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When I upgraded Wordpress this last time, I didn't realize that some of the default settings had changed and that users couldn't comment without some kind of complicated log-in process. No longer! Feel free to add your thoughts at any time!

Tasty Breads and Hot Coffee

This week Renee' began training the newest worker at the "Grain of Wheat Student Center" in Ulaanbaatar. Dandig is learning how to make all kinds of tasty goodies that we are then able to sell at our cafe at quite reasonable prices. Renee has enjoyed working with Dandig, because she is a quick learner and only after one time of watching Renee' do it, she's launched out on her own and is making our cafe smell delicious!

This says "We are selling dessert cakes and hot coffee"





So, next time you're in Ulaanbaatar stop by and enjoy the best coffee and baked goods in town!

International Baptism (and Picnic)

One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism...
...Every Tribe, Every Tongue, Every Nation

It was our joy and privilege to participate in the first Baptism service of Cornerstone Church of All Nations. For those of you who aren't aware of this, a key part of our ministry this year has been helping with the formation of an International Church here in UB. Bernie is serving in the capacity of Interim Pastor and Renee' is helping out with miscellaneous committees, like planning the first church picnic and baptism service.

The original date was a Saturday afternoon, but that was canceled due to rain and cold weather. Monday afternoon the sun was shining through the blue Mongolian sky. And the change of plans worked its way quickly and effectively through the grapevine, so we were pleasantly surprised that the turnout did not seem to be affected at all.


In typical fashion the directions we had mapped out three weeks previously were no longer accurate but with the help of cell phones we all congregated relatively easily. Jan proved he was as adept with a grill as he was the electric guitar. Our Filipino girls whipped out some chicken that was so good Jonathan was eating it off the grill and the ground. Of course, Bernie's hamburgers were as tasty as ever even though they did get a little mutilated by being turned with a knife because we forgot the spatula.




There was baseballs and gloves, footballs and frisbees and Cori and the girls managed to entertain themselves without any of those, which was fine with the guys.




The rain that canceled the picnic on Saturday did a good job answering our prayer of three weeks ago – “Lord, please send more water so we can find a deep enough spot for dunkin'!” Well, the pictures prove that was answered abundantly, as we searched for a place where the baptismees wouldn't get swept down river in the current.

But nothing can compare to the joy of hearing the testimonies of the five young people being baptized. Bernie baptized his first Mongolian believer, then two friends of Cori's, one Dutch, one American and also the children of our Swiss friends, Marcus and Gertrud. Even the icy cold water couldn't dampen their spirits. Our Mongolian sister came up from the water and clapped. It is awesome to see that kind of spirit.






So...enjoy our pictures and rejoice with us in the small role we played in this kingdom process and know that we are grateful from the bottom of our hearts to those of you whose prayers, gifts, support and sacrifice made it possible for us to be here.

The Return of Friday Photos

I don't entirely know if this is a feature that anyone cares about. However, I have fun with it, so I am happy to bring it back! Here are Friday photos for this week. It's been a busy week. But every morning I usually get up early and either go for a run or take a walk through the city, before there are any crowds of people and streams of cars, buses and taxis. This morning, I went with my camera in hand. Here are the results ...




We have a dog that hangs around outside our apartment. Jonathan and Cori have quite affectionately called her "Delilah" and she has sort of been adopted by the guard, as well as many of the folks who live here. Well, about six weeks ago Delilah had puppies. There were five. It's down to three. I am hoping the other two aren't being stashed in Cori's room for safekeeping...




We have a relatively new sandwich place across the street from our home. It's like "Subway" ... sort of. It's actually pretty good and it's nice to be able to get a quick sub sandwich on the go. I don't know why, but I get a kick out of the name.


This is sort of iconic, in a sense. The new president of Mongolia is NOT MPRP (socialist party). This is the MPRP headquarters that was burnt out last July 1st during the riots after the parliamentary elections. This year a new president was elected from the Democratic party. Time will tell the results of this change.



Usually the Square is full of people. This morning it was essentially empty, with the exception of a few joggers. Of course it was only 6:30 AM. As a general rule, Mongolians are NOT morning people. At this time of day its usually just the street sweeper, some cab drivers and a few drunks leftover from that the night before that are still out.

... oh, and odd foreigners taking pictures.

Time Redemption

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. (Ephesians 5:16-17)

Blogging has been really sparse lately. This post may give some explanation as to why this has been so ...

