Ongoing Training

I know that it has been a while since I have written an entry.  While I have had a lot of things inspire a blog entry, I have not had much time and/or interest in writing.  Because of this, I am taking a little time now to do so.

I just finished my yearly In-Service with the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services yesterday.  It’s a week long series of classes.  Some of them, like fire safety and report writing are required by everyone.  Others, like PPCT (Pressure Point Control Tactics) are only required for those who have direct Inmate contact.  As a Unit Case Worker, I have to not only take ‘basic self-defense,’ but more advanced defense and control tactics in order to protect myself and other staff from an aggressive Inmate.

This past week was enjoyable and challenging.  Because I am a certified ASHI (American Safety and Health Institute – https://emergencycare.hsi.com/) First Aid and CPR qualified, instead of taking the First Aid/CPR class, I taught part of it.  Although I had a bit of a rough start, I did manage to keep it interesting and informative.  I focused on the First Aid part while the Training Specialist, in charge of the In-Service classes, taught the CPR part.  This was good because we had a large class, so out tag teaming it broke it up into more manageable groups.  That was a lot of fun!

Because my back problems flared up last week, while on a short vacation or all things, I was really worried about the self-defense part this past week.  However, since God evidently wants me to stay where I am at, He enabled me to not just partake in the class, but to participate normally.  That is, although my back bothered me at times, it did not limit me in what I could do.  And, since martial arts is something I have always been very interested in, I really got a good workout, for two days straight.

In fact, the Training Specialist joked with me yesterday morning, the day after all of the PPCT/self-defense training.  Because of all that I did in training, she was not expecting me to be in class yesterday.  I then told her that, quite frankly, I was astounded that I was not in excruciating pain myself.

Now, I just have to finish my on-line portion of my In-Service.  This is the part that I am not overly thrilled about.  Having grown up on the 70s and 80s, my preference is the ‘traditional classroom.’  While I can learn from an online course, it just isn’t the same as attending the class, having a physical book(s), and being able to actively interact with the instructor and other students.  It just isn’t as enriching.

Now, there are some on-line things that I have been actively taking advantage of that I do like.  For example, I am really enjoying Duolingo (https://www.duolingo.com/).  I am using it to maintain my German language skills and learn Spanish.  Although it’s not nearly as good as actually partaking in a class, it is set up in such a way as to enable a person to learn another language.  Of all the different ‘learn-at-your-own-pace’ books and programs that I have tried over the years, this one is one of the best.  In my opinion…

At least the training that I am doing for the Nebraska Department of Corrections isn’t as intense and annoying as some of the Army training that I have done over the years.  For example, the ‘Accident Avoidance’ course that I’ve taken yearly since 2003 has not changed at all.  It not only has the same person narrate it, while wearing ‘old school’ BDUs, which were replaced by the ACUs many years ago, but the scenarios have not changed.  And, since you can’t skip though things, one is forced to sit through the exact…same…annoying…unchanging…scenario…  To me, that is a very good definition of ‘death by PowerPoint.’ 

I also had to do many other classes in order to be able to promote to Staff Sergeant and for being a ADSO (Additional Duty Safety Officer) for my unit.  The on-line course for promotions, SSD2 (Self-Structured Development, I believe) was very long and tiring.  Don’t get me wrong…  There was a lot of good things in the course.  And, much of it was definitely important things to know and understand so that I could be a good mid-level leader.  However, the class’ approach and teaching style often left a lot to be desired.  At least for me, it was not very engaging at times.

I do know that everyone learns differently.  What works well for one person may not work as well for someone else.  For me, on-line classes have to be done in a very engaging way, and be something that I am really interested in, for it to be effective and enjoyable.  And, I do understand that many large corporations/organizations do a lot of the on-line training because it cuts down on their cots.  Understandable… 

Oh, well…  In a little bit, I will return to my on-line training for NDCS and continue to plod through it.  After that, I will do some on-line training that I really enjoy.  That is, the Duolingo course.  I will also probably engage in one of my new hobbies this weekend.  Well, finish something from a new hobby.  More about that later, though…

In closing, I definitely do encourage all of you to continue to learn and grow.  Find avenues, be it from an instructor in a class, from YouTube videos, or from a book, to learn new things and improve skills that you already have.  The more you learn, the more you better your life and the lives of those around you.

In Christ,

Ray

Been a Challenging Few Weeks

These past few months have been very challenging for myself and my family.  Some of them good and some of them not so good.  Some days I have had time to write, but no inspiration or desire to.  Other days, I wanted to write but had to take care of other responsibilities.  Been very frustrating at times.

