last night.
• Returning home today, I find that my cat did, indeed, die while we were gone. I found her lying under the Christmas tree - always her favorite place to be. The kids have taken it okay, at least so far.

I'm tired. I'm more than a bit sad. The kids had a great Christmas, and it was great to spend time with my family (and now with Mrs. E's family for a couple of days). But there just seems to be a pall hanging over this holiday. I've got Sufjan Stevens' "That Was The Worst Christmas Ever!" running through my head right now - I wonder why.

Hope your Christmas was a little better.

So, what did you do on Wednesday?

Let's see. On Wednesday, I woke up, got showered and ready for work, work up the kids and Mrs. E, then headed out to my third day on a new job. After that I spent most of the day sorting through a bunch of new information at my new job and started to do some real work instead of just getting to know the place. Then I left work, picked up Mrs. E and the kids, ate dinner with them and attended a mid-week bible class at our church. Tucking the kids in and going to bed rounded it out.

Pretty average and boring day, wouldn't you say?

But the people at IJM in South Asia were a little more busy than me. They stayed up for the better part of 24 hours as they raided a business and rescued 19 people from slavery! One man was held there with his children and grandchildren. A little girl, nine years old, has pneumonia - I can only imagine how her disease would have progressed under the slave owners, and pray that she can recover in the hands of people who care for her, now.

Now, that's an exciting day! Kinda makes me feel like a slacker. But, I do what I can in this process - and so can you. Prayer is the first step, and considering some kind of monetary support. But there really is more that we can do, without ever leaving our living rooms. Go read some of what Gary Haugen had to say to me last week when I asked him some questions about this. Or go read Anne's post - she took better notes and has some great quotes from the chat.

Honestly, I am throwing this out as a challenge. I know that a lot of people (at least three or four!) read this blog. No one wants to talk about modern slavery, or women and children (even under five) being sold for sex. It's uncomfortable, and frankly a bit repulsive. But as long as speaking the truth is taboo, this disease will fester and grow. We know the Great Physician; so let's implore Him to heal this rot.

Tags: Modern slavery, Gary Haugen, Challenge

Music Monday: Heart-wrenching music

You may not realize it, but tomorrow, November 18^th, is the 30^th anniversary of the Jonestown massacre. In total, there were 909 people dead - more than a third of them children. Today, to most people, Jonestown and Jim Jones have been reduced to little more than an aphorism, a cliche warning us not to "drink the Kool-Aid".

I was only five when this terrible thing came to pass, but I remember how the news filled the airwaves and shocked everyone. The memory of this has always brought me sorrow. As with so many other events, this is ingrained on my memory and makes me consider my actions, my choices, and their consequences carefully.

So today, as I remember what happened three decades ago, I think of songs that rend my heart. As long as there is evil in the world, as long as there are men whose passion for themselves is greater than their love for God, we will sing songs of morning and sorrow. Here are two of my favorite songs, songs that tear me apart and fill me with sorrow (in a good way).

Shaun Groves' "Sad Song"


Nickel Creek's "The Lighthouse Tale"


What are some of your favorite sad songs?

Tags: Jonestown, Sad Songs, Remembrance

Dispense true justice . . .

Thus has the LORD of hosts said, "Dispense true justice and practice kindness and compassion each to his brother; and do not oppress the widow or the orphan, the stranger or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another.
Zechariah 7:9-10

This passage has really been on my heart for some time, now. This pronouncement from Jehovah comes as He accuses His people of having hearts like flint - because they had ignored these very words.

Today, on Inspired to Action, I am leading thoughts, discussion, fasting, and prayer about a group I believe in greatly: International Justice Mission.

We've all heard that scripture tells us "'Vengeance is mine, I will repay' says the Lord." I've been thinking about this, as well. It is obvious that God wants us to practice justice - revenge is not justice, it is selfishness excused as justice. God takes that away from us; but is God a vengeful God? I think, with this pronouncement, that God is taking this away, and letting us know that He will dispense the justice that we try to seek in revenge.

What IJM does is, in no way, the actions of vigilantes.These are men of peace, working in peace to bring justice. That is one reason I believe so much in their work - that they do not have revenge in their hearts speaks highly for them.

Please, go over to I2A and find out a little about IJM and what they do. Consider if you can help them in their work. And, above all, pray for their work.

