Eyes on Jesus.

When our eyes are on Jesus Christ and him dying for us; when our lives revolve around this; when it is what is at the core of our hearts, everything begins to change...
- we will care less about ourselves, and more about others.

- the resentment and unforgiveness that once chained us up spiritually, will fade away.

- we will begin to walk in God´s will.

- instead of judging others, we will love them, and wish them well.

- we will be humbled and become less, and Christ will become more.

- we will have the strength and the courage to stand up against sin.

- we will become better husbands and wives, better fathers and mothers.

- those that are in leadership positions, they will lead with the heart of a servant, just like Jesus lead his disciples but he was like a servant to them.

- our hearts will praise God.

- our lives will be a light that shines in a darkening world.

- instead of thinking bad of others, we will pray for them.

- We will be able to encourage and strengthen others.

- Our words will be for the good of others.

- Our hearts will break for what breaks God´s heart.

- We will love, oh, how we will love.

- We will not fear death.

- We will think of ourselves as unworthy of receiving anything good from God, yet look around, and see that God has given us absolutely everything, he even died for our sin, so that we could be forever with him.

God, do this in me, and those that want to have this too, do this in them too. Make us lights for the world to see, and use us to do good works. Give us servants hearts, and make us less, so that Christ is more in our lives. Make us weak so that we can really be strong. Make us know that our wisdom really is nothing so that we can have real wisdom. Put our eyes on Christ.

An interview with Billy Graham.

Billy Graham turned 90 years old.

Here is an interview where he speaks about getting older, praying for the nation, missing his wife Ruth, etc..

Anyone ever attend one of his crusades?

The cross and the storm.

A man stood on a hill, at the foot of a cross. The same cross that his Savior had died on.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw something. He looked, and there in the distance was a storm. Dark clouds were on the horizon, and lightening flashed in them like flickering flames in lanterns.

A voice whispered ¨look at the cross¨.

The man looked up at the cross, but soon turned his gaze again to the coming storm. The clouds were now as black as a moonless night, and they were beginning to spin and roll and come closer to the earth.

Again, the voice whispered ¨look at the cross¨.

The mans heart was filling with fear and worry, and his eyes remained set on the storm. The storm drew nearer and nearer, and lightening was striking the ground like white hot spears.

¨look at the cross¨, said the voice.

The wind blew, and the trees bent. And the man ran. Away from the storm, and away from the cross.

Above the noise of the storm, the voice shouted ¨Look at the Cross!¨.

The man replied ¨Why!, Who will save me from this approaching storm? Who will save me from death!¨.

The voice echoed through ¨This storm may very well kill your body, but it cannot kill your soul. That cross represents my grace to you and to all those who believe. You were bought for a price. I took your sin, and hung and died on that cross. You are now mine, and nobody can take you from me¨.

The man stopped running, and through the darkness, and the rain, and the wind, he could see the cross, and he made his way to it.

The man put his arms around the cross to keep from being thrown down by the wind. He looked up at where Jesus had once been, and thought about how Jesus had died for his sin. The fear began to leave him, and was replaced by a peaceful assurance of his eternal salvation, and a strength to face the storm.

In the middle of the raging storm, he had security. With his focus now on Jesus and him sacrificing himself for us, his purpose was clear. The man pulled the cross from the ground, set it on his shoulder, and with a heart full of compassion and love for others, he set out to tell people about Jesus.
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What is your storm? What causes you to fear and worry? Its so easy to have our eyes on those things, and not have them on Jesus. There is nothing in this world that can give us the security that we desire. Jesus died, and by believing in him, we find security. Salvation is a free gift from God through the sacrifice of his Son, Jesus Christ.

Our foundation has to be Jesus Christ and him crucified for us. There is no other strong foundation. If our foundation is on the hope of a long life, or money, or good health, or fame, or even relationships, then we are on a weak foundation.

I am as guilty as anyone of not keeping my eyes on Jesus.

Jesus says for us to pick up our crosses and follow him. I had never understood that, but now I think I am starting to.