I have started my new position as Unit Case Worker.  Although I didn’t have a whole of quality ‘on the job training,’ I did get some.  As is often the case, I did a lot of ‘hit the ground running’ kind of training.  But, having been an Acting Case Worker several times before this, I was able to adapt pretty quickly.  For the most part, I have been working either in 3AB or one of the Protective Custody units.  Housing Unit 3 has been pretty smooth for the most part.  Many of the Inmates there have known me for years, so they know what to expect from me.  In fact, many of them seem to prefer me in my new Case Worker role.

The Protective Custody (PC) units that I have worked with have either been pretty good or awful.  Well, one unit in particular houses the ‘more difficult’ Inmates who are PC, and then tend to be the most difficult to deal with.  At least for me.  What’s ironic is that another group that are in a substance abuse program often have similar issues as the other ‘difficult’ PC group.  However, because of the program that they are in and how it can impact their parole, promotion to a lower custody and transfer to another institution, or release, they have a very strong incentive to follow directions.  It is very interesting noting the different dynamics in the different units.

About a week ago I put in my bid for what shift and Housing Unit that I want to work on.  I should find out this week with whether I got my first or second choice.  Considering the fact that both are for the same shift (Afternoon/evening) and same Housing Unit, just different sides, either one is fine with me.

Probably one of my biggest challenges the past few months have been the chronic pain that I deal with on a daily basis.  After 15 years with the Army, three of them with the 82^nd Airborne Division, and during my 4^th deployment, I developed problems with my lower back and both knees.  It turns out that I have arthritis in both knees, though my right usually is worse, and permanent damage to several of the discs in my lower back.  This past winter had been really rough, especially with my knees. 

It hasn’t been all bad.  Our daughter just celebrated a birthday earlier this month and participated in her first dance competition.  Her group did so well that they took all of the top awards for their age group, which was very impressive.  Needless to say, we were all very proud of her for that!

Both kids are doing pretty well in school.  Their third quarter finished recently, and both received a lot of good marks.  And both improved in several catagories since last quarter, which is also awesome.

On the few occasions that weather and my schedule has allowed me, I have been leading an adult Bible Study.  At the beginning of this year, our pastor had our congregation read through the book “All In” by Mark Batterson.  Due to my work load, I was not able to read the book until recently.  And, I have not read too much yet.  However, my wife did read the whole book with the rest of the church.  She thought that it was pretty good, but didn’t really go into the “so what, now what?”  That is, how does one actively apply what has been learned.

So, what I decided to do was ask those that attend the Bible Study to come up with at least one example in the Old Testament and the New Testament that they though really embraced the “all in” that the book talks about.  So, we have talked about Malachi and will be talking about John the Baptist next week.  In the future we will discuss people like Jeremiah, Mary the Mother of Jesus, and several others.  If you are interested, I can put my notes into a blog entry or two in the future.  Just let me know.

Oh, one other significant thing going on in our lives.  I have started the Army Medical Evaluation Board (MEB) for getting medically retired from the Army.  I had hoped that I could get my 20 and earn at least my E7/Sergeant First Class.  But, unfortunately, that is not going to happen.  In fact, I will be attending a retirement brief next month.  I will be retiring with 18+ years in the Army, both Active Duty and with the Nebraska National Guard.  I have had many enjoyable times, and many painful times.  But, I have also learned a lot.  Of all the deployments that I’ve had, probably my third one in 2010 was the most enjoyable and awe-inspiring.  But, that’s a story for another time.

Not a whole lot else is new for us.  Just really busy with all that is going on.  My wife hopes to be teaching within the next few years, so that will be another positive change in our lives.  I will also be going through training with the Nebraska Department of Corrections next week.  With this training, I will not only be assisting with teaching First Aid/CPR (through ASHI), but also facilitating a program geared with helping Inmates change destructive thinking.  At least, that is how I understand it.  More on that another time, too.

Please do not hesitate to let me know what you think of my blog entries.  Or, if you would like me to post my thoughts on a particular topic, let me know.  I have noticed that I do not have a followers.  If you really enjoy what I write, that will be the easiest way to know when I will be posting more.

In Christ,

RC

A New Change in Work

This past Wednesday, I received some awesome news!  While working my usual post, Housing Unit 2CD Control, one of the Unit Managers came into my ‘office.’  He proceeded to inform me that I had been recommended for promotion to Case Worker, if I still wanted the job.  Needless to say, I said, “Yes, I definitely am!”