Tags: International Justice Mission, Inspired to Action

Riding the storm out: 3 Stories

Story #1: Justin
I had asked everyone to be praying for Justin, who had heart surgery a week ago today. He and his parents rode out Hurricane Ike in the hospital and probably fared better there than most anyone else. The hospital never lost power and Justin is progressing remarkably well. In fact, the question is starting to become what to do if he is ready to go home but has no electricity at home. He has most of the lines and monitors removed and has started smiling again!

Story #2: The Euphrony's or A (kid) hurricane within a (big) hurricane
The last time I updated I talked about our preparation for Ike and how someone was offering to give Ike away on Craigslist. As Friday night went along we got the kids in bed, Lil'E in our bed downstairs and Lil'er E in his room upstairs. Then Mrs. E and I watched Monk and we went to bed. Around 1 a.m. (shortly before the eye was hitting land) we brought Lil'er E downstairs - he never went back to sleep. And, with him awake, Lil'E woke up. So, as Mrs. E and I tried to sleep on the couch and recliner, the kids ran circles around the living room; all the while outside the wind whistled and howled and trees creaked and popped. In other words, they had a blast of the night! Finally, around 5 a.m., they fell asleep in our arms. The electricity had gone out shortly before 3 a.m. Saturday morning, so most of the fun was in the dark lit only by LED lights.



Come "daybreak" the eye was over us. We could look outside for a bit and see some of the damage before the wind and rain picked back up. Finally, around noon, things were calming enough to go outside and begin some cleanup in the rain. One of our sweetgum trees in the front yard had snapped 20 feet off the ground and fallen on our neighbor's car (sorry!). First priority was getting it sliced up enough to allow them to cover up the hole in the windshield and to move the car so they could get a generator running out of the rain. After this we waited until the rain died down a bit more and began cleanup in earnest. I had another sweetgum drop a large branch over our driveway, and pine branches and pinecones everywhere - but no damage to the house (whew!). Our neighbors across the back fence had a pine snap and fall on their house, but only damaged the covered patio. Down the street a large tree fell and crushed a garage. Any trees with shallow, small root systems were pulled completely out of the ground. Power was out almost everywhere, with random spots around town having electricity. One of those was an intersection about a mile from our house - frustrating! As the day progressed we ate what we had, drank the water I had laid aside (there was a boil notice for all water around town) and made it through until evening. At least we could flush without problems! By 8 p.m. it was dark and the kids were in bed. Mrs. E was in bed, too, and I stayed up to read for a little while. We were hot, but we slept okay.

Sunday was a new day, with some new damage. We had more rain overnight and branches and trees that were loosened by Ike came free and came down. The kids had faired well on Saturday - Sunday they were just plain cranky. With no cold drinks, they wouldn't drink anything. No more milk. The foods in the fridge were gone and the stuff in the freezer were going. No ice. Oh, and did I mention cranky kids? Once the novelty of it all wore off they decided they had had enough! Lil'er E walked up to the TV every 10 minutes and tried to turn it on; persistance was not rewarded this time. I finished cleaning up the yard around 4:00 p.m., had the fridge and freezer cleaned out by 5:00. Before six o'clock we were on the road to Dallas to stay with family until either the power came back on or we had to return for work/school. Lil'E's school is out until at least Thursday, and my work until at least Wednesday. At last check, the electric company that services us was still showing 98% of their customers without power - some 380,000 households. We didn't need to be there, and we could get away. Let someone else have the ice they're shipping in, they need it more than we do.




Story #3: Mrs. E's grandmother
If there's a bad time for something to happen, it probably will. Last week, before the hurricane, Mrs. E's grandmother (in Port Arthur) had a stroke; it was a full day before anyone found her. She's been in the hospital recovering, and was not able to be evacuated before Ike hit. The hospital did not lose power, but Mrs. E's mom got a call this morning that her condition had deteriorated and she was put on life support. So not ten hours after we got to her house she was headed out to be with her mother in what could be her final days. Please pray for my mother-in-law (going into the blackout) and for her mother and family.

This has been a long post but I hope you read all of it. I wanted to update on several fronts and figured I'd mash it all into one. I'll keep everyone informed on the further adventures of the Euphrony's over the next few days.

