DOJO – December 2009

Many of us move from spiritual high to spiritual high wondering why we can’t just be spiritually baked all the time. If you live that way you soon realize that you can’t avoid the struggles, the heartbreaks, the failures. The highs are beautiful and needed and God is gracious to give them. But God is gracious to give the low times as well… because it’s these times that God uses to restore, remake and refine the child he loves… you and me.

So how do we “lead ourselves” during both the highs and lows so that we are moving towards being more loved by God, loving him back and tangibly loving the world? Or maybe simply…

How do I grow during both the highs and lows?

We’ve spent other DOJO’s talking about nurturing our lives through spiritual disciplines [ie. Bible reading, prayer, fasting, etc.]. And we’ll come back to that again. But some basic tenets to begin with:

+ Growing is fueled by a spirit of SURRENDER. > Romans 8:1-8

So often struggles in life [regardless of whether it's brought on by us] reveal areas where we hold on to too much control. And God, responding as a loving-father, uses these times to loosen our grip and help us to trust His lead for our lives. Yield to his control… learn to let go.

+ Growing is allowing God to bring correction. > Hebrews 12:1-11

God’s most loving act is often to point out our most glaring weakness. It’s His heart to train, build up and correct for the good of ourselves and those around us. Which means that our mistakes become the most fertile soil for growth. Listen for what God wants to say especially during times when you mess it up.

+ Growing is trusting Jesus over the circumstance. > Philippians 4:13

We don’t learn contentment when things are going well. In fact we often settle into greater dissatisfaction [ie. American consumerism]. We learn contentment when we don’t have what we want… and that’s when we learn authentic faith and a genuine trust for a God that is bigger than our circumstances.

+ Growing is believing God is doing a work in you. > Romans 8:28-30

God has NOT given up on us. And He won’t until He’s finished. We often deal with parental-figures who are always calling out our flaws. Thankfully God never forgets to see our potential and will never tire of helping us get there. Even when we don’t see our growth, He does. Believe it.

more…

This week in our Tuesday house group, we reflected on Isaiah 49 and 50 by contemplating on it, and then proceeding to write a poem. Writing poetry helps us think, articulate, and conjure our reflections in a way that is free, creative, and expressive.

What you see here is our thoughts, put on paper, expressed through words, deeply personal and uninhibited. For that reason, we chose to make each one anonymous. They are, in essence, meditations of the heart.

—

Sometimes, I wake up with regret to start my day
sometimes, I start and pray for a hopeful day
asking God to help me go through the motions.

I think alone
about what is to come
or analyze what went wrong.
Could I have said something more
so they could’ve known how I felt?
I bottle it up inside and
it lingers.
I know how I feel, but do they?
If you could only understand
how I want to be reached out to.

—

Saved, loved, accepted.
The Lord has forsaken me.
I’ll not forget you!

—

In pain and torment I cried out
and in the silence, came the dreadful doubt
to my dismay, I saw myself waste away
the consequence of a payment I couldn’t pay

And yet like a mother you came to me
broke the chains and set me free
to run and conquer and bring the light
the love of God that sets everything right.

—

There are happy times.
Times of being loved, of comfort
of being secure and being protected.
Times of belonging.

I can do anything, be anybody
I have infinite amounts of enthusiasm and
optimism.
Times of promise.

There are sad times.
Times of trouble, of despair,
of being hurt and being
abandoned.
Times of confusion.

I fail miserably, shout out loud!
I despise my circumstance and
lose faith, mostly in myself.
Times of darkness.

After every dusk, there is dawn.
It happens every time
without fail.
Flowers spring from the ground
at the first sign of winter’s deadlock easing.
It is for sure.
Happy and sad, time moves forward
and I am heading into morning.

—

I wonder how a mother or father cannot love
the child they bear?
I wonder why a child feels like he
does not have a purpose?

Do they not realize he is a miracle?
Does he not realize purpose was given
to him before he was born?

Though a mother and father may forget,
God will not forget those hebrought
into this world.

To you who are hopeless,
put your hope in the Lord and He
will not disappoint.
Do not wallow in your darkness and
wonder where God is. God is light.
And while you cannot control where the light
comes from, you can control how
much light comes in.

Let it in, then you
will find purpose.

—

Ravaged, ruined, rejected
Damaged, distraught, dejected
Battered, bruised, bereft of comfort

A pillow, a blanket, a warm embrace
Here, there is none in the dark, this lonely one
Pain, He becomes; His frame, overrun; His life to be unspun

No pillow, no blanket, no warm embrace in this empty, lonesome space
To look death in the face, and overcome
In quiet strength and grace
Deep within a trace

Of flint
Ready
To make sparks

—

I work hard and gain nothing from the earth,
The Lord is my reward, He shows me what is of worth,
Being a blessing to other Christians is noble indeed,
But God calls us to bless non-believers and plant the seed,
Has your mother forgotten you? Have you forgotten her?
God will never forget you for his love always endures,
If anyone messes with you they mess with the Lord,
And no one wants to mess with the Lord,
Do not think God is too weak for He will show you his strength,
Walk in the dark and do not fear,
Trust in God, He is always near.