At this point, I probably need to clarify some things.  For the last 11+ years, I have worked for the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services (NDCS) at the same institution.  And, for this entire time, I have been working as Custody Staff.  (Some people would call us, in a derogatory manner, ‘cage kickers.’  This is far from the truth!)  Although part of my role is to role model appropriate behavior and responses to stress, my primary role is enforcing rules.  Well, in a prison, all staff have an obligation to enforce rules.  However, as Custody Staff, that is approximately 80% of my job.  While I do have occasional opportunities to mentor Inmates, teach staff CPR/First Aid, mentor new staff, etc., that is a much lesser role than enforcing the rules.

Over the years, I have always felt out of place with this role.  As an INFJ, I am not using my natural gifts and personality very much.  In fact, functioning in this role often leaves me extremely drained emotionally, physically, and spiritually.  This is often compounded significantly due to the stress of working in an extremely dangerous environment (the Inmates at my institution are Medium or Maximum Security, many of whom have a violent to very violent background).  Unfortunately, this less very little emotional and physical energy to take care of my family, take care of things around the house, etc.

The amount of draining does depends greatly upon the place that I am working.  If I am in the Clinic, Skilled Nursing Facility, or working in the Gatehouse, I usually am not as adversely affected.  However, if I am working in a Housing Unit Control Center (most days), working on a gallery in the Special Management Unit (SMU), working in the Kitchen, etc., this is usually the case.

Since last October, I have had the opportunity to work as acting Case Worker.  Although I have had a few rough days in the role, my work has not affected me nearly as bad has working as Custody Staff.  Just like when I have worked as acting Religious Coordinator, I always felt like I had accomplished a lot and greatly impacted other peoples’ lives in a positive manner.  This was even after a long, rough day.  Whether as an acting Religious Coordinator or as an acting Case Worker, I seemed to draw upon my natural gifts and talents, as well as my Spiritual Gifts and ministry training.  So much so that I might be tired when I get home, but not ‘absolutely wiped out!’

Something else that I have noticed is that that Inmates seem to have adjusted to me working as an acting Case Worker very positively.  Most have not had a problem at all.  I am sure that a lot of it has to do with the positive rapport that I have with many of them.  And, having been there for so long, most of the Inmates know what to expect from me. 

Needless to say, I was extremely excited and shared this news with several co-workers.  One co-worker, who is a Case Worker that I have worked with, made an interesting comment.  She said, “I would wish you luck, but I know you don’t need it.”  Yes, that definitely did get my attention.  When I was leaving work, I texted my wife, “I got it, praise God!”  Yes, she immediately knew what I meant, and was overjoyed!

So, I will start my new position early next month.  Not only will I still be on first shift (which is what I am working now), I will (finally) have Saturdays and Sundays off!  Which means my family and I will finally be able to do things, as a family, on the weekend.  And, I will be able to attend church on a regular basis.  Yes, I am very, very excited about this!

My eventual goal is to become a Case Manager.  Case Managers do a lot more with an Inmate’s programming, work positions, room assignments, etc.  But, actual Case Worker experience will be extremely helpful in preparing me for becoming one.  We shall see what happens.  It’s all in God’s hands.

In Christ,

RC

Extremely Busy Times

The other day I looked at when my last Blog Entry was and I was a bit shocked. I knew that I had not made an entry for a while, but I hadn't realized that it's been almost three whole months!

Things have been extremely hectic for me lately. The biggest thing is that the prison that I work at is so understaffed right now that we are getting hit for mandatory overtime at least once, if not twice, per week. That’s on top of working our 4x 12 hour shifts. That has been making things extremely difficult for all of us there.

On top of this job, I have a wife and two kids, I usually do a weekly Adult Bible Study, and I am the Adjutant (Secretary) for our local VFW. That’s a lot going on, huh? For some of you out there, that is the norm for you. For others, doing this much work might be a totally foreign concept. I tell you what, it is very difficult to balance all of this.

In fact, that’s the biggest thing. It has been an on-going challenge to get an appropriate balance between work, being there for my family, taking care of things around the house, look for a new job that better utilizes my skills and interests (and is a lot less stressful and dangerous), do my daily devotions, attend church, do a good preparation for my weekly Bible Study, etc. It seems like I have to ‘rob Peter to pay either Paul or Mary.’ And, that is not really including taking time just for myself.

Asides from daily devotions, I admit that I have often shortchanged myself with good, quality self-care time. Whether it’s reading a good book, doing some creative writing (for this blog, for example), watching a favorite TV show, etc., my self-care often goes onto the chopping blog first. Or, when I do take time to rest, relax, and recharge, I feel guilty because I am not addressing any of the other priorities in my life. I honestly feel like I have been burning the candles at both end, and in the middle. Getting very little sleep during my work days because of the insane hours that I have to work, doesn’t help either.