While I'm at it, I'll ask a question: What is the longest you've sat in your house without power?
Tags: Hurricane Ike, Fallen Trees, Storm Damage, Debris, Electricity, Power Outages, Cleanup

Ike and Me

So, here we go again. We're not on the run, like we were from Rita in 2005, but we're battening down the hatches and storing up the food and water. Looks like the next few days will be F.U.N. We could have serious winds (hurricane force) at our house for 18-24 hours as it passes overhead. Work is closing down at noon today for the weekend, and I seriously doubt that Lil'E will be in school tomorrow.

Ironic thing. Our next-door neighbors are getting ready to move and put their house up for sale about a week ago. When they bought the house the closing was delayed because of Rita. So, their time as our neighbors is bookended by hurricanes. Good memories for them of Houston.

But, seriously, we'd appreciate any prayers you throw our way. And for baby Justin in the hospital recovering from heart surgery, too.

Tags: Hurricane Ike, Hurricane Rita

Update on Justin

A couple of weeks ago I asked everyone to be praying for Justin, the 5-month old son of some good friends of our. Born with Downs syndrome, he had several heart defects that required surgery. When I asked you to pray earlier it was in preparation for his surgery - it got postponed. Then I asked you to pray again - it got bumped again for a higher priority surgery. The family has held up well as delays kept their son from getting the surgery he needed, and God finally provided the opportunity for Justin's date with the OR.

Justin finally had his surgery yesterday. From about 9 in the morning to half past five in the afternoon Justin was in the OR. The docs were able to repair the known problems with his heart; there was an additional problem that was observed in surgery that they worked on, but will have to wait and see for final results. Below is a picture of Justin after surgery. If you're like me, it just breaks your heart to see a child like this - and Danielle (his mom) says that it actually looks worse in the picture than in person.

If you could, please drop by Randy and Danielle's blog and let them know that Justin and the family are in your prayers. Also, please pray for good weather here in Houston: Justin should be in recovery at the hospital for a week or two and, if you haven't noticed, there's another hurricane ransacking the gulf and aiming for Texas. It looks like it is trending more and more towards south Texas (which already got hit by Dolly earlier this summer), but if a major storm hit here in Houston while Justin was in the hospital it could cause serious problems for him.

I want to praise Randy and Danielle for their patience through delays and the hope the have for their child - really a wonderful example of God's peace on their hearts. And I want to say thanks to everyone who has been praying for Justin.

Included as part of Brody's Positive Post Tuesday.

Remember Justin? (please pray)

Do you remember when I talked about Justin last month? He is the four-month old son of some good friends of ours, born with Downs Syndrome, and has a few problems with his heart. His surgery got delayed from when I last posted (there were other children with more imminent surgical needs) but he is in the OR this morning. The surgery should last 5-6 hours (into the afternoon) as they repair a few holes, build a new valve, and remove a couple of shunts that should not be there after birth.

Please pray for Justin, and for his parents - Randy and Danielle - today in surgery and in the coming days as Justin recovers. You can keep up on Danielle's blog. In fact, if you don't mind, pop over and leave a note telling them you're praying for Justin. Thanks.

UPDATE: Poor guys, they got bumped again. Things were running late this morning, and then another child ended up needing immediate surgery. As Danielle said, it was really God's providence: if Justin had been in the OR, there would have been no open room for the other child and the consequences could have been bad. They are now set for September 8^th. Please keep praying.

Being the church

Last night the Euphrony's spent a few hours eating dinner and praying over a family, good friends of ours. The DeCarlo's have been friends of ours since we moved to Houston seven-odd years ago. On April 1^st they laughed and celebrated the birth of their second son, Justin (his picture is on the right). And then came the diagnosis, one they had been expecting since they first saw him - Down Syndrome. So far they've had many positive reports from the doctors: no renal problems, his hearing is normal (which means communication should not be hampered). The one area that Justin has real problems is his heart.

In two weeks he goes in for heart surgery. They need to repair a few small holes in the walls dividing the chambers of the heart. There should be two valves inside the heart, but he only has one; the doctors will divide it into two (isn't that amazing!). Also he has some shunts that all infants have in the womb but go away after birth - his are still there and will be removed so blood flows better to the lungs. The whole surgery will last around 5 hours, followed by a few days in ICU and another couple of days in the hospital.

Please join with me in praying for Justin and for his parents, Randy and Danielle. One of the things we do best as the people of God is wrap our arms around those who are hurting or afraid, and show them God's love and compassion. And right now they need peace and encouragement.

