* grace vs. death *
in light of the events that took place at virginia tech this week, most people tend to think along the lines of revenge and how the perpetrator, or at least someone, must pay. but i came across this quote and i can find nothing more fitting, and necessary as a reminder for all of us as pursuers of grace. i originally only intended to quote the first paragraph, but the rest of the article is so good i had to quote it all.

From 'when violence kills itself' by shane claiborne:

It is in moments like these violent times that grace looks so magnificent. It is in the shadow of such violence, as was the case after the Amish school shooting, that the victims' grace to the murderer’s family shines so brightly. Sometimes all the peacemakers need to do is practice revolutionary patience, and steadfast hope – for the universe bends toward justice, and the entire Christian story demonstrates the triumph of love. And it makes it even more scandalous to think of killing someone who kills – for they, more than anyone in the world, need to hear that they are created for something better than that.

I am reminded of a letter I got from someone currently on death row. After reading some of my writing, he wrote to me to share that he was a living testimony against the myth of redemptive violence (the idea that violence can bring redemption or peace). This fellow on death row told me that the family of his victim argued that he should not be killed for what he did, that he was not beyond redemption, and so he did not receive the death penalty for his crime. “That gave me a lot of time to think about grace,” he said. And he became a Christian in prison. Another story of scandalous love and grace.

So in these days after Easter, even as we see the horror of death, may we be reminded that in the end love wins. Mercy triumphs. Life is more powerful than death. And even those who have committed great violence can have the image of God come to life again within them as they hear the whisper of love. May the whisper of love grow louder than the thunder of violence. May we love loudly.

full article here

* update on leaving hong kong *
clothes are scattered everywhere, the suitcase is open but nothing is in it, and we are both frantically trying to finish what we need to before boarding that britair plane at 00:35 7-4-07.

me?

i have 5 school assignments, of which i've done 1.5, all due the day after i return. and there is no internet access in the boones of wales. and i need to revamp my 'intimacy' talk to make it more suitable for highschool students.

oh, and i have to pack.

good news is i'm feeling much better after taking drew's brew. it burnses, but it burnses goooood! this is drew's recipe, in case anyone you know comes down with the plague:

The medicine is called “master tonic” so you know it has to be good. It is basically a cure for the plague but works equally well on colds and such. It seriously stinks though! The magic formula is as follow:

Equal parts:
Fresh chopped garlic
Fresh chopped white onion
Fresh grated ginger
Fresh grated horseradish root
Fresh chopped peppers (HOTTEST available i.e. habanero, bird, etc.)

Fill a glass jar (MUST be glass! Plastic will melt) 3/4 of the way full. Then fill the jar with raw, unbleached, non-distilled, unfiltered apple cider vinegar. Shake at least once a day (more often if you can) for the next two weeks. After two weeks, filter it and save the liquid/ throw away the food part.

It doesn’t need to be refrigerated and lasts indefinitely. Take it as needed…a few drops under the tongue 2-3 times a day will do for most colds…if you are really sick (like about to die) take more.

* cough cough *
one week before we leave for the neec youth conference, i come down with a not-so-nice sore throat/cough/headache/sniffles. my head feels like it's being dragged around by 10-tonne truck right now. and i've probably killed an entire forest with the amount of tissues i used today.

but i don't even mind, because we're getting on that plane on friday night! derek has been slaving away day and night for the past few days trying to pump out 6 sermons for next week. well, 5. i'm doing one of them. we are so looking forward to seeing wales and finding what's been happening with the christian youth in the UK. but i'm not really looking forward to the cold. i think i have effectively become a tropical climate person.

on a different note, derek and i are excited the possibility of something we've been talking about for a long time: adoption!! we weren't expecting it to happen so soon, but an opportunity arose and we've been giving it some serious thought. so i thought maybe i should see what you people out in blogworld think:


SHOULD WE ADOPT HER?? she's a few months older now than the photo suggests, but she's still a beauty! look at those blue eyes, and the little paws..... oooohhhhh i can't wait til we bring her home!