From time-to-time, I have checked the stats for my blog and have often been surprised to see that people have visited it on occasion. This has been encouraging since that means people enjoy what I write and check back once-in-a-while. It is also sometimes a source of frustration. I see that people are coming back, hoping to see more, and are probably disappointed; and, I feel guilty for not adjusting my time more so that I could write more entries.

I am hoping that things will get better soon. Although we are getting new staff, things are still really difficult. However, I still have to deal with all that I have. Since my Bible Study won’t meet again until next year, that will help a little with time.

Each of us have to wrestle with priorities. My wife knows very well how frustrated I often feel with all my current obligations. The Bible Study and helping with VFW are a much needed source of self-expression that I need, something that I thoroughly love doing. So is this blog. It is my hope that things will improve such that I can do more blogging. Not just because it is a creative release for me, but because many of you out there really enjoy reading it. May God help each of us with our priorities.

Decisions in Life

Not that long ago, my wife pulled out a box of books that I had growing up. In the box was 20 plus books and numerous Ranger Rick magazines. My kids love being read to and my oldest is starting to read on his own. It is awesome to see.

The books that were in the box are the "Choose Your Own Adventure" series. In a nut shells, they are books with multiple endings and you had to make decisions throughout the book. It was a series that my 4th Grade teacher intodced me to. Although I had always loved to read, this book series helped me to read even more on my own. Having always been a high sensing introvert, this book fed my imagination and helped me to stop and think. And, yes,I would sometimes read through all of the endings, then try to figure out how to get to them.

Later this year, I will be celebrating 10 years with working for the State of Nebraska. And, all of those years have been with the Department of Corrections. At the end of this month, I will celebrate 16 years with the US Army (Active Duty and the Nebraska National Guard). It has not been an easy 16 years, but I have had a lot of good times. There has been pain and sorrow during those times, but also times of joy and celebration. Those jobs, my two marriages, my four deployments, helping my wife raise our two kids, etc., have all contributed to who I am today.

What I loved about those "Choose Your Own Adventure" books was that the stories would change, depending on what choices I made. If I didn't like how the story ended, I could start over. Or, I could find the endings that I liked and then try to figure out how to get there. But, those books were not like real life. If I did not like the consequences of my actions, I could not 'go back to the begining of the story' and start over. I had to choose to accept the consequences of my decisions.

This is something that I am trying to help my young kids learn. That each choice that we make will have consequences. Some will be more pleasant than others. Others will be more painful. Many of our choices will cause many regrets. But, that is life.

In my (almost) 10 years in Corrections, I have met many people, both staff and inmates, who made bad decisions, but did not want to accept the consequences. Even though their decisions brought temporary joy, pleasure, benefits, etc., the long term consequences were extremely painful. And, these people did not want to have to endure their consequences. It would sadden me, especially when it was staff who had made the bad decisions. But, it would aggravate me to no end to see adults wine about the painful consequences that they had made.

It is some that I really try to instill into my kids. That with what ever decision we make, we accept the consequences of that decision. Whether it is something minor, like staying up late to watch a good movie or have dessert with a meal. Or, something more significant like walking away from a fight, choosing to drive without using a seatbelt, choosing a college major, etc. Big or small, good or bad, each of these decisions will cause consequences. Many will be clear, many will not be clear. Sometimes we or others will experiece unexpected consequences of our choices. Sadder still, we many unfortunately experience the unforeseen consequences of the actions of others. Or yet, even the "un-actions" of others. That is, when people either choose to to act in a situation out of fear or embarrassment, or because they do not want to help because of anger towards someone or out of selfishness.

Probably the last set of situations, the unfortunate cpnsequences due to others' inaction, are the most difficult to accept. We want to have control over our lives and we want to have good experiences/consequences. It is difficult enough to endure the negative cpnsequences of our choices. It is even more difficult when spmeone else makes a bad choice and you experience severe consequences. But, it is something that he or she will have to accept.

Unlike the books or movies, or video games for that matter, we cannot go about and change things once thay have happened. That is not real life. Though they can be good in teaching us how to make good decisions in the future, we can delude ourselves into thinking that we can avoid the negative consequences of our own bad decisions, or the bad decisions of others. It is a trap that is very easy to fall into, and one we always need to be mindful of.

Foreign Memories

This morning has been spent relaxing at home. After wrestling with knee and lower back pain all week, it is a welcomed break. Got some extra rest, and then started going through some magazines that have been piling up. Since I work 12 hour shifts for fouy days straight at a prison, have a wife and two young kids, and teach a Bible Study, I ofen do not have time to just sit and read for fun. This morning is one of those exceptions.

The first magazine that I picked up was from my Alma Mater, Centre College, in Danville, Kentucky. The focus of this fall edition was on the Centre-in-Strasbourg experience. To my surprise, it started 25 years ago, in the fall of 1991. I knew that it was a fairly new program when I took part in it, but had forgotten how young it was.

