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