World Water Day 2011
Today is the United Nations World Water Day 2011. World Water Day began in in 1993 and is observed every year on March 22 to promote awareness of the need for fresh water.
884 million people in the world do not have access to safe drinking water. What does that mean?
Spending time hiking and backpacking, I know that you should never drink from a stream or lake without boiling, filtering, or treating the water. Even the purest looking mountain stream can contain some nasty little pests, like Giardia or Cryptosporidium. These water sources have been impacted very little by humans, yet they can cause serious stomach and intestinal illness. If left untreated, they can lead to death.
However, the world’s poor do not have access even to water this clean. The source of their drinking water is also where their sewage, dead animals, and harmful pollutants are dumped. These waters can contain many different harmful pests, and boiling alone will not get rid of every harmful thing in the water.
One of the nastiest parasites people have to deal with is the Guinea Worm. People ingest the worm by drinking untreated water. The male and female then mate inside the hosts body. The pregnant female burrows through the infected person’s intestine and into the body, eventually working it’s way into the leg. The worm then burrows it’s way through the skin of the leg or foot, causing an intense burning sensation.
What does a person do when it feels like their foot is on fire? Naturally they put it in water. Once the female hits the water, she releases the larvae into the water, where the cycle is repeated.
Illness from contaminated drinking water often leads to death. When it doesn’t lead to death, it keeps people in poverty. The intense pain keeps those infected from being able to work or go to school.
In addition most people have to walk several miles just to get to a water source. When a person spends several hours of their day hauling water home, it does not leave a lot of time for making a living. Imagine what it would be like if you spent just four hours every day just getting water.
Fortunately there are several organizations making a difference, providing safe, clean drinking water to those without. Below is a list of a few of these organizations. Please check them out and consider donating to one.
Wishing Well is a nonprofit located in Oklahoma City, OK that is dedicated to providing clean water to these communities without access to clean water. Communities around the US have partnered with us to raise funds for wells and raise awareness about the water crisis.
charity: water is a non-profit organization bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations. 100% of public donations directly fund water projects.
Water.org is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization committed to providing safe drinking water and sanitation to people in developing countries. We envision a day when everyone can have safe water.
One Day’s Wages (ODW) is a new grassroots movement of people, stories, and actions to alleviate extreme global poverty. ODW promotes awareness, invites simple giving, and supports sustainable relief through partnerships, especially with smaller organizations in developing regions.
You may know WorldVision from their ads urging you to sponsor a poverty-stricken child. However, WorldVision does many works, like disaster relief, AIDS care and education, fighting human trafficking, and, of course, providing clean drinking water.
I encourage you to spend some time in prayer for the 884 million people around the world who do not have safe drinking water. Please consider what you can do to help.
UPDATE:
I wanted to add one more organization to the list. Three Avocados is a new player to the water game. Three Avocados is actually a new coffee company (If you know me, you know how much I love coffee!) which donates 100% of its proceeds to providing clean water in Uganda.
Some of my favorite quotes (so far) from Christian Atheist by Craig Groeschel
These are a few of my favorite quotes so far from Christian Atheist by Craig Groeschel. If you haven’t read it yet, I encourage you to check it out.
“Locked in a prison of shame, many Christian Atheists hate their pasts and themselves in equal measure — and there seems to be no hope of escape” (49).
“I learned to equate what I did with who I was….I hadn’t done something bad; I WAS bad. I honestly believed that if people knew the real me, they wouldn’t like me at all. And that went double for God” (49).
“Like a child who repeatedly picks at a scab, many hurt people live a life of unhealed pain” (51).
“When we let shame control our actions, we cannot know God, because we cannot live our lives for him” (51).
“Christian Atheists believe in God and even believe that God loves people, but always other people, who are less sinful or more important” (65).
I really feel like I could have written chapters 2 and 3, or that they were written for me. I am discovering that the biggest barrier between God and me is not my sin but the shame I feel from my sin. It keeps me from experiencing closeness which, in turn, keeps me from growing into who he wants me to become.
I have no problem speaking grace and forgiveness into other people’s lives, and I actually believe that they are completely forgiven and free from that sin and the burden of shame. Why can I not believe that for my own life? Why do I believe that God can change the life of any other person but mine?
I know I am not the only one who struggles with this. Why do we do this to ourselves? I hope and pray that we can be like Paul, who wrote “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3.13b-14). If God can not only forgive Paul for murdering and persecuting Christians, but also develop him into one of the most influential people in Christianity, then surely he can forgive me and use me for something important. I think I’m beginning to believe that.
Blaming God
If you follow the NFL, you have probably already seen this video. If you haven’t seen it, take a look. The Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers are tied in overtime, and the first team to score, wins the game. The Bills have the ball on the Steelers 40-yard line when Stevie Johnson breaks through the Steelers defense. Ryan Fitzpatrick delivers a perfectly thrown ball to a wide open Johnson in the end zone…
…and he drops it.
What would have been the game-winner, bounces in and out of the hands of Johnson. The Steelers would then go on to win the game 19-16. As big of a story as that is, what transpired after the game has become the bigger story.