This year’s Christmas worship will turn into a big birthday brunch to celebrate the birth of Jesus. We’ll have a handful of friends from the Victorians coming over and celebrating the fact that there really is HOPE in this world… and it begins in Jesus.

The house communities will divvy up the potluck duties – so check in with your house community. But there should be plenty of food, so bring your buddy and your grandma and come on out to celebrate this Christmas together.

Le Petit Trianon Theatre
72 North Fifth St. – UPSTAIRS
San Jose – 95112
9:55am  - SUNDAY – December 20th

Question to ponder for this Sunday… “How have you seen new birth in your life this past year?”

More info? Contact us at info[at]ihaven.org.

A few things for December

+ Clothes Drive for Momentum for Mental Health
MMH is collecting clothes for their Youth Services Program. If you have clothes that are in good shape and appropriate for high school aged youth, bring them on Sunday [12/20] and give it to Elton or contact Michelle Takamoto at michelletakemoto[at]hotmail.com. Contact Michelle or info[at]ihaven.org for more info.

+ Thailand Missions Project
Chiang Mai, Thailand - March 12-21, 2010 (travel included). Cost is about $1400. It is the same trip that Irene Sujanto Lau was a part of in 2009. You’ll have the opportunity to reach junior/high school students through a locally run English camp. Contact Eugene Chu for more info at coffeetalk[at]gmail.com.

+ Generosity Project
In FULL effect… check in with your house communities and be a part of our challenge to tangibly love the people around you and the our city. Click HERE for more info on the GP.

Lisa and Billy will be hosting their 2nd annual cookie exchange… but this time with a new twist… read on!

>>>>>>>

We will be having our annual cookie exchange again this year. We had a lot of fun last year with this and we would love to have you all over to show off your baking skills again!

We will be doing our cookie contest just last last year. The judging will be for:

Best tasting cookie
Best looking cookie

While we will be cookie packing for ourselves this year again, we will also be packing cookies for a local organization named Next Door Solutions. This organization helps individuals who have been a part of domestic violence. We’ll drop off about 18 dozen cookies to the staff as well as the women and children they are helping to show our care and appreciation this holiday!

We will have a station for families with children to come and do some drawings and make some cards for the kids over there and we will be packing cookies for ourselves as well as for Next Door to be delivered! =)

So I encourage you all to BAKE BAKE BAKE!! =)

::Here is all the info::

Date: Saturday, December 12th

Time: 2pm – 5pm (for the kiddos to participate)

Where: The Nguyens
3607 Place De Louis
San Jose, California 95148

How many dozens of cookies to bake? I am going to say for individuals 2 dozens and for couples/families 3-4 dozens

Last year we had an ornament exchange as well but we are doing something different… Please come in your ugliest Christmas/Holiday Sweater!!!! That is right! Pull them out and wear them with pride… We will be judging for the UGLIEST sweater too!!

Finger foods and drinks will be provided so we will need you all to RSVP!!!

Please respond to us if you are coming to lisanguyen921@gmail.com by December 5th.

Thanks guys!!

Lisa + Billy

Next door to the place we rent for our monthly worship are these boarding homes for many formerly homeless and persons with mental illness. And we’ve sporadically gone over and tried to find ways to connect and love them. We’ve done different things: clothes drives, small Bible studies, simple worship services, etc. What we’ve learned is that many live lonely existences, suffer from all of sorts of struggles [some self-imposed and others just by consequence] and experience a great degree of rejection.

So what we’ve been doing [until God tells us otherwise] is that we go over, bring lunch for all of us and just hang out. We’ve been doing this off and on over the course of the last year. We ask them how they are doing, what their story is, where they are from, etc. And we ask them if they need any prayer and we pray. And that’s about it – there’s nothing fancy, we don’t stay terribly long. We just share a meal and be friends.

And what it’s done is remind us no matter what sort of background or struggle, that we are all created in the image of God and thus loved by Him. And we’ve discovered that they are people just like us – who have experienced some hard moments, who are working through their struggles and are just needing a reminder that they matter in this world. The truth is that we’re all the same.

We went yesterday and had a great time in the sun, eating take out Chinese food and talking life. We’ve been doing it for a while, but I think we are just beginning to get why we need to be there [for both our good] and we’re slowly understanding Jesus’ heart to love the least [us included]. I got a hug from James Taylor yesterday… he said, “You guys are good people… you’re our buddies.” This is after 4+ years of knowing each other. Things don’t happen overnight. And God has used our time there to birth something in them and in us.

