I will do what you want me to do
Today
Tomorrow
And every breath I take

I will be who you want me to be
Today
Tomorrow
And every breath I take

I will live the way you want me to live
Today
Tomorrow
And every breath I take...every breath I take

September 2011...
 
I had resigned my teaching position the previous spring as my new wife and I were making plans to move to the Philippines.  I had taken part-time positions at our Kuna branch as their worship director and also at a local Indian restaurant where I mostly made sure the lunch buffet was operating smoothly and enjoyed a free lunch on the days I worked.
 
On September 11 I had the day off.  It was morning and my wife of 8.5 months had already left for her job as 4th grade teacher at Shadowhills Elementary in Boise, Idaho.  Sitting down to begin working on some assignments for a distance learning class I was taking through Fuller Theological Seminary -- Introduction to Islam -- I decided to turn on the TV.  What I saw was a large building with billows of smoke spewing from it.  I listened for awhile and the commentators mentioned that a plane had flown in to the building, but they seemed quite confused about the details.  Just as I was about to turn the channel all of the sudden right there on live television a second passenger jet flew into the World Trade Center in New York City. 
 
I saw it.  You saw it.  It changed us.
 
The Indian Sihk cook at the Indian Restaurant was beaten up on his way home because he wore a turban on his head.  Our ignorance as a nation was on full display.  But what disturbed me most was the attitude displayed by friends in the church--those who claimed to know the "amazing grace" of God and live according to the teachings of the Word of God and, more particularly, the teachings of Christ.
 
Love your Neighbor...
Pray for those who persecute you...
Return evil with good...
 
You get the picture.  I was wanting to send out a September 11 email but then got way too busy to get it done.  Then this morning--September 10th in Asia--I read this article and decided to sit down and send this message.  I hope you'll read it and think about it as you remember September 11th on this 10th anniversary.  Let me summarize briefly from the article the four ways that we can remember:
  
1. Historical remembrance--This is an important form of remembering that "places the event in context and refuses to easy labeling of one party or another as good or evil, or of thinking that this was an event that 'changed the world' when in actuality it only gave us Americans a reality check about the suffering going on throughout the world on a daily basis.
 
2.  Cultural remembrance--This is where we who share cultural and national identity remember those who were victims.  This can be appropriate as well when accomplished through humility and prayer and being mindful of the rhetoric coming from various places in society that might require us to contradict our identity in Christ and the attitude we are to have as his disciples.
 
3.  Relational remembrance--This is the memory of specific people that we knew, families that suffered and the personal and emotional connection we had to the event.  This is Job's friends sitting with him in silence as he mourns the loss of his children.
 
4.  Delightful remembrance-- This is a "deliberate remembrance of the evil of the event...not a remembrance of delight--rather a perversely enjoyable remembrance of an evil done to us, remembered because it nurses our contempt for the perpetrators and simultaneously infuses us with a sense of mission, namely the perpetrator's destruction and our own triumph over them."  This is the form of remembrance that makes us forget to pray for our enemies--for their welfare and spiritual condition and not about their eternal damnation.  We easily forget that Christ spilled his blood for them, saying, "Father forgive them..."
 
This form of remembering is sin.
 
Regardless of what we've been told by our news media, by the multitudes of books that have been published, by well-meaning friends and by pastors from their pulpit (or on television for a select few of our Christian religious leaders), one things in certain--God loves our Muslim Neighbors!  They are so much closer to us that you might ever know or imagine. 
 
Let's remember together.  Let's cry together.  Let's pray together--for our nation, that we would turn back to God and become Christlike disciples in our own nation and throughout the world; and for our Muslim Neighbors around the world, that they, too, would better understand and know the Messiah that is introduced to them in their own Book and seek to follow him.  May the day come when we walk this road together.
 
Do Everything In Love...

It is not mine to question the judgments of the LORD;
It is but mine to follow the leadings of His Word;
But if to go or stay or whether here or there;
I'll be with my Savior content anywhere.

-- C. Austin Miles 1868-1946

One thing is certain—it was a day not likely to soon be forgotten.  For the bride and groom, of course, it was the day of their wedding.  But for anyone who was seated outside the church building during the ceremony this day was anything but typical.

In East Timor weddings are events for the community and the entire community throws themselves into the planning, organization and carrying-out of the occasion with great enthusiasm and energy.  Unlike in my home country, where the bride-to-be is consumed with every detail of the affair, in East Timor most of the details are planned and taken care of by the family and the community or, in this case, the church.  This is the nature of communal societies.  It’s also the reality of not having significant financial resources.  Choices, we must remember, spring primarily from excess.