Proud parent moment: As we sat in a circle and prayed last night, around 50 of us, Lil'E leaned over to whisper in my ear. I figured she was going to ask if she could go play - I'm glad to say I was wrong. She asked me if she could say a prayer for Justin. So a few minutes later, when it got quiet, I nudged her to let her know she could pray now. She prayed beautifully, asking God to take care of Justin and thanking Him for everyone who was there. And then someone else started praying, because they couldn't hear Lil'E, and she gave me the maddest look for being interrupted. But still, wonderful.

Follow-up: 40 Day Fast

I've not seen many people from the 40 Day Fast giving follow-ups on how their day went, but I think I will. As we fast together, as a community, I think it good to share in the joys and trials of that fast - not in a way to brag or to say woe-is-me, but to build each other up. Feel free to share some of your experiences from fasting in the comments.

So, how did my day of fasting and praying go? I must say that yesterday was by far the hardest fast I've ever undertaken. I have fasted for longer periods and had an easier, more spiritually uplifting time. This wasn't an issue of hunger - sure, I felt some rumbles early in the day, but those settled down and I really didn't feel hunger pangs most of the day.

The hard part came from two areas - temptation and physical. Naturally on the day that I am fasting they have bookoos of food around. Temptation is definitely there when you walk by a platter filled with hugondoid muffins all day long. But then, there was also the temptation of a different sort - the feelings of uselessness and aloneness. I have to admit that I struggled heavily with these feelings all day yesterday, and toyed with the notion of ending the fast early more than once.

Then there was the physical. I had a headache, of course. That's only normal when we who are accustomed to regular meals goes without. There was the lightheadedness, too. But then I also started feel extremely weak, no energy by the end of the day. I pretty much collapsed into bed once Lil'er E was finally down for the count (Mrs. E and Lil'E went to a show downtown) and slept fitfully. Waking up this morning I wasn't sure I could make it out of bed - shaky, weak, lightheaded, pounding headache. I ate a granola bar and drank a bunch of water, to try and get something in me. I finally made it out of the house and headed to work. About half a mile from the house I pulled over into the parking lot of a Mormon church and puked my guts up (which was mostly water). Sorry, Mormon neighbors, but it had to happen. After that I started feeling a bit better.

Once I made it in to work, and partook of the Friday omelet bar in the cafe (made to order for only $1.99!) I really started feeling better. At this point, I pretty much fine, physically. I still have those lingering doubts, but I feel strongly that is simply Satan on my case.

I do want to thank everyone who commented and everyone who was praying for me yesterday. It was only through prayers and God's hand that I made it through my commitment. I don't know if anyone else has felt similarly in their fasting, but I can say that I wrestled with this all day. I know that Jehovah came out victorious, even if I feel like a train wreck.

The 40 Day Fast: My Turn - The Face of Death

This is my day to participate in the 40 Day Fast. Be sure to check out Dan, the other blogger for today, and read his post here.

I preface my thoughts by telling you the group I talk about today is not one with which I am intimately familiar. I am passionate about and work with several groups, both local and international. Many of these are being covered by other people in the 40 Day Fast. Moreover, though, I have felt the call of God to pray for and talk about this group and their work for a little while now. It was thus a natural selection for me, despite my lack of previous involvement.

There is so much wrong with this world, a fallen and broken place. And yet, there is so much that is good, too. Jehovah created us with the intention that we know life and peace, but our sin and pride changed that for ever. Pain crept into this world, and death with it; we live hand in hand with both today. Some instances are more shocking, more disturbing to our sensibilities, while others are more commonplace. But one fact remains.

We are all mortal, and we all must face death one day.

This knowledge has placed something of an instinctive fear, or at least trepidation, in us all. Contemplating our own mortality is beyond the ability of some. Many of us find it exceedingly difficult to sit with one to whom the face of death is a constant companion - our nervousness, our uncertain words, they are something to which most all can relate. All of this in the midst of what is often the greatest trial in a person's life. In times like this I often think about the opening lines of Sara Groves' song "What Do I Know":

I have a friend who just turned eighty-eight
and she just shared with me that she's afraid of dying.
I sit here years from her experience and try to bring her comfort.
I try to bring her comfort.
But what do I know? What do I know?

That is why today I am praying for Houston Hospice. I'm sure there are Hospice organizations in your area, but I will focus on Houston Hospice, as it is local and I have sat with friends in their care before and seen firsthand their work. Their mission statement says it all: "Houston Hospice provides uncompromising, compassionate end-of-life care to patients and families in our community." And that's exactly what they do.