If someone were to literally always carry a big wood cross, they would always be thinking about that cross. The cross is what Christ died on, and it represents his death for us. So I think to carry our cross, that would be to always think about what Christ did for us. I guess to not just think about it, but it is our reason for living, and doing what we do. God´s grace through Jesus´s death is not just how we are saved, but it is the only strong foundation to stand on, and that is every day of our life. To forget about the cross causes me to think about other things... things that are not important. It causes me to worry and fear, but I truly believe this... when our eyes are on Jesus and him dying for us to save us, we find peace, and joy, and strength to go through the storms of life. Everything is from Jesus. The love and compassion to be able to do the will of God, we have to look to Jesus.

May God help me to do this, and that my eyes can remain on Jesus. Everything, absolutely everything is in Jesus Christ.

How wonderful to spend a life with our eyes on Jesus. In the middle of the storm, we have hope and security. In the middle of a storm, we are a light for the world.

I would like my posts to point to the cross (meaning that my posts will help people look to Christ and his dying for us on the cross and not to other things)

If anyone that reads this blog ever think I am getting off track, and someone needs to say something to me, then I encourage you to do it. Because I would much rather be told that I am doing something wrong, than to continue doing whatever I am doing wrong. I can´t promise that I will always take everyones advice, but if someone does tell me I am doing something wrong, I would like to pray and ask God to open my eyes so that I can understand, and that I can do what God wants me to do. I want this blog to be encouraging and to build people up.

Thank you for everyone that reads this blog. It is a blessing for me to be able to write on here, and I really hope that this blog is a blessing to you.

God is in control.

If you are like me, you have been worried and afraid about this election, and who will be president, and where is the United States headed.

But one thing has not changed, and will not change.......

GOD IS IN CONTROL.

And we should continue to trust him, even when the future seems dark and hopeless. We can be in the middle of a world that is falling apart, but God is still there. We may not know Gods plan, but that is ok, we can still trust God that he is good, and that he knows what he is doing.

With all that is going on in the world, lets remember Jesus and what he did for us on the cross. He died so that we may be forgiven, and be saved.

Jesus said "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.¨ Matthew 11:28 NIV.

God knows what he is doing... we can trust him..

Whether Obama is president or not, we should pray for him, and whether McCain is president or not, we should pray for him... that they will be sensitive to God´s voice, and that they will cry for what makes God cry, and they will love what God loves...

We should pray for our country, because God hears our prayers, and only he can heal our country.

I was reading some posts on a blog, and I must say, I think it is a wonderful blog. They haven´t posted in it for a while, but you can still read the past posts. It is a christian blog. Here is a quote from their last post, and I wanted to share it with you, because its really good. You can visit this blog at http://christcenteredhome.org/

¨I recall my high school and college years trying to imagine myself in a successful career doing something I love at that “perfect” job. I also recall working that “perfect” job and longing for the days I would become a mother. Now I rock crying babies, wipe snotty noses, wipe very dirty bottoms, explain complicated things to a two-year –old such as breast feeding, spank bottoms, clean up many spills, sing a sick toddler to sleep, wipe away tears, put passies in mouths, bake birthday cakes, spend many dollars at the one-hour photo in Wal-mart, gain nearly fifty pounds in pregnancy, carry a kicking baby inside my belly, sacrifice a flat stomach for a cottage cheese body, and become a human milk machine . This is my successful career and the “perfect” job that I love doing.¨

I failed Spanish

(post before this one is an update on us)

When I was in High School, I flunked one class... Spanish.

When I was in college, I applied with a government agency and I had to take a test that showed how well I would be able to learn a foreign language, particularly Spanish (I was required to learn Spanish after I was hired). Well I flunked the test, and never made it to the interview phase.