Johnson, obviously disappointed, took to Twitter to air his frustration. However, Johnson did not blame himself for taking his eyes off the ball. He didn’t blame himself for not getting his hands into position.
My initial reaction, like many of you, was to question how Johnson could blame God for something that was so obviously Johnson’s fault. His eyes and hands were not where they needed to be. How can he blame God for that?
Then my thoughts turned to myself. I wondered if I had ever done the same thing as Johnson. It didn’t take long before I realized I am often the same way. When things are going the way I want them to go, it is easy to praise God, but when life does not turn out the way I had planned, I often question or blame God. Even when it is my own foolishness which gets me into trouble, I sometimes demand that God explain to me how he could allow that to happen.
Perhaps you can relate.
Perhaps you and I are a lot more like Stevie Johnson than we would care to admit. In fact, Johnson may even be a little more mature than many of us. The day after, Johnson tweeted this:
Johnson went on to tweet that he was not trying to blame God, but that he was simply crying out and asking “Why?”. He also said that after talking with friends, teammates, his wife, and Kurt Warner (via Twitter), he is able to see the bigger picture, knowing that God can use these trials for higher purposes.
Hard times are a part of life on this earth. Everyone experiences them. God is not worthy of praise just when things are going my way. That is selfish. God is worthy of praise always, because God is always here for me. When things are going well (according to my standards), God is there blessing me. When things are not going so well (again, according to my standards), God is there to lead me through it.
I want to be more like Job. After losing his possessions, his livelihood, and his children, one would expect Job to be angry with God. Instead, Job has the faith to declare:
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
and naked I will depart.
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
may the name of the LORD be praised” (Job 1.21, NIV).
What lessons has God taught you (or is currently teaching you) through difficult times in your life? Please share in the comments.
Food and Photography
It’s been awhile. I made the mistake of starting a blog at the end of summer. As a youth minister, this was a bad idea. I’ve been trying to start back again, actually beginning several posts but never finishing.
But I am determined to start back up again and keep it going. I have debated for quite some time as to what the focus of this blog should be: ministry, Christian Living, food. I decided to focus on the things I love, which is all three and then some.
Recently, I started getting into photography. My friends Chase and Jaime of Chase + Jaime Photography invited me to assist them at a few weddings. Eventually, they put a camera in my hands and let me go at it. Earlier this month I attended PartnerCon, a photography conference in New Orleans, where my knowledge increased dramatically. Then this last week I broke down and bought a Nikon d300. I have been bitten by the photography bug!
This week is Thanksgiving, of course, and I am responsible for taking appetizers to my family’s Thanksgiving feast. So today I did a little shopping (okay, more than a little). When I got home, I just had to take pictures of my finds.
I love cheese, if you can’t tell from the picture. I thought a nice cheese platter would be a wonderful start to a Thanksgiving meal.
I thought I would start with The Drunken Goat. I first found this cheese at Whole Foods Market in Tulsa. It is a Spanish cheese made from goat’s milk and immersed in red wine. The combination of flavors is magical.
Sticking with Spanish cheeses, I had to go with Manchego. The first place I tried this cheese was at Bolero in Bricktown, OKC. For this one, I will be drizzling it with a warm honey-butter sauce and serving it with crostini. If you have never tried Manchego, what are you waiting for? Go grab some right now!
Since my mom’s side of the family is Italian, I had to pick some Italian cheeses. When most people think Italian cheese, they often think of Parmesan. Unfortunately, most people think of the dry, boring powder served at pizza joints. Real Parmesan cheese is anything but boring. It has a slightly nutty taste, which adds umami to any dish. Parmesan is one of my favorite cheeses.
This Parmesan is soaked in Merlot. I have never tried this one, but if it’s anything like Drunken Goat, it will be incredible!
Next, I spotted an Asiago, another delicious Italian cheese. This one is spiced up with olive oil and basil!
I decided that there may be some at our family Thanksgiving who may be a little leery about trying these cheeses, so I also picked up a smoked cheddar. Who doesn’t like smoked cheddar? It is definitely one of my favorite cheeses. I prefer sharp cheddar, but I could not find one. However, I am confident this one will be quite delicious!
What goes well with delicious cheeses? Delicious cured meats! How about some pancetta, prosciutto, and salami?! The salami is made with Pinot Grigio. Why not?
Finally, I have Mascarpone cheese (an Italian cream cheese), olives & peppadew, and red & orange bell peppers. I’m not sure exactly what I am going to do with these, but I can’t wait to experiment!
I can’t wait to be with family and enjoy some amazing food! So what is everyone else preparing for Thanksgiving?
What is your favorite Vacation Bible School memory?
We are halfway through our Vacation Bible School at our church. It’s a lot of craziness and hard work, but it is great to see the smiles on the faces of those kids. I love seeing how excited they are about Jesus and the Bible.
Yet, I can’t help but wonder how much of a lasting impact is being made on these children. Will they remember what they learned and experienced ten years from now? a year from now? six months from now? a month from now? a week from now?