While so many of us stumble with words, fumble awkwardly as we edge for the exit of a terminal patient's room, Hospice is by their side. They care for the person, not the illness, and do everything they can to help them and their families face what is no longer and abstraction of the future but an imminent certainty. And I am so grateful that they are there to do what I at times cannot (or, to my shame, will not) do.

There are many ways that we can help Hospice in their work. As with any group, money helps. Donations to Houston Hospice provide for patient care and for unfunded programs and community education. Hospice also needs volunteers, both trained at the level for indirect patient assistance and for interaction with the patients. Consider if this might be something God wants for your life.

But there are other ways you can help, some very simple and some very personal. Houston Hospice maintains a patient care center for those who cannot be at home but need an alternative to a hospital room. This facility provides for the families to maintain their personal hygiene. How nice would it be to personally donate some simple toiletries so the families have one less tedious detail to consider at the hour of a loved one's death?

Another, very simple, way you can help is to search the internet. Yes, search the internet. Let me introduce you to GoodSearch.

GoodSearch is power by Yahoo! Search, so it is one of the top out there. Ads on Yahoo! and Google make billions of dollars every year, GoodSearch decided that they could take a portion of that and do something good with it. Half of their ad revenue goes to charities (over 62,000 to choose from) - that comes out to about a penny a search. Sure, a penny isn't much, but it adds up over time.

Join with me in praying for Houston Hospice, for the people they help and for the people who work with them to do so well what I fail at.

Tags: Houston Hospice, End-of-life care, Compassion

The 40 Day Fast: Catching Up

Have you been keeping up with the people involved in the 40 Day Fast? I hope so, I really do. There have been some great posts over the last 18 days, and we're looking forward to some more great stuff. I regret not having given a blurb about each one, but I've been so swamped that I have not had much of a chance (especially with the long vacation). I have taken the time to read what each of these people have had to say, where God has been leading their hearts to action. Here's a few highlights:

• Licia is a nurse who works in Haiti. Don't read her post, or any of her blog, without being prepared to weep for the conditions that we in the USA find deplorable but people around the world call "normal".
• Gene and Crystal have written about the Dalit people of India. Don't know about the Dalit? Read how the caste system has declared them "untouchable" and how groups are working to change their lives.
• Tim told us how by simply talking about how we do the things we take for granted (how to use a bank/ATM, how to manage money, paying taxes) SIFE has helped to put refugees in Tennessee on the road to economic independence.
• Several people have talked about the importance of clean water, highlighting groups like Blood:Water Mission, LifeStraw, and Charity: Water.
• Mama's Boy and Kat have highlighted how we can care for the needs of the elderly.

The point is simple - there are so many things that we can do, very easily, that will change the world. We can plead God to save someone half a world away, or we can implore Him to save the person a block away from our house. We just need to do something.

Have you been following along with the 40 Day Fast? I know many of my normal readers are also the people who I've worked with to organize this or are people who are passionate about what it is all about. But there others who come through this rambling mess of a blog, and I want to take this special moment to draw your attention to this. Changing the world is all about small steps, with God making the ripple we make into a tsunami of hope and love.

Look at that calendar-thingy I put on the left sidebar - you can't miss it, it's huge. Click through to the bloggers on Team #1 and Team #2 for every day, and you'll see people who want to fulfill the proclamation the "the kingdom of heaven is at hand". Read their thoughts, and encourage them if you can in their fasting for heaven's sake, for God's name. Pray that you may know God's urging in your own lives.

The 40 Day Fast (6 billon or One?)

It's incredible! Really, it's amazing the response we've had thus far to this year's 40 Day Fast. We already have 62 people, and I expect more will join in as the word continues to get out. If you've not signed up and you still want to get involved, you can continue to sign up to participate on the registration page.

The Fast starts tomorrow, with Brant Hansen - who is really an incredible writer, by the way. Having worked with Amy, Kat, Kristin, and Texas in Africa organizing this year's fasters, and seeing the people who follow and the causes they want to talk about, I know that this is going to be a great time. Last year's Fast was like going to summer church camp and coming home with that spiritual high - except instead of a week or so this lasted way more than 40 days. I look forward to hearing from everyone and learning what they are trying to do to change the world for God's sake.