We got this letter today from Michelle who is a resident there:

Dear Elton and family,their friends,and their church community;

THANK-YOU!!!,very much for the fun get-together and lunch that was put on by you guys yesterday here at the Victorians Independant living community.Everybody that I talked to said that they had a good time,and to tell you “Thank-you!!!We feel very honored to have you and the prescence of GOD here every time you come and fellowship with us.Through the love of Christ,you show consideration and compassion for us-we really do appreciate this.May god bless you always,in the great work you guys(and gals) do for us and everyone your hearts “Touch”.We are truly blessed.

With love,through God, The residents of the Victorians.
ps- Great food!!!        :-))))))))

We’re making a minor change just for this month – our LPT worship will be on October 25th. We’ll do lunch again with our friends at the Vic’s and having a few new friends share with us that Sunday. Thanks and see you then.

Le Petit Trianon Theatre [2nd Floor]
72 North Fifth St.
San Jose, 95112
10am

A message from Sergio about the Amazing Race. Thanks to all to who helped and participated – and it’s not too late to donate for cancer research. Go here to do so. Even though we didn’t reach our goal – God used us to really encourage Mike in his journey… he was so touched that he promised to carry a picture of us as he crossed the finish line! It’s a blessing to support one another as we find ways to live the love of Jesus in our world.

Post from Sergio below…

The catalyst for Haven’s 3rd Amazing Race was my co-worker Mike. For weeks, Mike had been sharing about his excitement and preparation in training for a grueling 26.2 miles marathon. He had ran a few others; and as a person who didn’t enjoy sustained running or had no concept of a runners high, I asked him why he was running. He shared a touching story about how one of his favorite professors lost his daughter to cancer, and how that motivated him to run marathons with Team in Training, a non-profit organization that raises money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

A few weeks passed after Mike shared his story with me, and I kept thinking about how Elton had been asking our house groups to find a way to serve and love our communities. It was then that I thought about holding a fundraising event for Mike, and the Amazing Race crossed my mind. Haven has done this before; the first one was organized by Ken and Irene Lau. I took the reigns and put together the second Amazing Race. Both times, the purpose was community building. But this time, it was more than a community event.

Mike and Jon working on one of the challenges…

Our house group invited Mike to share about his cause and I shared how we would try to help him reach his fundraising goal of $5000. For the next three months, we planned, we advertised, we recruited some very creative people to prepare marketing material, and as the event drew near, nobody signed up for the event. We prayed and prayed some more and no one signed up. And so we did what we knew, and that was to pray more.

The lack of interest was discouraging, but I tried to keep a positive spirit believing that what we were doing was right. We were tasked by our pastor to reach our community and help people – so we tried. Sure, Mike was only one person, but movements begin one person at a time. Besides, Mike had been running these races to help people, so we would be joining him in that effort.

Personally, cancer has affected parents of two very important people in Haven who I dearly loved. Knowing that God has all things in His hands, I remembered that God uses His people to move history, so I knew that I shouldn’t despair. I believed He would use our house group. In the final day of registration, a few teams signed up.

The morning of Sunday, September 13th was pleasant as we made our way over the Santa Cruz mountains towards the Pacific and an overcast sky met us on the coast. We prepared the challenges for the race, which consisted of finding coins in the sand, singing on a busy street, putting wet sponges on people’s heads, blindfolding contestants, giving them logic puzzles, and so forth. The race began with eight teams, and after three hours, several teams found themselves trying to spell out a phrase with a jumble of letters at the finish line. Although the phrase was difficult, a victor emerged by spelling out the phrase “Running Cancer into the Ground.” The winners were Dave and Rachel King, winners of the second Amazing Race!

Post race celebration…

We concluded the race with burgers and hot dogs and a birthday cake for Tina. People lay on the beach swapping Amazing Race experiences like soldiers sharing war stories. In the end, the 8 teams raised $525. Although it was only slightly over 10% of Mike’s goal, he was deeply touched by the generosity of the contestants and of our small group who put the race together. As Mike thanked us, he shook hands with Alan, our church elder who had earlier that morning attended a funeral where the deceased died of lymphoma.

So we are reminded that the early church helped the poor, the fatherless and widows, they proclaimed freedom, and healed the sick. If God calls us to heal the sick by praying for healing, we’ll do it. If He calls us to help an average man who’s running a marathon to raise money for cancer research, we’ll do it too.

Tuesday House Group led by Sergio

Haven is sponsoring its third Amazing Race event, this time in Santa Cruz! Team up with one or two others to complete various challenges, from logic puzzles to physical obstacles, all while taking in the beauty of Santa Cruz. This Amazing Race will benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

For more info go here: ihaven.org/amazingrace or contact Sergio @ sabrizuela [at] gmail.com.