What are you doing for Christmas?

I have started thinking about Christmas already - can you believe it? It's still August! Why am I thinking about it? Because this year I will be spending some of the Christmas season in Haiti.

At a time in the United States when we are inundated with consumerism and selfish pursuit, I am going to a country where poverty is overwhelming. I will be leaving the ads and promotions that tell me that I need a larger car, a better phone, a faster computer, etc. and I will enter a world where they need some food and water to make it through the day.

I have been given the opportunity to go to Haiti in October and December of this year, but I am not certain I am ready for what I am about to see. I am looking forward to the lessons that God is going to teach me while I am there, and I pray that He will show me the things I need to bring back with me to our culture here in America.

The team for October is fixed. It is made up of 2 doctors, 3 nurses and myself (the non-medical representative :-)) However the team for December has yet to be solidified. I am praying that God begins to work in their hearts as well - even though they don't know they are going yet.

What does 6 minutes cost you?

Yesterday, I met with a friend for lunch. Because I had taken my wife's car, I did not have any change for the meter downtown. My friend gave me 3 quarters and 3 dimes - enough for 1 hour and 24 minutes. It was 12:00 when I parked.

Needless to say, we got to talking, and next thing we knew it was 1:30. We left the restaurant and headed for the car. I was met by a yellow envelope. Yeah, they got me - just 6 minutes late and it cost me $12.49! That was a very expensive 6 minutes.

Anyway, it gets me to thinking about our time and the value of time. Just a few minutes with a colleague could make the difference between a person hurting and a person healing. Just a few minutes to jot a note of thanks or appreciation could change an entire day for someone. Just a few minutes to text a friend, to write an e-mail, to... fill in the blank. Amazing the impact we could have on others if we take a few minutes to be about others.

Even more important, what would happen if periodically we took a few minutes to ask the Creator of heaven and earth what He wanted me to do today? What would He want me to write? What would He want me to share? How would He like me to serve someone today?

If I spent a few minutes throughout the day to hear the heart of God, imagine the impact it would have.

Back home, back to work...

I asked my daughter if she reads my blog, and she said, "nah, you write too much!" I told her that when I am away on trips, I have much to say, and of course she informed me that I always have "much to say".

Well, I am back at work and I did not write about the last few days of Peru. I feel like I missed something, but maybe another time I will record those thoughts.

What I do know right now is that the work continues, and I am preparing for 2 Haiti trips to round out the year. October 7-14 and December 16-22 I will be taking groups to Haiti. I am looking forward to it, but I know they will be very difficult trips. The first is a medical team and the second is a "Bundles of Love" team, but both are going to the poorest country in this hemisphere.

I have much to do in preparation, but I need to keep the focus of spending time with God in His Word, and in prayer. That is the real work!