Impression or Impact?

Not long ago, I visited the sand dunes of Ica. I found them intriguing and fascinating. A group of us climbed to the top of one of the dunes and I went crazy with the camera. The line of sand as one side meets the other was never erased. The wind blew; people could try and stamp it out. But, the fact was, the line of the dune was always maintained by nature. After a great deal of time, and many photos, we ventured back down. Some returned straight down the sand dune and some took the planned path around the side.

After we all arrived at the bottom, it was amazing to look back up to the top and consider that we had just been up there. However, you would never know it if you were looking for evidence. The marks our feet or shoes had made were quickly filled in with sand, rapidly blown away by the wind and simply leveled out by others.

How often does this describe our life? We cross the paths of others, we have possibilities to speak into the lives of those around us, and constantly God gives us opportunities to minister to people. But…what do we do with those opportunities and possibilities? Do we make an impression or an impact?

We left many impressions as we walked on the sand dunes that day. What is an impression? Merriam Webster describes it as “a characteristic, trait, or feature resulting from some influence,” as well as “an often indistinct or imprecise notion or remembrance.” We may be considered a good influence or someone that others remember. But is that enough? Is that what we are called to do?

I believe God desires to use our lives to make an impact in the world around us. This is defined by “a significant or major effect,” or “to have a direct effect on.” I find it interesting that some of the synonyms listed include: shock, collision, and concussion. Have you ever considered that your life should cause a shock to others? Do you think that God wants you to cause significant or major changes?

What do we do when we see wet cement? Almost always, the temptation comes over us to step in it, write in it or somehow “make our mark.” We want to leave something that will last and as the wet cement dries, our mark becomes permanent. When others pass by that spot, they will forever see what we have left there.

We can easily walk through life and leave a “footprint.” But, these sand dunes reminded me that if I am not careful, I will only leave an impression that could easily be erased by whatever comes along next. That is not my desire. I do not desire to climb the mountains of life only to look back and wonder where it is I have walked. I do not desire to cross the paths of many people only to look back and see that my interaction with them marked nothing but the surface.

As Christians, we have a responsibility to make an impact and not just an impression. We must see people and situations as wet cement and be led by that same overwhelming desire to create a permanent mark. As opportunities arise, we must make an IMPACT so that our encounter with another is not easily erased.

Make it a goal in 2007 to use every opportunity, every possibility and every encounter to make an IMPACT and not just a good impression.

Joy to the World!

Prospero Año Nuevo!

So you are wondering how to celebrate the beginning of 2007? Peruvians have their own ideas of how to ring in the New Year. Get prepared so you too can celebrate Peruvian style on Sunday night!

At midnight, eat one grape for each month of 2007 under the table and ask for a wish for each grape you eat.

If you want a year full of travel, take your suitcases and walk around the block with them at midnight. They need not be full. This will bring a year full of trips for you!

For a year of abundance, take coins in your hands and throw them over your shoulders at midnight. They can be old coins or ones that are otherwise “useless.”

Write your heart’s desire on a piece of paper then place a gold candle on top of it. Burn the candle through the night and allow the melted wax to cover the paper. You then throw out the wax covered paper in the morning.

Make a doll (scarecrow style) out of old clothes and at midnight, burn the doll with the old clothes in the street. This represents burning up all of the “old.” You should be dressed in all new clothing.

To welcome the New Year, decorate your table with sunflowers!

Wear yellow clothing on January 1^st in order to have a good year. It is best to have yellow clothing that has been given to you. Those that truly believe this dress completely in yellow but most just make sure their underwear is yellow!

Most importantly, may GOD bless your New Year!!!

Peace in the Storm

Storms can be very destructive. I have read lately about rain storms flooding the Aceh Province of Indonesia, displacing hundreds of thousands, killing more than a hundred and requiring aid for thousands. The blizzard in Denver, Colorado essentially shut down the city and they are bracing themselves for yet another snow storm this weekend. The Bay Area reported storms so fierce that electricity is out for tens of thousands and a woman became the victim to a toppled tree. Even here in Peru, some desert regions have been hit by storms causing ancient mud ruins to be saturated with water.

The disciples of Jesus were also affected by storms. After a great deal of teaching, Jesus led his disciples onto a boat with the intention of crossing the Sea of Galilee. As the fierce winds rose and water began to fill up the boat, these men likely drew on their knowledge of the stormy seas; many of them were fishermen by trade. Once they had depleted their own resources, they called upon Jesus, who was sleeping! How did Jesus respond to the disciples' news that they were perishing at the hands of the wind and rain? Jesus simply declared peace over the storm. He rebuked the winds and told the sea to be still.

We have storms in our lives. They may not be brought on by wind and rain, but their effects can be just as destructive. What is our response to life's storms? Often times, we react just as the disciples did that evening on the Sea of Galilee. We draw upon our knowledge, our experience and our very own resources to save ourselves. Once we realize that it is not within our power, we call out to Jesus. Could we respond differently?

Jesus was able to speak peace over the wind and sea because He had peace within Him. He did not allow the storm to enter Him. In contrast, the disciples were affected inwardly by the storm around them. They cried out to Jesus in desperation, "Save us, we are perishing!" The storm entered into the disciples and they were not filled with peace in order to calm the storm.

What storms are you facing? What storms am I facing? You and I must be committed to maintaining peace within our heart. We must not allow the storms to get inside of us, but we must cultivate the peace of God within our hearts which allows us to speak peace over the storms in our life. Although the storms will bring external destruction and chaos, our hearts must be full of reassuring peace.