I had my 'Centre-in-Strasbourg' experience during thw fall of 1993. I was a sophomore at Centre and a German major. Because Strasburg is near the French-German boarder and Kehl, Germany, is about 20 minutes by train, studying there made perfect sense. I do have a lot of mixed feelings about my experiences there. But, it was a good experience overall.

I have always loved traveling. My parents and I visited several distant cousins in Germany and Holland when I was 14. This was not their first trip, just mine. That experience as a teenager really solidified my love for traveling and experiencong other cultures.

While with the Army, I have deployed to Iraq three times and to Qatar once. That is on top of two vacations in Germany (once with my parents and once on my own) and my Strasbourg experience. Though each of those experiences had some difficult times, they were overwhelmingly good.

Because of all of these experiences and a strong desire to learn about other cultures, I have found it easier to interact with those who have a different cultural and ethnic background. This has helped me in many different ways.

It definitely has helped me in better understanding life in general. It has also given me better insight into other people's experiences and a deeper appreciation for the historical context of Scripture. As I read Scripture, I try very hard to understand what the historical context was when it was written, the important linguistical aspects of the original language, as well as the cultures of Ancient Israel, Ancient Roam, etc. All of these things give a much fuller picture of what the original author of the passage was trying to tell the original audience. This, in turn, helps us to better understand the applications for us today.

When we watch the news or meet someone from another country, trying to understand at least some of their culture, history, and how they view things (their ethnical, cultural and religious values) can aid us in seeing a more whole person or event. This understanding does not mean you necessarily agree with them, or even like how they act. But, it means you are taking the time to understand who they are and how they see the world around them.

When we take the time to better understand how others perceive their world, this can help you to better understand your own experiences and how they have shaped you. I have found this to be true on many occasions. In studying German and learning the basics of French, Spanish, biblical Hebrew and Greek, and some Arabic, I have a great appreciation and respect for those who try to learn English. And, I have slowly gleaned the benefits of studying a foreign language, especially with getting a better understanding of my own mother language and how language can influence thought.

In life, we experience many different things. How I experience something may not be how someone else experiences it. If I at least try to understand how others have experienced things, I may earn the respect of them to try to understand my perspective.

During this Advent Season, let us seek to learn and grow. Part of this will include being stretched by 'foreign experiences' be it through travel to another place for the first time, or meeting someone different than ourselves. Are we going to open oursleves up for them?

Asking The Right Questions

This morning after church, we had a congregational meeting to discuss some important future plans. Two years ago last January, our church burned down. There was, praise God, no loss of life. Just the loss of the church. Almost from the start, some people were already talking about how soon we could start rebuilding.

At this time, some plans have been drawn up and a lot of money has been set aside for building the new church. It isnot fully funded yet. But we have some moeny set aside already. We have a good start; but, I am concerned that our focus is not where it should be. My greatest concern is that there is too much of a focus on the physical building, a physical church, but not much thought on being the church to our community.

What do I mean by "being the church?" Much, actually. Being a Christian is more than just making verbal confessions, carrying a Bible, with you all of the time, more than just memorizing Scripture, and attending worship worship at a church. It is much more than that. It is, first and foremost, a personal relationship with God throughthe life, death, and resurrection of Christ Jesus. But, it doesn't end there. Not by a long shot.

Being a Christian means being a Follower of Christ. It means living a life of obedience to not just how God wants us to live morally, but also with how He wants us to serve Him and others. I think that my current life is an excellent example.

As many of you might already know, I work at a State prison here in Nebraska as Custody Staff. It is not a job that I actively sought out. In fact, when I have been job hunting, I have sought out a ministry position. Working in a church or a Christian organization is my heart's desire. I attended seminary ad got a Master's of Divinity (2000 at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary) because that is where I felt God was calling me. But yet, I am working someplace totally different.

Not just that, but personality wise I am in a very challenging place. As an INFJ, I excell in theological study, teaching, and ministering to people. But yet, God is choosing to use me in a place very much outside of what come to me naturally. The last few weeks have been even more vividly so. Over the last year, as I have learned more about the personality that God has given me, I have begun to better understand why I have always been sensitive to my emotional surroundings. Keeping that in mind, it might come to a shock to you that God has been keeping meposted in visiting. My job in visiting, as Custody Staff, is to enforce rules with Inmates and the visitors.  On top of all that, during the visiting periods are a huge, volital mix of emotions. Just a few of them are anger over bad d3cisions, grief over damaged and destroyed relationships, grief over shattered dreams, anger over not being in contol of one's life, etc. The more people who are together, the greater the intensity of these feelings. Yesterday, I had three big groups to deal with, with one being an almost to compacity of the large room. By the end of the day, I felt like I was a 110 volt motor that had been plugged into a 220 volt outlet. Being "very exhausted"was a gross understatement. One might logically ask, why would a loving God put someone like me in an environment that was so draining?! I wrestle with that a lot.