Before my first trip to Peru, I was trying to learn some Spanish, and it was really hard for me. I ordered a Spanish learning kit online, and it came with lots of CD´s, and I was able to go online, and print off the materials I needed. But I lacked motivation and joy to study it. It was just something I didn´t like doing. But I was going to Peru, and I needed to learn some Spanish, and so that put a lot of pressure on me. But I finally got to the point where I just wanted to quit trying. So I asked God to be in control, and help me. I stopped studying, and tried to just leave it in God´s hands. On the plane flight to Peru, I had a basic Spanish study book, and I wanted to remember atleast some words, but I just lacked motivation, and probably studied for about 5 minutes. (I spent 15 hours on 3 planes).

My first trip to Peru, it was so hard to communicate with Eliana or anybody. It was so hard. After that trip I remember saying that was probably the hardest 3 weeks of my life, but also probably the most blessed 3 weeks. But isn´t that the great thing about difficulties? I love it when I can experience God´s comfort, because it comes like a rainbow after a storm.

My point is writing this is because I want to give God credit for my Spanish. My Spanish is not fluent, but it keeps getting better and better. I have no choice here but to speak in Spanish. I have learned Spanish mainly by listening to Eliana, but also others, and catching on, and then speaking it myself, and speaking words over and over and over. I am able to speak quickly, and do not really have to think when I put together sentences. It is coming naturally now. Pronounciation is so important. Often people don´t understand me, and they will ask Eliana what I said, or I will repeat myself, but usually I am able to have a conversation with someone. Eliana said that my Spanish is probably a 7 out of 10. So I have much to learn, but I think for someone who flunked Spanish and hated studying it, I am doing quite well. And although sometimes I will have the thought ¨I have done well learning Spanish¨, that is not the right thought, because God has been behind this, and he has taught me this Spanish. And now I can speak to my wife all day in Spanish, and understand everything she says to me in Spanish, except for sometimes I do not understand a word or two, and she explains it to me. So may God have the glory and the credit that He deserves. He is quite a teacher :)

Update

Well there are several updates. On a previous post, I said that Eliana was 8 1/2 months pregnant. Well it turned out I was a little off, and she is just now coming up to the 8 1/2 half month mark. That is what the doctor said.
Elianas feet are really swelling. She seems to do well, but I know they get sore. She showed the doctor, and she was worried about Elianas feet. But I hope that the swelling will soon go down.
Today the doctor said that Andrew is well, and we are very glad to hear that.
Eliana has done really well. If I were in her shoes, and I had to go through what she has, I would probably throw fits everyday. I wish I had the patience that Eliana has. Soon she will go into labor, and I am really dreading that day, because I wish she didn´t have to go through that, but I can see how God is preparing her for it. It really helps to know that God is with us. I think I will be able to be in the delivery room whenever Andrew is about to be born. So Eliana may go through most of the labor without me in the room, and I was upset about that, but Eliana is certainly not a lone, her heavenly Father is with her. And if I were in the delivery room, there is so many distractions, it may be hard to pray, and if I am in the waiting room, I can pray. Or you never know, maybe I can be the entire time in the delivery room. If you don´t mind, please mention Eliana and Andrew in your prayers.
When we go to the hospital for Elianas exercise class, I wait in the waiting room, and there are people everywhere holding babies, and toddlers playing. I always watch them, and I also want to hold a baby, or play with one of those toddlers, and so it is wonderful to think that our son is almost here.

Eliana and I went to the hospital the other day. At most hospitals here, things are different than I am used to seeing. The doctors get bogged down in paperwork, and so they work hard to try to keep up. In the U.S., most places have a staff that does that for them.

We were needing a document from a doctor, and we did not have an appointment, but since we were already at the hospital, Eliana asked the doctor if she could get that document from him real quick. He said no, because he was really busy with paperwork, and with those that had appointments. I think he had a lot of stress, and was not in a good mood. That was really frustrating, and the trip to the hospital is not easy, especially for Eliana since she is almost 8 1/2 months pregnant. I wanted to say something to the doctor, and tell him that he is wrong for not taking the time to help Eliana, but I didn´t, and I am glad now. I got to thinking about it, and I know he probably has a lot of people that don´t have appointments come and ask him for things, and he has to tell them no, because he has so much to do.