The wedding ceremony itself also reflects the community-oriented nature of the every day.  event.  The wedding is done as part of a regular Sunday worship service.  During the course of the service the bride and groom will sit up front on a small couch or two decorated chairs while the rest of the family and church community sat behind them.  The service begins as any normal Sunday service might—singing, praying, giving and a sermon.  It is not until the end of the sermon that the wedding ceremony begins, much like we might have a baptism or baby dedication following the sermon.

At this point the bride and groom stand before the pastor with their family and friends behind them and take their vows, exchange rings (if rings are being used, which they often are not) and kneel before both sets of parents to seek their blessing.  If the bride is brave (read: not too shy) there might even be a kiss!

At this point things usually move to another section of the building or outside where the cake (again, if there is a cake) will be cut and a variety of other traditions may or may not take place.  Almost always, though, there is an ornately decorated couch where the couple will sit, eat, receive well-wishers and have their photos taken with guests.                                    

So, for days and weeks leading up to the event the church was a bee hive of activity.  

[click "Read More" to continue reading and see a photo of the kitchen where the feast was cooked]  
  

As I walked into the youth center just hours after arriving in country I noticed a white board on which was written the responsibilities of every family in the church—which decorations they were to buy, which part they would play in the service, and what foods they were responsible to bring. 

I arrived at the church in the early afternoon, a few hours before the evening ceremony was to begin.  The church had been decorated very simply, but beautifully.  The rented church building  was not going to be large enough to seat everyone so four giant tarps had been hung over a dirt area which usually served as parking.  Chairs, a food table, cake table and the important “couples couch” had been set up and final decorations were being prepared and hung. The cake was beautiful and even included a cake topper consisting of a very pale bride and groom, which seemed a little strange.  Surrounding the cake were dozens of cupcakes, decorated in Valentine’s Day fashion—red hearts and pink ribbons.  You get the idea.  Everyone had worked so hard and the building was looking very nice.  A red carpet had even been laid out beginning from where the bride would exit her vehicle all the way to the front of the church.

As usual, guests began to arrive 20 minutes late but when they were all there the inside of the building was packed and stifling hot, so I decided to find a seat outside (after making my obligatory greeting and congratulating the soon-to-be-married couple).  I’m glad I did; otherwise I’d have missed all the action!

As soon as my friend and colleague (a regional worker who has worked in East Timor for the past 6 years) got up to preach the rains began to fall.  As the rain got stronger the water began to pool in the tarp—most precariously above the food and cake tables—and eventually began to leak.  The young men jumped into action, attempting to divert the water to more safe areas of the tarp and then poking holes in the tarp to allow them to drain away from the cake and seated guests.

The rains continued, however, and then the winds began.  I’m sure Pastor W could see the commotion outside as he was preaching, but I’m fairly certain that the young couple in front was oblivious to all that was going on and the great efforts their friends were making to save their cake!  The wind began to lift up the tarps spraying water in all direction as a few unfortunate guest found themselves a bit wetter than they would have preferred.  One tarp was torn away from it rope and required a very quick repair.

As it grew progressively darker it became clear that the rain and wind had also damaged the series of light bulbs that had been strung around under the tarps.  None of them worked and another small group of young men worked frantically to get the lights going before total darkness ensued.  They were not successful.

As the couple said their vows, still oblivious to all that was going out just a few meters away, the red carpet was now brown with mud, buckets were strewn about the area catching rain water, the cake had already been moved several times to avoid a very wet disaster, several guests were looking for ways to remain dry and candles now lined the food table to allow people to see what it was they were eating (sautéed hot dogs seemed to a favorite, by the way).

In the end the cake table was carried into the sanctuary and up to the front of the church.  There the bride and groom cut the cake and toasted each other with warm Coca-Cola.  Afterwards the children made a rush for the cupcakes.  I really wanted to take one but none of the other adults were eating them, so I resisted.  There was plenty of food and nobody seemed to mind eating in the dark.  As I approached them to congratulate them again, the groom gave me a hug (not typical for the area where I live) and touched his cheeks to mine on both sides of my face.  This, too is not at all typical where I live but it was a sign of respect and honor here. 
  

The next morning David and Anna—the newly married couple—were at the church helping to clean up.  I wanted to tease them but could only smile at the beautiful example of community that was being played out before my eyes.  It was beautiful…and perfect.