God has given me a few glimpses here and there. Over the 7+ years that I havemworked at this particular prison, God hasnused me to greatimpact many lives there. Both staff and inmates. It doesn't always appear like I do. But, I doget glimpses at times. For example, as I was getting ready do do my searches on a group of Inmates before their visiting session, they were already grumbling about how long it would take. Then one Inmate said, "Hey, I know Underwood... He's cool..." That is all he said. Might not seem like much, but I felt a large amount of the building anger and frustration drop. They all chose to cooperate and, when another staff member arrived to help, things ran very smoothly.

Why did I share this story? Over the last 7+ years, I have had to live in utter dependence to God for strength and with guidance for doing my job. A lot that I do as Custody Staff does not come naturally as an INFJ. It has been a huge struggle on many ocassions. But, from time-to-time, God gives me glimpses of how He has touched lives through me. But, tnis is only because I prayerfylly choose to be God's instrument.

For us as a church, I see us at a crossroads. Will we focus on our physical needs of having our own church building now,; or, will we prayerfully seek to learn how to be The Church to our community? One is a road of easy decisions. One is a road of very difficult introspection and decisions. And, the worst th8ng of all, living uncomforably.

I do not know why God has me where I am at. Working at the prison has been a growing experience, but also a painful one. It is definitely not what I want and would have chose on my own. But, my desire to be obedient to God has beenthe reason why I have stayed so far. And, I believe that we, as a local church, is facing a similar kind of decision. We greatly need God's help in making the right decisions for doing His will. It is a great strugglento be obedient as an individual. The more people who gather to seek His Will, the more conflict and confusion can arise. Especially if each is seeking what makes them, as an individual, feel safe. But, since when has God called us to do things that make us feel safe? I think that Abraham, Moses, Dietrich Bohnhoffer, Frederich Douglas, Maartin Luther, Martin Luther King, Jr., etc., would argue that our comfort is not God's greatest concern.it is our obedience. Let us prayerfully contemplate that.

Cultural and Respect

References:
- Acts 17:16-34 NAS
- 1 Corinthians 9:16-27 NAS
- Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
- Kingdom of Heaven (2005)
- The Kingdom (2007)

I love a good, thought provoking movie, as well as a good action movie or a good thriller. For me, the movie has to have depth. I want to be touched by the message of the movie, not just something meaningless to watch. Yes, I am a bit picky about what movies I watch. Each of us has our own preferences. A movie that I have just recently added to my “very much enjoy list” is “Lawrence of Arabia.” This movie has a similar theme to other two movies that I really enjoy, “Kingdom of Heaven” and “The Kingdom.” But, I will get to that in a few minutes.

In the passage from Acts, we see Paul and Silas were traveling together on Paul's second missionary trip (Acts 15:36-41) and were currently in Athens, Greece. Paul sees all sorts of idols, including any empty pedestal, and uses them as a springboard for preaching to the local populace in a manner that they could understand. In the 1 Corinthians passage referenced above, we see Paul's strategy a little more in depth. He seeks to understand the culture that he is working in, and then uses that to inform how he teaches them about Christ. He doesn't change the Message of the Gospel, just how he explains it and how he lives amongst them. He does that so that they can understand who Christ Jesus is.

You see, each of us view life through the lens of our unique blend of culture, heritage, and experiences. All of this informs us how to view life. It's the framework that we use in order to understand the world around us. Not only does each country have its own unique culture, but communities within the same country have different forms of culture. Although a whole nation may share some similar cultural features, different areas within the same country will differ somewhat. Local customs, dialects, and unique histories vary greatly from place to place.

Besides the United States, I have experienced the local cultures of Europe and some parts of Iraq. Through visiting distant relatives in Europe and spending a semester in Strasbourg, France, I have a lot of first hand experience with European cultures. I have been able to see local history, experienced local traditions, and visited with many different people. This personal experience, combined with basic knowledge of the German language and history, has opened many doors for me. Whether traveling on a train, sitting in a restaurant, or some other environment, I have been blessed with some fascinating conversations with German people. There have been awkward times where neither of us had enough vocabulary to express all that we wanted to say. But yet, we strove to understand and to be understood.