"Peace be still."

Innocence of Children

A normal method of shopping here would take a person to the mercado. Shopping in a market can be fun and yet confusing. When you walk into a market, you see stand after stand with the same products. Todos tienen platanos, todos tienen mandarinas, y todos tienen bolsas negras para llevar tus cosas. So what makes you buy from one and not the other? Relationships. You buy one week, you buy the next week and then you are a regular customer - you get the better deals, the suggestions, and the extra treats. As you go from stand to stand, you select products and pay for them on the spot. Each stand has it's own marketing technique (compratelo!), each has it's own scale and it's own money box.

What happens when a person who has shopped all their lives in a mercado goes into a supermarket? Often they are overwhelmed by all the products, are confused by the aisles, have never used a shopping cart in their lives, and usually do not have any idea where to begin. I have had someone ask how to open the display refrigerators to take out a bottle of coke. I have had people hesitate to select and bag the produce. I have watched people fearfully take a cart because they have never pushed one before.

What happens when a child enters a supermarket for the first time when all he knows is the mercado? He tells his mother to "take some of everything in the store - we don't have to pay for it; it's free!" Later, he learned that they collect money for everything at the checkout stand.

How cute! Que lindo!

Feliz Navidad!!

Stores here in Peru have not quite caught on to the After Christmas Sale frenzy, much to my demise! Most stores were already marking things down before the holiday so that their stock would be depleted. So my Day After Christmas here in Peru is not quite as exciting as I might like. I missed 6am lines for the limited stock items and the 75% discount on Christmas items for next year.

Being that things are celebrated late on Christmas Eve, I did not arrive at my destination before 10:30pm and even then I felt I had arrived a bit early. At midnight, the air was full of firecracker smoke and popping sounds. It was then that we all headed down the hills to the home where we planned to eat dinner. Yet again, it was though we had arrived early.

Many here in Peru either have too small of an oven or no oven at all, so the turkey is sent out to bake. The turkey was brought home after 1am and then the tables were arranged, set and the plates served. For the second night in a row, I ate dinner at 2am. Dinner was followed by the very traditional paneton y chocolate.

Christmas morning brought about another helping of paneton y chocolate. Instead of doing more dinners on Christmas Day, I rested, relaxed and baked a blackberry cobbler. I enjoyed the movie Christmas With the Kranks along with a snack of chips and salsa. Most of the evening I spent on the phone with family and friends.

Ahora nos preparamos para Año Nuevo!!!

Thank God for Thick Curtains!

A few months ago, I was asked to be the madrina for Nancy's graduation. Before coming to Peru, I thought "godmothers" were only for baby dedications but learned last year that madrinas and padrinos also participate in weddings. This year, much to my surprise, I discovered there are also madrinas for high school graduations! I was honored to be the godmother for her graduation.

The trip out to Zapallal lasted 3 hours and involved 2 buses. Holiday traffic led to the extra hour of travel time. We arrived later than expected and I still needed to change into my dress and fix my hair. We traveled back the way we came with Nancy to the graduation location. Although the invitation stated 7pm as the time of the ceremony, 11pm was the actual start time!

There was a graduation class of about 50, separated in two groups, made obvious by the colors - pink and light blue. All the girls dress accordingly and some of the guys even joined in. There were no caps and gowns, no moving of the tassel. All of the teachers had a few words to say and some were welcomed by the cheers and clapping of the students. Each name was announced, followed by "what they want to be when they grow up" which included engineers, stewardesses, professional soccer players and accountants.

The dancing began with the students doing the waltz with their partners. Afterward each student invited one their guests to dance-including fathers, mothers and brothers. (Check out the picture of Nancy and her brother!) The meal was served shortly-to about one third of the guests! Once that part was nearly finished, they were done preparing the rest of the plates. Dinner, consisting of beef, French fries, salad and Inca Kola, was served at 2 - and that is AM not PM!!!! The students were invited to dance again to a variety of Reggaeton songs.

About 3am, we began to wonder if any bus would be running to head back into the city. Unfortunately, the only available bus leave us at an unsafe intersection waiting on another bus. We decided to wait until 5am when the other buses would begin running again. But, a bit of a scuffle broke out between one of the girls' fathers and a young graduating boy. Since there was a bus heading out of the city, we decided to take Nancy home and catch the bus from her house. The difficulty was that the bus had been specially contracted, but the contract was for 1am and the people who had paid had not left the party. The bus driver decided to fill the bus with other paying customers. The man who had paid had a few words to say when he realized it, but eventually gave up the bus to those who were already on it.

Just before 5am, we left Zapallal and headed back into the city. Since there was very few people on the road at that time, we arrived back to my apartment just over an hour later. Quite a difference from the 3 hour ride it took us to go to the graduation!! Fortunately I was able to sleep in quite a bit this morning, thanks to my terrific "blackout" curtains - especially since tonight will be another "all-nighter" for Christmas!

What a contrast from my high school graduation in June of 1991!

Pain

"The pure truth, spoken in pure love, will always attract. You will remember the pain you feel here, and it will help you through the rest of your life. Pain is good; it shows you where there is a problem. Do not try to reduce the pain until you find the problem. God's truth often brings pain as it highlights a problem that we have, but His truth will always show us the way to freedom, too. When you know this you will even begin to rejoice in your trials, which are all allowed to help keep you on the path of life." (from The Final Quest by Rick Joyner)