Anyways, yesterday, Eliana and I had to return to the hospital again because she had a class. It is all pregnant women in the class and no fathers, and so I wait in the waiting room. After that, we were still needing that document, but didn´t have an appointment. Eliana again asked the doctor if he could give her that document, and today I think he was caught up on a lot of his paperwork, and so he did not have that stress. He helped Eliana, and we got what we needed. Eliana had gotten him a candy bar to thank him for his help. I said that it was not really necessary to give that to him, he is just doing his job. Finally I caught myself, and knew that my advice probably wasn´t good, and so I didn´t discourage her anymore from giving him the candy bar.

Eliana gave him the candy bar, and she said that he was really surprised, and said thank you. I imagine that he never has patients that do that for him, and so that may just have made his day. So what did I learn from that? Be patient. If we are quick to become angry, we will probably do something that we will regret later. And the love that Christ has shown to us, be quick to show that to others.

P.S., our bag is packed, and we are ready to go to the hospital when Eliana goes into labor. I was not sure if I would be able to be in the delivery room with Eliana, but a doctor said that I will be able to.

It´s Not About Me

People may not give us what we deserve, or compliment us enough, or do things for us, or pay us back for what we have done for them, or give us the attention we desire....

But that is OK. I wonder what it would be like to not worry or get upset about those things, but instead to have the attitude of a servant, and to seek to bless others, even if we receive nothing from other people.

Is it possible? It is something that we cannot do, but by the grace of God, he can change us into servants.

I believe that our eyes would have to be fixed on Christ, and not on people, or anything from this world. I believe that we can have so much love in our hearts that we cannot but help but express it to others..

What a wonderful life that would be.

What will be important

(the post before this one is about Andrew´s baby shower... it has lots of photos!)

I was thinking, when my life here is almost over, and I am almost to die, what will I be thinking about? Will I be thinking about my home, or car, or the possessions that I have acquired over the years? Will I be thinking about the money I made? Will I be thinking about bills that need paid, or the stock market, or retirement plans? Will I be worrying about things? Will I be upset with my children, or with my wife?
When that day comes, I will be thinking about what is about to come. I will be thinking about Jesus, and him dying for my sins, and that is why at that moment, I have no reason to fear or worry. I will be thinking about all the time I spent with my wife, and be overwhelmed that God would bless me with such a wonderful woman. I will be thinking about my children, and I won´t be angry because of spilled milk, or crayon marks on the wall. Instead I will look around, and thank God for being so good to me. I will think about how God has helped me over the years, and provided for me and my family. I will think about the times I trusted in Him, and how wonderful that was.
But of all the things I will be thinking about, money will not be one of them. Because when I am about to leave this world, I will not take money or anything from this world with me. I will take my faith and my love, and a heart full of memories.
What will be important to me on the day I die, may it also be important to me now...