One thing I want to mention before the Fast begins is this quote from some goofy movie:

I came here to save my wife and my two children and... six billion lives... it's too much. I just hope I'm, I'm smart enough and brave enough to save three.

You know, the guy who said that almost had it right. The problem is, none of us are smart enough or brave enough to save anyone - not 6 billion, not even one. As we begin this Fast, let's try to remember that we are not going to change the world - no matter how well we fast or how good a job we do talking about some organization or group. Only God can do this, and this Fast is our entreatment of Him to change the world. Please, remember to put God first in this Fast and He will lift us up and answer our prayers.

Tags: 40 Day Fast, Inspired to Action

In need of prayer

Kat is rounding up prayer requests and God things today. I've been meaning to talk about these for a few weeks, but had not really had a chance. Now is a good time.

Mrs. E and I have a couple of friends that really need prayer these days. First are some friends from our church, Randy and Danielle, whose new son, Justin, has been diagnosed with Downs syndrome. He has some heart problems as a result, but his renal system seems okay. They've got a long road ahead of them and they are going to need a lot of prayer and support in the coming months and years.

My other prayer request is for a friend from college, Brad Wims, whose wife Jenny maintains a blog of their journey. I've talked about Brad before. Brad was diagnosed last year with a rare form of bone cancer. They thought then it was treatable, but earlier this year they discovered that the particular form he had did not have any proven treatment options. Without treatment, the doctors have given him only a year or two to live. Currently they are spending a few weeks in Germany (taking their two young children and some other family) while Brad undergoes some pretty radical therapy that they hope will make a difference. Pleased pray for them, for Brad to find healing and strength through this this trying ordeal.

One more thing to pray over. Next week begins the 2^nd annual 40 Day Fast. Last years, hosted by Kat, moved many people and resulted in the birth of Inspired to Action. This year's Fast will be hosted through I2A. Go read some more about the fast and register to participate. We'll take more than 40 people, but will be selecting the initial 40 this Thursday night. Anyone over that will be doubled up on days. Everyone who participates will be highlighted and asked to blog about the reason for their fast.

Pray for the Chapman family

If you've not heard elsewhere, one of the biggest names in CCM suffered a great loss today. Steven Curtis Chapman's youngest daughter, Maria, was struck and killed by a car in the family's driveway this afternoon (read more here). Please, pray for them.

Chapman's music has been around me much of my life, and his championing of adoption has meant a lot to me (my brother and other friends have adopted). For his family to have worked so hard to bring Maria to their home, and then to lose her shortly after her preschool graduation must be terribly hard. And, for me and Mrs. E, this kind of accident is one of our greatest fears. Pray for their family and for the friends around them to give them God's strength.

UPDATE: There are a few more details on Steven Curtis Chapman's website and notes of condolence can be left here.

Hello old friend, I hope this isn't goodbye

Isn't is bizarre how blogs can bring people together again, when you haven't see or talked in years. That happened yesterday, as Mrs. E was following blog links from one friends blog to another. All of a sudden, she found that she was reading about a guy with whom we went to church while we were at Texas A&M. He is several years younger than me, so I didn't know him that well. I knew that he had (has) a big mouth and bigger personality. He is boisterous, where I am reserved, and loud to my quiet; thus, we weren't slated to be best of friends. In fact, at times he downright annoyed me. But, I got to know him better and came to realize that while we were different Brad was still a good person and very passionate about God. We've crossed paths once or twice in the last decade, but I had not heard anything about him in years until yesterday.

And now I find that hello may be goodbye.

Last year, Brad was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer. The doctors felt this cancer was treatable, though the road would be difficult. Then, late last month, the prognosis changed. That "rare cancer" that "rarely metastasizes", went from his leg to his lungs and is "uncharacteristically" spreading more quickly than previously documented in other cases. Their original treatment plan is out the window; Brad's cancer has no known successful treatment at this time.

He and his wife face two options. First, they can do nothing for now, facing a 6 month - 2 year prognosis. The other choice is to try an experiment chemo drug which could slow the cancer, have no effect, or speed it's growth - they don't know which. One ray of hope may be in the collective knowledge of several experts. One of Brad's oncologists is at a conference today, taking this opportunity to present his test results before a panel of doctors. Maybe they can glean some hope from this.

Please pray for Brad. Go to his wife's blog and let them know that your are praying. And pray for his little boy and girl - both about the same ages as the Little E's.