I have to be honest, I don’t have a lot of memories of VBS as a child. I remember petting a python at a VBS in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, though I do not have a clue what the snake had to do with what we learned. And that is pretty much all I have as far as VBS memories. Hopefully you are different than I am. Perhaps I am the exception, and the rest of you have many fond memories which have helped guide you all these years.
So tell me: what is your favorite memory of Vacation Bible School? It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate or life-changing (remember, my memory is of a reptile). Just tell me what your favorite memory is, as well as if and how it has helped you in your spiritual formation.
What type of Vacation Bible School does your church run?
It’s that time of year again! Our church’s VBS starts this Sunday. I am curious as to what other churches do for VBS. Do you do it during the day or at night? Does it run for several days, or is it just a one-day event? Let me know by voting in the poll below.
Ours runs Sunday night through Wednesday night. In the past I have done VBS during the day and as a one-day event. Feel free to discuss any unique ideas your church incorporates into their VBS. Next week I plan on writing another post on the legitimacy of VBS, so be sure to check back later for that!
Hustling for Jesus
I know what you’re thinking: “How does selling stolen stereos out of the back of a van help the Son of God?” Well, just think of all the things we could do with the money we would make! We could build schools, support missionaries, or buy a sweet bus for the youth group, complete with 20 plasma screens, a sub-woofer the size of an NFL linebacker, and a fold-out half-pipe. Okay, just kidding. That’s not what I’m talking about at all. But if someone would like to donate that bus, I could definitely put it to good use.
Today, the sports world is abuzz about Hanley Ramirez, the Shortstop for the Florida Marlins. If you haven’t seen or heard what happened last night, check out the video here.
Hanley accidentally kicks the ball into the left field corner, then jogs after it, showing absolutely no hustle and no concern for the runners rounding the bases. Two runs score, and the batter ends up on third base. Florida Manager Fredi Gonzalez benched Ramirez for this pathetic display, and after the game, Ramirez not only showed no remorse, he actually criticized his coach.
Ramirez has shown the sports world that it’s about him. Whether he feels this way or not, it appears that he does not care about his teammates nor his coach. If he wants to jog after a ball instead of sprint, he should be able to do that.
Before you are too quick to point your finger, ask yourself if you might be the same way when it comes to your church family. For you, is church about God and your spiritual brothers and sisters, or is it about you? Do you complain that you are not being fed, yet you never feed others? Do you argue that your needs aren’t being met while you ignore the needs of those around you? Do you wish that your church did more, even though you don’t lift a finger?
The church is Christ’s body (1 Corinthians 12.27), and we all play a part. Just like the Marlins cannot win a championship if one player doesn’t want to hustle, Christ cannot complete his work if you or I decide we don’t want to “hustle” or give it our all. When I make church (Christ’s body) about me, the whole body suffers (1 Corinthians 12.26), including myself and Jesus.
As a disciple of Christ, you are part of a team, a body, a church. If Christ is to complete his mission to bring the whole world to him (Ephesians 1.9-10), then we must put aside our selfish desires and give it all to him and his church. Our attitude should be the same as that of Jesus himself, “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! (Philippians 2.6-8).
Let’s ask ourselves: “Have I made church about me instead of about Christ and his followers? What can I do for someone else at church? How can I use my talents to serve my church? Am I an encouragement or a discouragement to other Christians? What am I doing to meet the needs of the people around me? Do I have the attitude of Christ?”
Welcome to my blog
For a little over a year, I have been thinking about beginning a blog. Today, I am finally taking the first step of what I hope is a wonderful journey. Blogs are a great way for people to creatively express their thoughts, hopes, desires, and frustrations. It is my hope and prayer that this endeavor will not only allow me the opportunity to impart my thoughts but also allow me to hear the many ideas of people around the country, or even the world.
If you don’t know me, let me briefly fill you in. I am the Youth & Family Minister for the Garriott Road church of Christ in Enid, Oklahoma. I am 12 days from my 1 year anniversary with this wonderful congregation. As a Christian and full-time minister, this blog will focus on the Christian life and my thoughts about church and ministry.
Besides ministry, I also enjoy music, sports, and cooking. I also enjoy reading and watching television shows which deal with these interests. From time-to-time, I may attempt to squeeze those into the mix.
In the meantime, let me suggest some other blogs for you to check out. These are some of the blogs which I enjoy reading.
Stuff Christians Like is a blog about the funny things we Christians do and what they just might reveal about our faith. The site is written by Jonathan Acuff, a preacher’s kid/copywriter who lives in Atlanta with his wife and two kids.
This is the blog of Wes Woodell, a campus minister in San Francisco.
Trey is a Christian husband and father, who moonlights as the minister for the church of Christ in Childress, Texas. This blog contains his thoughts about marriage, family, raising children, humor, faith and the life God intended for us all.
Donald Miller is the author of such books as Blue Like Jazz and A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. Donald provides a unique and challenging perspective on the Christian life. He is also one of my favorite authors.
If you have a favorite blog or even a blog of your own, let me know about it! Tell me about them in the comments. I look forward to sharing in this journey with you!
Michael L. Parks 