The Reconciliation of All Things

Different places in the world have a uniqueness regarding the ecology God has placed there. For instance, here in central Brazil it's the end of dry season. It's basically a savannah type region. It's brown, dry, and dusty. Even still, there is so much life! You just have to have eyes to look for it! Thankfully it rained last night--a light rain--but it helps with the dust in the air. Here are some of the pictures I took this morning early. The birds were out and about, enjoying the cooler air and some of the moisture that stuck around. Typical scene in rural central Brazil. Mangoes are almost ready! What I call an LBB, or "Little Brown Bird". Didn't identify this one. :-) A Yellow-Chevroned Parakeet chilling. This is a White-Eyed Parakeet, or White-Eyed Conure, and below as well. I spy... How many can you find? Also very loud birds! Toucans are common here, but I haven't been able to capture a clear shot of one yet. This one was flying overhead and I reco...

 I'm in Brazil for two weeks--arrived yesterday. I came to spend time with my mom, who's dealing with Alzheimers. It's such a difficult disease to deal with, for the person suffering, and for family and close friends. I'm thankful though that the place she and my dad live have people who are loving, kind, patient, and very understanding. My mom has ceased being able to communicate in Portuguese. Her brain just cannot put the words together for a sentence. It's not as bad in English for her, but some days are harder than others. I've already cried a few times, with her and on my own. It's so important to be able to grieve. 

COVID-19 has changed so much already, hasn't it? Nothing seemingly is back to normal (ok, well, maybe politics). One thing that I've noticed the world over has been something people wouldn't think of normally. However, over the last few months, I began seeing reports of wildlife walking through towns in Europe, of other animals expanding their ranges in North America and Asia. I saw before and after pictures of massive cities in Asia that used to be choked with pollution in which no single person had ever seen the blue sky. Rivers and waterways in Europe, such as in Venice, were so clear, people could see the algae growing, or fish returned to the rivers once desolate of fish. One thing COVID has done, for those who "have eyes to see, and ears to hear", is that "creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself...

Let's be honest--this COVID thing has been hard. I mean, it's basically changed how we do life, all over the world! My trips have been cancelled, or post-poned until next year... But when will things get back to normal? Or, should I say, "a new normal"... That's really what we're seeing. It's been interesting to see people's reactions to the COVID pandemic. There was an article I read early on this year when COVID was just starting to have a significant impact in the US. I thought the authors had quite the insight, comparing COVID to not just a blizzard, or a period of winter, but an Ice Age. They were saying that it would change A LOT. These were business people that wrote it, Christians doing business in the US and the world, but they were stating that it would change how we do church, how we do all kinds of gatherings, and that back THEN was the time for our churches and businesses and community groups to figure out how to adapt. You see, when we ha...

I read this today and thought it was so revealing the special place forests have in God's creation!  Click the link to read, then watch the short video. 

Waking up with wood smoke in your nostrils. Everyone cooks with wood. Sand everywhere you walk. Some is so fine you don’t get very far as you step. No point in wearing shoes as sand finds its way into everything. Sounds of donkeys braying through the day and night. Stares of people because you’re the only white person they’ve seen in years. Feet that are stained filthy because of walking in sandals all day, taking them off at each person’s mat to sit for hours. Sun that is so hot it will sunburn you quickly, and air that is so dry in the dry season you don’t notice you are becoming dehydrated. Sun stroke for the unprepared. Multiple greetings are exchanged in the street as you walk by people. "Peace be upon you" I say. They respond with "And peace to you too". Other greetings continue back and forth, done without thought sometimes, but out of habit. Give eye contact and you need to greet usually. Don’t use left hand to greet. If unable to use right hand, use r...

I recently returned from a trip to central Africa, from a place that is groaning, longing for the reconciliation that the cross brings...the death and decay, the suffering is evident, and only the gospel will really have a lasting impact to bring true transformation to the people and the land. One of the challenges is that due to decades of drought and famine, many IDP's, or Internally Displaced People move to other parts of the country where they think they'll be better off--be it for work, or simply for growing crops to survive. This video shows a drive by view of one of these villages of IDP's that pop up outside established cities/towns.