October 1st Nigeria celebrated their 49th Independence. All of the Hostel parents for Hillcrest School here in Jos, Nigeria descided to gather together and go... well you will find out more in the video.
Do know that this was still recorded in Nigeria.
Being where we were and what we were doing was a surreal feeling. It was not the Africa we see everyday for sure but it was a good get away for the "fam".
Enjoy, we did.
I know I apologize for not placing a video on here last week or even this week. I have ideas but have not edited or even video’d everything that I have wanted to. So hopefully I will have something next week.
I do want to seek your thoughts. “The few. The proud. My blog followers”.
A few weeks ago we were sitting in Church listening to the Pastor speak. He made some comments and I am not exactly sure how to take them. So please leave me your thoughts.
He was talking about doing the Lords work. Great topic, I know. My problem lies in the statement that even though you are self centered the work that you are doing is what the Lord wants you to be doing.
I agree and understand his work is to be done with who we are. But what I disagree with is that this is how the Lord has, in a way, ordained it for even those who are self centered. That it is still OK to be a self centered person even if doing the Lord’s work. This I disagree with.
I agree He can and will utilize these and all situations where His name is professed.
It was the fact that he said what he said and did not say that self centeredness was a bad thing. He left out much, we need to as He has requested “put no god before Him”. Am I, Toby, not a possible god to myself if I want myself to be?
Christ can and will use those who are self righteous, I agree. But not needing to change is where I have the issue.
Maybe it was something he accidently left out of his talk but for some reason I have had this thought stuck in my head since then. I am not a fan of the self absorbed person that all they can talk about is themselves with Christ sprinkled in for good measure.
Am I being a bit judgmental? Why yes I am, I guess. I grow weary and see that Christ is not fully honored when “I, me, etc” is where I find the most joy when speaking to others.
The scariest thing to me is the fact that this can also be such a divisive wedge between the one being spoken to about Christ and the saving knowledge of Christ. One can see thru us and what we say to actually see the real meaning to
His truth and not our own.
Love the Lord your God with all of your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. (Deut. 6: 5)
Unfortunately the mission field is not immune to the self righteous. At times I think it can be worse. It is easy to get the thought that hey I am a missionary, I am better than others since I have given up my creature comforts back in the states to live without much electricity, without all the restaurants while the culture around me is harder to live in. I live in a part of the world where things do not mesh with my way of life, where you would have a very hard time living. But not me, here I am in Africa. Living for the Lord, and where do you live? What are you doing to proclaim His name to all the World?
Please pray that this is not me at this time. Also that I will take a back seat to Him with whom I serve. Pray that this will not become me when we are back in the states. I do not want that for the Lord or for myself.
It is between 5:30 and 6 in the morning here in Nigeria as I upload this video for you. Ya have to get up early or stay up late to upload things so the traffic on the web is lighter.
Well this is a vid of Caden's 2nd Birthday last weekend. Since it was a laonger video and to not make the file larger I did not include any words or details on the vid itself so I will try a little tutorial before hand.
First thanks to all that sent him gift's and cards.
He had many gifts so we stretched him opening them over a weeks time. He really enjoyed that.
He received a tricycle from his Meemaw Pawpaw. He loves bikes and especially Motorbikes as you will see later in the video.
Got many books, which he loves.
Got aChaba, Motorbike, from our lifegroup which he just loves and plays with all the time. On our bed, on a railing and in the driveway as you will also see.
We had some of the families from our compound over for Cake, which was decorated and built like lego's. Mom is awesome to make him such a cool cake. He loved it. He also loved it that his Meemaw and Pawpaw from Texas were able to join us as well via Skype. They watched him open his gifts and stuff his face until he was blue in the face, literally.
You will also notice 4 HS kids in the video, those are his "brothers and sisters" here in the Hostel. All great kids.
Well I hope I covered it all.
Happiest 3rd year, to you, my little man.
Love you Caden Wilson Abts.
I have been working with a group of 8 High School graduates transition out of the ministry they have been a part of for some over 11 years. This means all they know is this ministry and structure this ministry gives them. I had set up some "life skills" classes for them to learn and see what this world might hold for them.
4 of them were interested in Art and how they might use their God given talents to produce things in which to sell or 1 day use art for graphic design or computer design. I have a few Nigerian friends that use art in their profession so one day I took the four interested guys on a field trip to see their shops and learn. A few times we went back where my friends would then hold little clinics for them to learn even more.
Here is a brief look.
The four guys:
Musa, Ishaku, Ishaya and Paul.
My friends:
KC Martins, Fidel and Charles.
Here is our first time bbq'ing some ribs and some pork chops. Mmm Mmm good!