My experience with the Iraqi culture is a bit more limited. But, especially during my third deployment in 2010-11, I did get to interact with some of the business, government and military leaders in Baghdad. That was because of my job with creating vehicle security passes for vehicles within the International Zone. Not only did I get to interact with some of the Iraqi citizens, but I also got to interact with many of the members of the different embassies. Although I had many positive experiences working with each of them, one situation in particular really stands out with me.

One of the PSD (Personal Security Detail) teams that I worked with was from the Korean Embassy. While in high school, college, and in seminary, I have gotten to know many people from different Asian countries. Because of these experiences, both good and bad, I had fairly good idea of what I should do. When they came to the door, I stood up, walked towards them, and then bowed to them. I acknowledged them according to their culture. They hesitated a moment, then returned the bow. We then got down to business. For whatever reason, they had to leave and return. When they came back a few days later, they literately stood at the door and politely told the OIC (Officer in Charge) that they would like to talk with me. They then patiently waited for me to be ready. Because of the way I had shown them respect, they went out of their way to show me respect.

Over the years, I have talked with many people from different countries while they were either visiting or studying in the United States. While many people do try to show respect to them, it is unfortunate that others within the US do not. This happens while Americans have traveled to different countries to visit and while foreigners have visited the US. Sometimes it's because someone just does not have any experience with other cultures and doesn't understand the differences. There are so many different cultures out there that it would be impossible to understand them all. And most foreigners visiting or studying here understand that. But, there is a big difference between not understanding because of no experience, and not even trying.

Each of the three movies have a common theme. Major world events caused two different cultures to have to work together. In each of the movies, each side had their cultural stereotypes of the other. These stereotypes caused a lot of friction and frustration initially. But, during the movie, people on both sides made the attempt to try and understand the others' perspective, while seeking to more clearly explaining their own. It took time, patience, and a lot of work. But, by the end of the movie, their work paved the way for a lot of mutual respect and learning. In working together, they were able to accomplish a lot of awesome things. Something they could not have accomplished separately.

There have been many times where, in trying to interact with someone of another culture, I 'put my foot into my mouth.' I have made mistakes. I have also striven to learn from those mistakes so that I can better interact with people from a different culture. It is not easy. What is normal in some cultures can be offensive to others. These are easy to find. However, will we strive to set aside the things that we find distasteful and annoying and seek common ground? That is something each and every one of us will have to decide when the time comes. For those of us who follow Christ, we are His ambassadors to this world. How shall we live this out?

Freedom and Consequences

Today is July 4th, 2015. The United States of American is celebrating 239 years of declaring it's independence from Great Britain. The social experiment of having a representative democracy has had a rocky history. As a nation, we have made incredible strides and made some very poor decisions. The Declaration of Independence second paragraph starts out with:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.-- (found here)

And began the journey of our Nation with seeking to allow people to live their lives with lots of freedom. Freedom to choose who they wanted to be, instead of what the State told them to be. The freedom to choose their faith, instead of having to follow the State's religion. The freedom to pursue as much or as little education as they wanted, and the area of education that they most desired, instead of being directed by the State with what to study. But, with every decision comes the consequences, either good or bad.

As I spend time pondering our situation in American, I am often troubled and saddened to see where we are today, compared to where we were 20 years ago. Granted, technology has changed immensely in just the last five years! Because of the changes in technology, our lives have also been greatly changed. Some changes have been good, some not so good. It is wonderful that we can look up information about other countries, from the countries themselves, to learn about that particular culture, language and history. It is awesome that I can get on my computer and use Skype to talk with friends and family back in the States while I am deployed. But, with all the abundance of information on the Internet, it can easily get overwhelming. And, though a lot of the information is wonderful and good to know, there is a lot of information out there that can be negative, even destructive.

Unlike many countries, we still have a fair amount of freedom to pursue our dreams and live our lives how we want to. I say 'fair amount' because I do not believe that we still have the same freedoms that we used to have. Although I do feel that our individual rights are being eroded, that is the theme of another article. Here, though, I want to talk more about decisions and consequences.

In Genesis chapters 1-2, we see the story of Creation from two different perspectives. Although how the stories are written seem different, their content are the same. God created everything and, in the beginning, pronounced it 'good.' What is very interesting is that, from the start, God created mankind to be an independent thinking. In Genesis 2:18-20, we see that God allowed Adam to name all of the living things. God did not name them and then order Adam to call them by that name. God allowed Adam to freely choose what to call each animal. God gave Adam a choice, and the consequences of that choice was that each animal would be called.

In Genesis 2:15-17, we see some limits that God put upon Adam. Of all that was in the Garden of Eden, there was only one tree (tree of the knowledge of good and evil) that he was not to eat from. But, in Genesis 3, we see that Adam and Eve choose to disobey God. Because they choose to reject Him and do what they wanted, the consequences of their sin are still felt today.

