22 Lessons from Unpacking in India

For those who need some context, I’ve just moved into a new house with all my old stuff, half of which needed to be re-assembled upon arrival. So here is what I’ve learned, and if you are wise, take heed my friend:

1. Plan way in advance
2. But be ready to improvise, life is not subject to your plans
3. Don’t believe the truck driver when he says he knows how to get to your place
4. Be sure to have an interpreter on hand
5. It helps to know people who know people
6. When offered help, don’t act polite, accept immediately
7. Except when its random people on the street, they just want lots of money
8. Work in teams: Un-loaders, carriers, un-packers and arrangers
9. Make sure there’s a lady around to make everyone tea (it helps if you’ve stocked up on clean water)
10. Take one step (or box) at a time
11. Practice hand signals before the time (for when you cant find the interpreter)
12. Practice building lots of puzzles before hand
• Make sure puzzle pieces are mixed with other puzzle  pieces
• Figure it out without looking at the picture on the box
• This will train your brain to handle the assembly of complicated furniture
13. Always keep a pocketknife in hand, it will become your best friend.
14. Your second best friend is toilet paper
15. Also don’t forget your friends: Mr Screwdriver, Mr Hammer, Mrs Broom and Mrs Snacks
16. When in doubt, turn item upside down and try again
17. If the glove fits, it doesn't necessarily mean it belongs there
18. Sometimes, you have to make the glove fit
19. If at first you fail, hammer harder
20. If failure persists, wait an hour and try again: by some mysterious magic, you will have an 80% more likely chance of success
21. It is possible to survive on a diet of cookies and tea (but not recommended for children and pregnant women)
22. Reward all your voluntary helpers with chocolates and thank you cards.

Now you too are ready for the extravagant adventure of setting up home in India. Follow this advice and success will only be a week or two, a couple of cuts and bruises, and a handful of headaches away!

Reserved for One

Idols abound in this life. Worthless Idols that do us no good*.

Carved out images of powerless beings. Detestable forms of unholy things. Mute, dumb, blind, senseless. Cold stone, lifeless eyes.

Oh yes. “I renounce these things!” says Mr. Christian. “Who do you think I am?  Would I behave like the heathen of the east?”

Then he goes and sets up idols in his heart.*

Yes, on that pedestal of the heart, reserved for one he clutters now; to display those things he thinks will gain, eternal life:

His Graciousness “My-experience”

Lord “Precious-poverty”

and

King “Good-works”

see

on that pedestal of the heart

Idols abound in this life

but

It’s reserved for one

only

The Holy Son

 

*Jr 16:19; Eze 14:7

The Great “I AM”

He does what He does
He wills what He wills
He goes where He goes
He says what He says
He moves what He moves

Praise the Lord
Praise the Lord

He heals who He heals
He breaks what He breaks
He cares when He cares
He sees who He sees
He finds who He finds

Praise the Lord
Praise the Lord

He means what He means
He gives what He gives
He loves when He loves
He frees who He frees

The Great “I AM”
He is who He is
He is the Lord!
Praise the Lord!

Read My Dream

Another lazy Sunday afternoon. And I decided to take a nap, after all, I was cold, tired and had little to do.

I lay face down on the bed, sunlight peering through the window, but not really helping with the winter chills.

And I was asleep. I knew it. I had been here before. I could feel the pillow beneath me, I could feel my hands clenching the soft duvet under me. I never bothered to get under, I was too tired, and couldn’t do much about it now that I was out.

But now I wished I could wake up.

There is a sense of evil around me. Its closing in, it wants to devour me. I know it. I have been here before.

I struggle and struggle to open my eyes. But my body refuses to respond. I try to shake myself awake, but there’s no movement. I can still feel the bed beneath me, but I am powerless; at the mercy of this horrid dream.

I must focus, keep fighting, I know it, I have been here before. Push through, fight, don’t give up!

I’m awake!

Everything around me is so familiar, but I have not been here before. I’m in my apartment, its quite high up, and next to me is a person. I know him. I don’t know his name. I thought I knew him, but slowly he reveals himself. He has a wicked scheme. He’s about to do something bad. I must catch him before he goes through with it.

But he’s gone, out the building and into the park beneath in a flash. I chase him, the elevator isn’t working so I slide down something which resembles a fire escape into the park below.

My friends are all there.

Now this man I’m chasing reveals himself. His wicked plan. Its horrible. He must be stopped.

But he mockingly turns around. Picks up a handful of swords and tosses them at us while laughing and shouts, “Come and challenge me!”

By now I have realised that he is far too powerful for me or my friends. We are weak, powerless, and will be crushed. I look at my sword, the one he threw at me, and realise that it is useless against this evil.

Then I remember a sword. The only sword which could slay this man. To my shame it is not in my hand.

“Hurry! Who has the sword of the spirit!” I shout. My friends look confused, “Its the only weapon that will work!”. Then I hear a voice, a friend shouts back, “I have it!”. So I run over and take a look.

At first I am relieved, I see an inscription on the sword. It looks like that verse. “Now we can fight”, I think, “but let me check one more time”. I look down at the inscription more carefully this time. Oh, it looks like that verse, but its not. It was a trick, just a jumble of useless words.

Downcast and frustrated, I sigh. “This is not it”.

Then I woke up.

For real.

(Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12-13)