I have been thinking a lot recently about time redemption. By this I don't mean taking another course in "Effective Habits" or retooling to "GTD" (although I do think both time management programs, as well as others have something to offer in spite of their hype and religious roots). Leland Ryken in his excellent book "Redeeming the Time: A Christian Approach to Work and Leisure" laments the Church's lack of understanding and Biblical thinking regarding work and leisure. "Christians have their own version of the contemporary crisis of work and leisure. They feel guilty about their work. They feel guilty about leisure. They do not understand either of them very well." A Christian work ethic is more than being busy, or even working hard. It has to do with how we actually make use of our minutes and hours. I am beginning to think about time differently than I have in the past.

Living in Mongolia has given me a new appreciation (or would that be understanding?) of spontaneity. It is not unusual to receive a phone call (or simply a text message!) asking for a meeting. Not later this week. Not tomorrow. "Can you meet right now?" If I need to get an oil change on the car, it costs about $80 (oil changes are expensive here) and nearly a day's time. The expense is way more than a financial one. There's no "Home Depot" here. If I need building or repair supplies, I go to a building supply market that spans scores of buildings and a couple of miles. That's another day. And the list could go on of tasks that would be otherwise simple and easy, but take hours and even days to get done in this culture and environment.

This way of life has caused me to think about time and the redemption of time a little differently than perhaps I did in America.

I personally do not count "busyness" as a virtue. CJ Mahaney has a series of articles about a Christian way of looking at time management and productivity (I highly recommend them to you!) and he starts off by making three statements that I wholly resonate with:

• Busyness does not mean I am diligent
• Busyness does not mean I am faithful
• Busyness does not mean I am fruitful

Busyness is not a badge to wear around on your chest with desperate hope that others will see it and know how important, relevant, or otherwise significant we are. I think busyness can actually be an enormous hinderance that keeps us from doing the things that are truly important and meaningful.

However, as we all know, busyness is also an inevitability. That's the catch. It'd be nice to not be busy. But that's not always the reality of life.

Right now I am involved with all sorts of roles and projects.

- Managing the Grain of Wheat Student Center
- Interim pastor at Cornerstone Church of All Nations (newly formed International Church in UB)
- Discipling students at the UB Student Church
- Planning and organizing for a new "Student Fellowship" movement in UB starting in September
- Several small group meetings including Bible study and marriage counseling
- Assistant Field Director responsibilities
- Graduate Studies in Christian Spirituality from the University of South Africa

And of course, I'm not including the obvious things in this list: I am the husband of Renee' and the father or two teenagers ... and and just like the ice cream on the icing on the cake ... or maybe the chocolate syrup that's on the ice cream on the icing on the cake ... or perhaps it would be the cherries on the ... well, you get the point: I am the owner of two dogs, one of which is a puppy.





I know that my list can't compare to many other's. I am sure some of you will read that and say, "Pshaw, that's nothing I'm doing all that and redecorating the Smithsonian and doing a reorganization of the Detroit Lions." Which is fine ... and good luck with that, by the way. But for me, for my personality and my context, this constitutes a full plate.

However these things are not what is ultimate (no matter how bad the Lions have been), because busyness is not what is ultimate. Fellowship with Jesus is what is ultimate. Abiding in the Vine. Therefore, redeeming the time is incredibly important for me right now. Not so that I can add more to my plate, or be more effective in this busy season of life. Not even so that I can "make time" for my wife and children ... and two dogs. Time redemption is crucial, because abiding in the Vine is crucial. If I am not fellowshipping with Jesus, then all of this busyness is a royal waste of time and resources and I might as well be spending my days checking email, playing World of Warcraft, twittering and cruising Facebook in between episodes of "Friends" reruns. I may time manage for the purpose of spending proper time with my family, but if Christ is not central for me, my family will spend time with an angry, fleshly, Spirit-less man (who is constantly checking email, playing World of Warcraft, twittering, cruising Facebook and watching Friends). Who wants that?

For the past three years that we've lived in Mongolia, I have not changed my email signature. And I don't plan on changing it anytime soon. I need to be reminded every time I send an email, that there is really ultimately only one priority, one passion, one objective:

Abide.

"The vine . . . is not the root merely, but all - root, stem, branches, twigs, leaves, flowers,fruit:
and Jesus is not only that: He is soil and sunshine, air and showers,
and ten thousand times more than we ever dreamed, wished for, or needed."
J. Hudson Taylor