We all have choices that we make each and every day. From the food that we eat, to the people that we hang out with, to how we do personal hygiene, to how we spend our free time. And, there are consequences to each of these choices, be it for good or evil. For example, being in the Army means that I have a specific uniform that I am supposed to wear for during the duty day, unless told otherwise. If I choose to wear a pair of jeans and a T-shirt instead of the Multi-Cam uniform that I was told to be in, I would face negative consequences. Being an E6/Staff Sergeant, that would probably mean more harsh consequences than if a new Private did the same thing. And that is because, being an NCO (Non-Commissioned Officer), more is expected of me. If I choose to eat a lot of junk food during meals instead of healthy foods, then probable consequences down the road would be osculating sugar levels, poor sleeping, obesity, etc.

Some choices can have very lasting consequences. For example, if I allow my temper to be in control when I discipline my children, they will grow to fear and resent me. However, if I temper the way that I discipline them with love and firmness, then they will grow to love and respect me. If I continuously push them away when I want to do things on my own instead of paying with them, reading to them, etc., they will seek love and acceptance from others. But, if I set aside my desires to be alone so that I can be there for them, then the positive consequence will be that they will want to do things with me, seek my advice, etc.

Everything decision we make has a consequence, be it good or bad. Sometimes we won't know the full extent of the consequences of our actions for years, if ever. For example, I volunteered to lead a Bible Study here on base in Qatar so that I can be a positive spiritual influence and mentor to fellow soldiers and civilians here. I know that I will never fully know what God does through me as I teach and fellowship. My style of expository teaching (defined here and here) is not for everyone. I dig deep into the history of the text, the language (as I have time since working with Hebrew or Greek is very time consuming for me), the historical setting, etc., so that I can more clearly explain how the original text might have been understood originally, and how we can understand it today. Some people love that kind of teaching. Others do not.

I work full-time at a maximum security state prison in Nebraska. Over the years, I have used the skills that I gained while in seminary and working in churches to minister to the inmates and staff there (as my job allows). I have seen lives deeply touched by what I do. But, I am very certain that I will never seek the full consequences of my ministry there. God may give me glimpses here and there, but the full extent will be beyond my understanding.

There is one other thing that we have the freedom to do that can have major consequences. That is the freedom to not choose, but to let others choose for us. Whether it is in a church setting, small town, state, or what ever, when we choose not to make our voices heard, we are still making a choice. If we choose to not get involved in a church meeting in deciding the outcome of selecting a new pastor or voting on an important issue, we have made a choice. We choose to let others speak for us. State or national elections is the same. If we choose not to vote, then we empower others to make the decisions for us. The consequence is, we have to then live with the choices they made.

We can also take this a step further. We can choose to be involved in the lives of our children and their education. Or, we can choose to not be involved and allow the State to teach them whatever they want to teach. In many countries, parents do not have much of a say in what a child learns in school. Here in the United States, we have that choice. But, many choose not to exercise that right.

As Christians, we called to follow Christ and to obey Him. However, in a fallen world, we often are disliked, even hated and persecuted for following Him. We have the choice to live in fear of being disliked, hated, and/or persecuted and compromise. But, in doing so, we hinder our witness and damage our relationship with God. On the other hand, if we choose to life for Christ, no matter what the cost, then we can face difficulties, ridicule, torture, or even death. What ever choice one makes, there will be consequences.

Funny thing is… The consequences of our actions, words and attitudes can have a ripple effect with those around us. Not only do we have to accept and live with the consequences of our decisions, but those around us will have to live with them. For example, if a person chooses to drive his car down a busy residential area, faster than the posted speed, while talking on the his cellphone, there is a good chance that the person will hit someone. Not only will that person have to live with the consequences of their decision (know that their actions caused great harm or even death to someone else), but the family of the person hit will have to live with the consequences (major medical bills, permanent injuries, or even death). Sometimes we will see the consequences of our actions and behavior. Sometimes it takes years, if at all. But, there will be consequences, and others will be influenced by them.

So, during this time of celebration, let us remember that with freedom comes responsibilities. Freedom to choose means taking time to think about our words and our actions, because there will be consequences for the choices that we make. And, if we choose to let others decide for us, we will suffer the consequences for their choices. Sometimes, the most we can do is decide how we will respond to things in life. But, just like our physical actions, what we say and how we emotionally engage or disengage, affects others. Some things have short term consequences (eating a delicious dessert or telling a joke with friends) and some can have long term consequences (choosing to drive after drinking or choosing to having sex with a stranger because you feel lonely). And, some can have eternal consequences (accepting Christ as your Lord and Savior…or not…).