Prayer

We frequently use what is supposed to be a weapon of war as a call button for a butler to come bring us another pillow.

On hospitality

So I can't remember exactly what all the Greek and how the word directly translates, but we learned the other day in my class, Thinking Missiologically, that the word "hospitality"means, "host" and in the Bible, Jesus is often referred to as the 'great host,' but it translates differently into our language. But here's the fun part... the word host is translated into something like "of strangers."

Well, to refer to Jesus as the Great Host is calling him the Lord of Strangers. I love that. I'd never heard that before. There are a billion names for God, but this one I hadn't heard... The Lord of Strangers. I think that name makes me love God even more. I called him the Lord of Strangers the other day when I was praying and I couldn't help but smile :)

In this class, we're reading this amazing book by Christine D. Pohl (I highly recommend it!) called Making Room: Recovering Hospitality as a Christian Tradition. I am learning how the entire spread of the Gospel amongst the early Church is indebted to the gift of hospitality. I realize this is an obvious statement, but think about it.... because people were willing to let people into their homes and lives, the Gospel was spread. How simple is that?! We put so much stress on the right answers, the conversations, the timing, the words, etc. etc. etc., but in reality, the most expedient spread of the Gospel was thanks to hospitality and people's willingness to give of themselves and others' ability to value hospitality being shown to them.

Here are a couple quick excerpts from this book:

"Over and over again, I've come to see that in God's remarkable economy, as we make room for hospitality, more room becomes available to us for life, hope, and grace" (xiii).

"For the people of ancient Israel, understanding themselves as strangers and sojourners, with responsibility to care for vulnerable strangers in their midst, was part of what it meant to be the people of God" (5).

Here's sort of the summation of the book, though this certainly doesn't do the book justice, but it's encouraging and inspiring if nothing else:

"Those who offer hospitality find that the practice itself is nourishing. We discover that a life of hospitality brings us life. Fed by the practice through the guests who come and through the gifts they bring, in a mysterious way, we are also nourished by God's grace and love which infuse hospitality.

"As a way of life, an act of love, an expression of faith, our hospitality reflects and anticipates God's welcome. Simultaneously costly and wonderfully rewarding, hospitality often involves small deaths and little resurrections. By God's grace we can grow more willing, more eager, to open the door to a needy neighbor, a weary sister or brother, a stranger in distress. Perhaps as we open that door more regularly, we will grow increasingly sensitive to the quiet knock of angels. In the midst of a life-giving practice, we too might catch glimpses of Jesus who asks for our welcome and welcomes us home" (187).

Anyway, the sermonette I could give at this time seems pretty obvious, but I just wanted to encourage you to work hard at allowing hospitality to become a gift and skill that you have to offer Praha -- and that you do offer Praha.

You never know when you'll be entertaining angels :)

Love you sister. Proud of who you are.

ajp

I've Been Duped!!

So the troll story isn't real. Snopes says it's totally false. Total bummer.

Waging War

KK!!!!!!!!!!

Hiiiii!! Lame but true, I have just now figured this all out! Eeek!!!

Life here is good in Oklahoma!! Just a little update...I am about to graduate from Rhema Bible Training Center with an emphasis in Youth Ministry! I have stinkin' learned so much here and am in love with this school! Its so true- the more you learn, the more you realize you don't know! Whaa!! :D I have seen God move so mightily, it is amazing!! Everything from hernias going away, legs growing out, bills supernaturally paid off, backs straightening, cancers gone and more!! Ahhh He's so good and so alive!! :D

I am also playing percussion with a ministry called 'Rock the Nation', and am loving it. We get to reach out to kids and youth in the inner city around the world! We are about to go on a couple of tours this summer and have a live recording in November. God is moving!! Its so Him!

Oh this was crazy! I saw one of the Hanson brothers (Mmmbop) where I work!!! I was too excited! Like a little kid in a candy store! :D I acted like needed some toys just to see them! (I swear I am not a creeper!)

As a whole this year has been going well. I have learned the power of the mind and what it means to have a controlled thought life and how such a large part of the battle that the devil throws our way is in our thoughts. I have realized that our minds will think about anything we give it space to think about- good or bad, and how our thoughts can get into our spirit if we don't keep them controlled. Probably why we are told to renew our minds eh'? :D

I am posting a super sweet song. Its kinda old but new to me and I am classifying it as "MY JAM" for the time being- It has helped me get through some stuff! :) It's called WAGING WAR by Cece Winans. Its so powerful!!!

I hope you enjoy! :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPKvKwIZUCM

Well... I will post soon!!! Love you so much girl!!!

Maria (RIA)

Its Earth Day and Dyb's Birthday.. Coincidence?... I think not!

So this blog post has nothing to do with the title, I just thought that would be funny.

Anywho, I'm sitting here in my cube preparing for a meeting and I thought why not write a quick little bit on Kelsey Keizer's Praha blog?

I'm not sure if I've updated you on life recently, but I got a promotion. Thats right, I'm the big time now. I've been promoted from Production Chemist II to Research and Development Chemist! Sounds exciting right? It is! First of all I get a new office, with high cube walls. This is a big deal because when you have short cube walls you hear EVERYTHING and vise versa. Because of having short cube walls I have been self conscious about everything I say (which is probably a good thing because lets face it sometimes I say inappropriate things). Along with the high cube walls I also no longer have to package things which is the least favorite part of my current position. Instead of packaging I get to research and develop (hence title) new materials. Maybe one day I'll discover a dye that is super duper (stolen from your coach) awesome. Until then, I'm just grateful for the opportunity. I've been a little overwhelmed with the change in responsibility so far but I think that will subside when I get to do just one job (right now I'm doing both until they find a replacement for my position).

In other facets of life (I want you to know I just typed faucets instead of facets and laughed loudly in my cube imagining life containing lots and lots of faucets which is most likely only funny to me... I digress) I've been studying James with Nathan. Its pretty fun, and funny because we are the biggest failures at couples Bible study ever. I usually want to spend the entire time talking about one verse and he usually wants to summarize a whole chapter so it takes us forever to get through something, but regardless, I am learning a lot. A theme that keeps reoccurring in what I am learning is diligence and my lack thereof. You said it well in your email when you said that God is changing you. I think I'm learning that as well. There are a lot of things in me that I know He desires to be different. And really, what is my diligence to Him if I'm not sensitive to His leading?

Nathan and I also got a newish car. (ish because its used but new to us). We got this car because he totaled our other one (the red ford) which sounds scary but it really wasn't. Its more amusing than anything. At least now its amusing when he reported the story to me while laughing the whole time, I wasn't very amused. So when you see me rolling around in a sweet forest green honda civic you'll know whats up.

In my last post I talked about how I can't even beat Dyb's in a game of HORSE. I'm hoping now that she is old I will be able to accomplish that feat. Happy Birthday Dybs! (watch your back because I've been practicing)

Lastly, I leave you with a challenge. You said that they don't sell any sort of Christian books in the CR. So maybe you should read a book about another religion or maybe a biography about a popular Czech figure to increase your understanding of the culture. Who knows what it might equip you with!

Sending love from the cube with short walls (but not for long),

Katie S.

Unicorns and Blueberries

Who's in the house? JC!

Fire

Hey Kels!.. I know I tweeted (ha ha) you about our fire and put the pictures on fb... but this one is my favorite. Look at all the ketchup Jenna put on here... haha.