Andrew´s baby shower

I remember our wedding and reception. Eliana and I started praying months in advance that God would bless that time, and provide everything, and that God would be there and that people could sense God´s presence there. And that is exactly what happened. I never imagined that we would have a wedding and reception that was so blessed.
I was thinking about that the morning of the baby shower. And then I thought... ¨I haven´t even prayed about this baby shower, or asked God to come and be there with us.¨ I thought that it might be too late, and why would God bless the baby shower? I certainly did not deserve it. But the truth is that God does things for us, or gives us things not because we deserve it, but just because He is good, and likes to bless us.
Before the baby shower, Eliana wanted to pray, and we prayed that God would be there, and bless that time. And God heard our prayer...
Elianas sisters (mainly Katherine and Sara) did the planning, and buying the decorations, and lots of stuff. And then lots of people pitched in to help set everything up, and to cook, and to prepare everything.
It is tradition here that when you have a birthday, or wedding, or baby shower, etc, that you give a little speech in front of everyone. That is what Eliana and I had to do. I have done that lots of times before, and my speeches are always very short, and difficult to understand because it´s in Spanish. Eliana does not have that problem, she can speak in front of people and do a really good job. I was trying to think of what I would say and trying to organize it in my mind. But I was having a hard time, and I knew that once I got in front of everyone, my mind would start going blank. So I prayed that God would help me, and give me words to say. So I was chosen first to speak, and stood up, and it´s amazing how God helped me. I was able to somewhat relax, and speak slowly, and God gave me some joy to speak. I know that people were able to understand my Spanish, and they enjoyed listening to me. And my speech was probably 3 times as long as what I usually say. So thank you God for your help.
Let´s see, as you can see in the photos, everything was so beautiful. They had all sorts of snacks, and then a friend of ours made the cake, and there was also a delicious supper. The decorations were also really neat.
After Eliana and I spoke, then Elianas Dad (he is a pastor) came with his Bible, and talked to everyone about some verses in the Bible, and about being a father. Most of the people there were from the church, but some weren´t, and I was glad that they were able to hear those words from Elianas Dad.
After that everyone sang a few songs. The same people that play the piano and sing in the church came and did that for the baby shower.
And after that were some games. One of the games, everyone had to guess how big was Elianas tummy, and cut a ribbon that length. Well almost everyone cut their ribbon too big, but a few people got it just right.
After that we opened presents in front of everyone. First we had to feel, and guess what it was, and then opened it. Andrew got lots of gifts. It was mostly clothing, but also blankets, a cute sheet for the crib, Johnson baby creams, and diaper bags, pacifier, a really neat toy with lights and songs, etc. Really everything that we have for Andrew has been given to us, and I can´t really think of anything that we lack, except for diapers. God is behind that, and has provided for us.
I did not know everyone that was at the baby shower, although I think Eliana did. I was wanting to speak to everyone, and show them that I appreciate them being there, but I am not a very social person, and so that is difficult for me. But I prayed for God´s help, and wouldn´t you know, I immediately had a desire to show everyone Andrew´s ultrasound photo. I had a good time showing that to everyone, and they were surprised and happy to see the face of the one whose birth they are celebrating. That was really cool.
It was a wonderful night, and I am really happy about how God was there, and blessed everything. I think everyone had a good time.
After it was over, all the family was tired, and ready to rest, and not clean until the morning. This may not seem like much of a blessing, but everyone did so much for us and Andrew, and God gave Eliana and I the energy and motivation to stay up and clean up. Eliana wanted to help, and she did really well. Usually she gets tired much faster, but she did so well. It was a blessing because that was a way that we could show our appreciation, because it was celebration for our son, and you can see in the pictures that it took a lot of work to put that on. And nobody really had to do any cleaning in the morning.
And so that is about all, I wish you could have all been there.

(above) So delicious!

(above) isn´t that a pretty decoration?

(above) Peruvian cakes are so good!

(above) it says ¨welcome Andrew Lee¨, and Eliana says the bottom is a verse from Psalms 127:3, which says ¨Sons are a heritage from the Lord¨ NIV.

(above) The woman putting the ribbon around Eliana is who made Elianas wedding dress. So she was very close with her ribbon length.

(above) Eliana and Virginia (Virginia is also a friend of my parents)

(above) Elianas sister Katherine starting the games.

(above) Jhoysen, ready to eat some delicious food.

(above) Another game. I had to change a diaper, and dress the doll, and I had 1 minute. I had never changed a diaper, and I did not do well.

(above) On the other hand, Eliana did quite well.

(above) trying to feel and guess what is inside. That is our nephew David on the left watching.

Surely his feet won´t be that small?

Andrew, we can´t wait til´ your here!

baby shower

Here is a photo of the baby shower invitations.
I wish all my family were able to be here for the baby shower. We could play a game to see which family knows the others language better. Does my family know more Spanish, or Elianas know more English?
My first visits to Peru, when my Spanish was much worse, my nephew David would speak loudly into my ear. He thought that my problem was that I couldn´t hear well... he didn´t understand that I spoke a different language. He would repeat himself again and again, trying to get me to understand.
I can´t wait for when Eliana and I, and the baby are able to go to the United States, and visit. Really is very exciting to think about that. I would love to celebrate thanksgiving in the United States with all my family. That is such a fun time, and the food is so delicious. I can´t wait.