Once upon a time Wednesday - The older country

When you walk the streets of Belgium or the Netherlands, you are struck with the age of the place. Most tourists who stop in Belgium want to visit Brughe and walk along the medieval streets. In Amsterdam, one can enjoy the 16th, 17th and 18th century buildings along the canals. Americans will often comment that there is nothing of this age back in the US. 

And yet, both of these countries are younger than the United States of America. Although the Dutch formed a republic in the 16th century, they were not free from Spain until the 17th century. The Kingdom of the Netherlands was formed first in 1815. A short 15 years later the southern section of this kingdom rebelled and became the Kingdom of Belgium (recognized in 1839). 

So while Belgium and the Netherlands have a very rich history, as separate countries they are quite a bit younger than the United States of America which was formed in 1776. Even the republic of France (which is what now exists) was only established in 1792. Germany was first a republic in 1918 after having gotten rid of the monarchy. Which isn’t to take away from all of the beautiful places steeped in history and amazing stories, architecture and culture in each of these countries. 

The village down the street from where we live has a neanderthal site. Maastricht, where we meet with the church, is an old Roman city. I like mentioning to visitors and locals alike that, when Jesus was walking the streets of Jerusalem, the Romans were living in Maastricht. (That's a picture of Maastricht with three of its church buildings)

History is the story of where you have been and how you have been shaped by those places and events. We are thankful to have so much history in so many different places. 

Time is money

I love that God places us in a family, a place where we can and should learn from one another in many different ways. Recently our young brother from Ghana who is studying in Aachen, Germany, had the sermon. He made a very clear point for us all to think about. It came from a passage that I had read many times before. That’s what I love so much about God’s word and His plan for His family. We continue learning.

When Joseph sold a piece of land and placed the profits at the feet of the apostles to be distributed among the needy in the church, he was showing the character that the Holy Spirit in him was creating – a character of encouragement. The apostles gave him the name Barnabas because of this (and other things – as we later come to see). And we all understand when we read this history that this is admirable and should be followed as an example in our lives.

But society at that time and in that area was largely agrarian. It was quite a sacrifice to sell a piece of land. And it made quite a difference to the people in the church. This is evident in the reaction of Ananias and Saphira. They wanted so much to emulate the action and get the same kind of praise that they were even willing to lie about what they were giving – even though they did not have to!

How many of us own land these days? There are still some. And of course there are people who are financially blessed and able to give money. But there is something we all possess that is actually quite valuable. Are we willing to share? Are we willing to sacrifice? We all know: “Time is money.” How much time am I willing to offer up for my brothers and sisters. I may not have anything to offer in financial help and what I could offer might not really help much at all. In fact, what I might offer could even bring problems for my brother or sister – because of the systems in our society.

But I have time. You have time. On what am I spending (or wasting) my time? Can I think about how my time – which is precious indeed – could be better used to help others? What a good challenge to consider. Yes – our possessions are also not our own and can and should be shared with those in need. But our time is also not our own and should be put to the best use: in our families, with our neighbors, with those in our communities, in the church.

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.  Galatians 2:20

For a time

Just a few hours ago, 24 years ago, I joined the ranks of those who have been blessed with this privilege of time and responsibility doused in love. I became a father. This small – no sorry, ‘small’ doesn’t define what I felt at the moment I first held him: he was tiny for a human being as far as I was concerned, fragile, wonderful, amazing.

And this baby was placed in my hands. Literally of course, at that moment. The nurse picked the baby up and placed him in my hands. Actually he fit in one hand, with his cheek on my palm, his legs dangling from my elbow. I didn’t hold him like that the first time. I doubt the nurse would have allowed it and I certainly didn’t know it was possible. At that moment I was afraid I might break him. But in that moment I first started to grasp this privilege – and I was immensely thankful. 

We can look back now on the hours, days, weeks, months, years that have flown by and marvel at how these boys have grown. Our two sons are both basically out of the house. Stephan, who just turned 24, is married and living in Ohio. Sean, who recently turned 20, is mostly only home on the weekends while studying in Brussels through the week. The time flew by. Everyone told us it would, but it did! And it is such an important time.

I realized that first moment 24 years ago what an immense gift this is, although I did not grasp all of the implications at that time – I don’t know that I have grasped them all even now. To be granted to care for this person for a time, to help them grow, to show them what it is to live – this is a privilege. We did not ‘make’ them. They are not ‘ours’ – even though we say that because that is how our language notes that the children are in our care. We have been blessed with this short time to influence and be influenced by this precious life.

