Contents:
PUERTO RICO HIGHLIGHTS
THE ROOMMATE RELATIONSHIP
SO CLOSE AND YET SO FAR
DO ALL THE GLORY OF GOD
BUILD ON THE SURE FOUNDATION
Hi, everyone =) Well, hmmm… here we are… I’m just back from Puerto Rico – Pathfinder Camporee. A few things to chat about in this point of view…
This one is a little difficult to write because I have so much to say, but I’m going to try to finish it over the next couple of days so I can get it out.
There were four particular highlights of my trip, and three of them might seem strange. The first is the fact that I got frequent flyer points. This is significant because I already cashed in my return ticket and spent the money. I need the points to be able to fly home whenever I leave CUC. The second was the discovery of urinals inside the plastic portapotty toilets. I’ve never seen such dual use commodes in my life – a welcome sight. The third was bank machines that can connect with foreign computers and tell you how much money you have in your Canadian bank account. The fourth was God’s answer to a prayer for a knapsack. More to follow.
Here are some of the highlights of the trip, gleaned from my report sent to the College Church Pastor:
The trip was successful in many respects, with a safe journey and no serious altercations or injuries. Several issues remain to be dealt with as the drum corps leadership and members mature under the tutelage of the Holy Spirit. On balance, while the band may not have been directly involved in the pathfinder activities, the band did provide a consistent and strong presence as a vanguard of the South Caribbean Conference contingent, and likely inspired many throughout the Inter-American Division to form similar units in the future which can boldly and effectively use music to bring attention to the fact that Jesus Christ is soon to return.
The flight was relatively uneventful, although there weren’t enough BWIA blankets to go around on the way back. Certain members of the South Caribbean contingent appeared to have never been on a plane before, as they were overly enamored with the buttons that call the flight attendants.
The Drum Corps made quite a stir at the camporee, with many positive responses and reactions from people from all over the division. The first entrance of the drum corps into the stadium with the Trinidad and Tobago flag and the assembled pathfinders of South Carib caused many other pathfinders to leave their places and run in front of the band, as it marched, to take a picture. While there were other drum groups there, none matched the calibre of the Caribbean Union College Drum Corps in terms of uniform, depth of musicians, and overall talent.
One drum corps member, who has A-level spanish, was like an ambassador of good will from the Caribbean, conversing freely, translating where necessary, exchanging items, and basically presenting a friendly and open personality to young people throughout Inter-America.
In addition, certain members of our group were able to make personal connections with others who attended, being willing to listen to their concerns and offer spiritual guidance and advice. God alone knows how powerful an impact these interactions will have on the future of these young people.
The English translations were provided by a pastor from the West Indies Union, whose contribution was invaluable. The South Caribbean Conference pathfinders and others, 154 in total, signed a document expressing thanks to this individual. Efforts are being made to identify and locate him.
The drum corps has the potential to be a positive instrument for good within the South Caribbean Conference and at CUC. It has the opportunity to be the training ground for leaders, and to allow the young people to channel their talents in a positive direction. The commitment of the church to the drum corps is to be applauded, and their continued support will continue to send a message to the young people that the church does care about them. Particular attention should be paid to cultivating an environment where spiritual growth will be facilitated. This is the key to the successful operation of the drum corps – creating a culture where God is the supreme commander, and each one follows his leading.
I commend the leadership of the band, specifically Kerron Hislop for
his pre-trip planning, Laurence Hislop for his directorship, and Michelle
Roach and Rachel Daniel for their work on the concert. Leading a
group of young people isn’t always easy, particularly when those you lead
are your peers. I encourage the church board to make a tangible recognition
of their service, particularly to Kerron, who is resigning his position
to move on. His five years of commitment to the young people of the
college community should not be taken for granted.
I am probably one of the most fortunate people on the planet to have never had to experience a “bad” roommate relationship. My roommate in university, Steve Jay, had a lot in common and spent quite a few hours talking late in the midnight hour. (Usually I would fall asleep first, something that he’s never forgotten =) ) My roommates here in Trinidad, Joel and Siegwart, and I always had a pleasant and cordial relationship, never quarrelling with one another.
There’s something about the roommate relationship that leaves so much room for tragedy. The strain of being in close quarters with someone, sharing responsibilities and living areas, can lead to tremendous stress. Sometimes, values and customs differ, and if one is not careful, conflict can erupt. One may feel that the other is not acting properly, while the other doesn’t realize while the other is upset. Each may defiantly hold on to their own ways. A major problem in the roommate relationship comes when either or both of the parties stop communicating. They simply begin to react. And sometimes one doesn’t even know why the other is upset. Such a relationship can really deteriorate until it comes to the point where the two will choose to part ways.
“Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?” writes Amos
in verse 3 of chapter 3. Do two live together unless they have found
a common ground? Consider this – the skills of cooperation, consideration
and selflessness that a roommate relationship gives you the opportunity
to develop are necessary for a successful marriage. And your relationships
are what you make them, so take care how you handle your roommate relationships.
If you live in Trinidad and have listened to FM 94 lately, you know about the “Heart and Soul” gospel concert coming. That particular station has saturated the airwaves with music and announcements about “Willie-Neil Johnson and the Gospel Keynotes” and their impending concert. Well, every day they give out a free ticket or two, and today I decided I would try to get through. Praise the Lord for redial, I was able to get through. They asked a question though: name 3 of the sponsors of the concert. Between my friend Selwyn and I, we were able to remember two, but I couldn’t think of a third, even though the names had been spoken over and over throughout the day. Unfortunately there was no mercy, and the next caller claimed the prize. When I heard the list again in a subsequent ad, I knew that I knew some of the other sponsors, but under the pressure of the moment, I wasn’t able to remember.
Selwyn brought it to my recognition that in the last days, we too will
be under pressure to answer for our convictions. And if we have listened
with half an ear to the voice of the Spirit, if we have studied half-heartedly
the truths we profess to believe, if we have a partial answer to give when
any questions are asked of us, for us too, there may be no mercy.
So, just in case I manage to get through tomorrow, I have the name, date,
place, artists, sponsors, and ticket outlet information written down, because
I want to be ready when the opportunity comes. Being ready to win
a ticket may save me $50. The rewards of spiritual preparation are
infinitely more valuable.
“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God… for I am not seeking my own good but the good of many so that they may be saved.” (1 Corinthians 10:31,33)
Oswald Chambers writes, “Many of us appear to be all right in general, but there are still some areas in which we are careless and lazy; it is not a matter of sin, but the remnants of our carnal life that tend to make us careless. Carelessness is an insult to the Holy Spirit. We should have no carelessness about us either in the way we worship God, or even in the way we eat and drink. Not only must our relationship to God be right, but the outward expression of that relationship must also be right.”
I’ve had conversations this week with a couple of friends about the role of the secular in the life of the Christian, and I thought I’d share some of those thoughts with you. I’d prefer private feedback to the broadcast variety. =)
As Christians, we are called to glorify God with our lives. To me, that means making decisions and choices that will glorify God. There are many options about how we spend out time, how we direct our efforts, and the way we live our lives. And many of them are not necessarily “bad” or “sinful”, but they demonstrate a desire to satisfy one’s own aims, and often have no tangible spiritual benefit. These things can be as large as taking a job running a marketing campaign for diapers, or as small as deciding to watch a popular television drama. While we can glorify God in the way that we conduct ourselves at work at the diaper factory, and while it may be valuable for God to have a Christian in that environment to be salt and light, I believe that for me, not only should the process of life glorify God, but so also should the product of life. Others will have other convictions, and that’s completely acceptable. As long as we all submit to the will of God for us, we will find that we are where we belong. And that’s a recipe for lasting happiness.
So, while we can make choices that are not necessarily bad, there are often better alternatives. Rather than listening to “conscious” secular lyrics that glorify the performer, we can choose better: lyrics that lift up the human spirit to find a loving God. Rather than spending our time entertaining only ourselves in frivolous books, we can spend our time interacting with others, and giving our lives in service to those who need to experience the love of God in human form. Rather than dwelling our minds on those things which will not uplift us (including the evening news), let us set our minds on things above. Because in everything, we are called to glorify God.
And sometimes, this will mean sacrificing one’s own human desires and inclinations for the good of the world. But then, “greater love hath no man than this, than a man lay down his life for a friend.”
Sometimes, it is easier to die for God than to live for Him.
As I close, I want to remind you that we have many human institutions whose fabric is being torn apart in the stress of the world. The home is fracturing with a divorce rate higher than 50%. Churches experience strife and conflict. Schools are battle zones. Society fractures as people no longer live anywhere for long, and are far removed from the familial patriarchs and matriarchs. Each of these institutions has the potential to provide a safe place for young people to find the guidance and direction they need to mature into healthy, positive young people. But none of them is as timeless and enduring as Jesus Christ. So, don’t find yourself in your home environment. Don’t rely on the church to shelter you from the world. Don’t depend upon society to give you your values. Don’t call on your friends to give you your identity. Build your life on Jesus Christ. He is the only firm foundation.