We don’t ever really know how long we will have. We always think that we most certainly have until the great-grandchildren are gathered around our deathbed to hear our last wonderful words of wisdom passed on in our last breath. And we do have some continued influence even after ‘our’ children have left home. But the time we are given to be parents is precious. And short. And wonderful.

God has chosen us as parents and has placed this child in our hands where we wonder at his size and how wonderfully he is made. And then we begin to realize the reality of what this means – we are to care for him, teach him all that is good, not break him, let him become the wonderful person God has made him. As our boys grew we were periodically reminded of this wonder, this responsibility, this blessing. I am so thankful that they were placed in our hands – for a time.

Take your time

I need to be outside pulling weeds. Or in the pantry putting in new electrical outlets. I so like to have things done, but I hate doing the preparatory work necessary to get it done right. It all takes so much time! Although I must admit that I also dislike all the trouble that comes from a job poorly prepared. Then I just end up doing the job twice!

Most of the time my lack of patience means that I do not have the right tools at hand. Have you ever gotten up on the ladder and realized that the screw you need is down on the floor - somewhere among all those things? Then when you have gotten the screw and are back up the ladder, you realize that the screwdriver is down on the floor (you know where)! Or even worse, you disassemble the toilet to find out that the one piece of equipment you need to fix it (or even put it back together) is not in your toolchest at all. 

I know that I am not very patient. I like to think that I am fairly patient with people – although I know that I am the hardest on those closest to me (my children and my wife). But, as will all good work, building and maintaining relationships also takes some good preparation.

It is important, if I want to be able to encourage someone in their faith, to know who they really are and what they are actually struggling with. Simply tossing some scripture their way and leaving them to it is not going to help. And I don't always feel that I have the tools to help in every situation. Some things I can learn, others are out of my grasp. That’s why God put us in a family. We are then able to influence one another, use our talents and benefit from the talents of others as we grow together. But then I need to be willing to put the effort into those relationships.

I am thankful that God takes time to help me grow. I want to be willing to take time to help others as well. 

It is time

We are dealing with some basic realities, in our home life and in our work. Reality: there always comes a time of doing after the time of planning and preparation.

At the end of August, after several official years of planning (and several more unofficial years), our Bible camp site finally got official permission to begin with the renovation works that we have been planning for so long. We want so much to be able to make better use of the facilities we have in the Ardennes. If all goes as planned and as God wills, we will have a new meeting hall in the Spring and everything will be ready next summer to welcome our summer campers.

But before that could happen, the old hall needed to be taken care of - torn down. The old fiberglass roof which rained on the inside just wasn't getting the job done. When it rained, the holes in the roof leaked. When it wasn't raining, the moisture would often condense on the roof and rain down anyway. The windows on one side of the hall came from a different era. We had double glass on one side of the hall and plexiglass - actually simply plastic on wooden frames - on the other side. A lot of hard and loving labor went into making this hall. Years of great lessons and fellowship in what the various churches created here for each other. But now it was time to move on.
So we did. It was time. You can see some of the pictures (and maybe you already have) as well as a video showing some of the fun in getting the demolition done. It was a bittersweet labor of love. But we are looking forward to what will take its place and how we will be able to enjoy that.

At home, we have enjoyed watching Sean grow up. He has shown interest in so many things. His first plan was to be a professional football (soccer) player - and he was very adamant that he would do it! And he still enjoys playing, but that is not where his interest lies. Then he talked about having his own business, but in the end - somewhat out of the blue, though not completely - he is moving over to Brussels to study film.
In the last months we have prepared by finding out about the metro and the train (he will come home each weekend with the train and will use the metro to get around Brussels), about what he needs for school, visiting Brussels, setting up his room (he will be staying with good friends Bill and DeeDee Bundy) and getting things ready back at home. Sean still plans on working each Saturday and rehearsing or performing with his band as well.

Brussels - what a mix!

But there comes a time when it will start. And today it was time. On Sean's birthday (for all his life until now he always spent his birthday at school - it is the first day of school here) we went to Brussels with most of his things. Today we took the last bits and left him behind there, with advice and admiration, our prayers and admonitions. This week he will get used to living in Brussels before he really starts classes next week.

We are so thankful for the things that God allows us to see in this life - the work that He is completing in so many people. We are thankful that we can be part of that and will keep planning and doing each day, because it IS time.