Joeletter 12.1

This past weekend was wonderful. On Saturday, immedately after work, my Mom and three of my sisters picked me up. Having packed the night before, I hopped into the car and we set out for Chicago.

Beginning Sunday afternoon, this week is the National Bible Bowl tournament. I really enjoyed getting to be up there in Chicago for the weekend, visiting with friends and former teammates. In addition, there was a very nice fireworks show on Sunday night.

Monday being a holiday, I was not required to work. I stayed until Monday afternoon, and then caught a ride home with one of the player's fathers, who also had to work on Tuesday.

So, after an all-to-brief hiatus, here I am again, home. And, actually, home alone. Yes, all the rest of my family is up in Chicago for the week, supporting the team and encouraging my sisters. I have been catching a ride with a co-worker to and from work, which is a real blessing. Except for the fact that I have to wake up twenty minutes earlier . . .

Work at Delta continues to be fine, though warm. It really is a good job. And it takes a lot of time. I am growing less and less interested in donating eight hours a day of my time to the factory, for the next fifty-five years. Unless, of course, it is what I need to do to respond to God. This summer, it is.


So, I realized something this week. I keep forgetting how mighty God is. As my sisters have been quoting to me in preparation for the National Bible Bowl Tournament, they keep quoting Luke 22. Every time, verse 69 jumps out at me. "But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God." For three or five weeks I was on a continual Jesus high, after reading the "Can You Hear Me?" book by Brad Jersak. I still highly recommend it to everyone. But, so, I was on this great high. Then, last week, I realized that I didn't 'feel' that fountain of joy bubbling up right in the center of my breastbone anymore. I started wondering why. Always before at work, I had a smile on 'cause of the fountain. Now, I was trying to be smiling as an example of a happy Christian. What was wrong with this picture? I realized that I had slipped back into my old pattern of God. While talking with Him, praying to Him, and acknowledging His presence, I was forgetting about His power. And, actually, I was forgetting about His eternal NowHere, too. I was, in effect, returning to my previous God-in-a-box, without realizing it. That was kinda scary. How easy it is to replace God with my false perception of Him. And, thus, how easy it is for everyone else to do the same thing. It has taught me more compassion for those who knew, or think they know, but don't really seem too. For people who are not allowing themselves to live in Christ's freedom.
It helped me see how subtly we can slip away from our Mighty God. We are the only ones who dare, and are allowed, to pare Aslan's claws in our lives, and even (may it never be) in the lives of others. "Come, Lord Jesus, come. Defend your truth. Remove my bumblings. On earth as it is in heaven. Let it be done."


How about you? What are you hearing from God? I'm not kidding, I would love to hear your stories, if they are not too personal. Apparently, you all thought that I was kidding when I asked you to respond last week. That's the only explanation I have come up with for the total lack of responses.

I have found that it is just as beneficial to write about what God is saying and doing, as it is to hear and experience. This is probably why we are encouraged to journal as a spiritual discipline during our times with God. The act of writing forces us to conceptualize God's messages. We have to think back, and connect His dots. And I almost always learn something new when writing. That is, in fact, one reason I write the Joeletter. It's to journal what God is doing in my life right now. You just get to read over my sholder.

And it seems that God's messages are usually timely for the rest of the body, too. I am always encouraged when I see and hear God's messages to other people.

Remember, this life really isn't about this life at all. It's so easy for me to forget that. But, everything in this life is so transitory. Nothing lasts. Nothing is worth all our work, our devotion. It's all gonna burn. Only people, and the Word, will last. And, of course, our Mighty God.


In His Time,

A factory career

So, I've heard from many people that they hated their factory experience. And that it helped them work hard in college. And that's fantastic.

But I honestly don't hate working in a factory. Or, at least, I don't hate my current job. Which, right now, is the same thing. It's a whole lot of work, and the heat has been very tough. But, really, the job itself isn't so bad.

Since my first day, I've been asking myself, "Is this something that I could do for the rest of my working life?" The answer I've arrived at is, Yes. I could, if need be, work in a factory for the rest of my life. That said, I would be just as happy not working in a factory for the rest of my life. I have really come to appreciate how much time is spent working. And how much free time students have! I'm really looking forward to college.

I believe that all students should spend some time, at least one summer, working at a job like this. I have really come to appreciate the value of money, and appreciate even more the gifts that people have given me over the years. Experiencing the work that went into that gift makes it even more precious.

Speaking of experiencing, how have you been doing experiencing God lately? Just as I knew about the work that went into earning a living, it is so easy for us to simply know about God. This kind of knowing, however, does nothing. It does not change us, it makes no demands upon us. It's just 'there.'

But when we experience God, through meeting with Him in Listening Prayer, and His constant presence, it's the difference between life and death. Seeking to know Him as real, to experience Him as a true presence in our lives, lays down demands upon us. These demands are the simplest thing in the world ... and the toughest. Without Jesus doing all the work, we are not strong enough. When we submit and obey what He is saying to us in this moment, for this instant, He changes us.

There is total freedom in simply living to know God more intimately. And to know Him more intimately, you have to first experience Him as real. You may have to give up some things to follow Him. In fact, I guarentee you will. At least your pride. Also, your self-esteem. You'll have to give up other people's approval. And I would believe it if you needed to give up some of the 'stuff' you have. Knowing Jesus intimately is pricey. But I assure you, it's sooooo worth the cost. At least, He thought so.

In His Time,

Joeletter 11.3

The Joeletter


My second week of work, finished. My first paycheck, supposedly received (I had them direct deposit it, and I haven't been to the bank yet). I didn't realize that I have a pay stub to pick up at the temp. office, so I will be going to get it tomorrow.

Something that I had not realized was how much time an eight-hour job eats up! You don't spend just eight hours a day working. By the time it's all done and finished, you are spending more like ten hours. First you must get to work, then afterward run errands and get groceries, and then get home. It makes me really appreciate all the free time a full-time student has!

But, all in all, it's still a really good job. I'm having fun, and learning new things.



How has the Listening Prayer been going for you? I would really enjoy hearing from each of you, whether you have found time to try it or not. Something that Jesus has really been impressing on my heart this week has been that Listening Prayer is merely a tool, not the actual "thing you must do to be a real Christian." Listening Prayer is a method to help you experience Jesus actual presence with you. We've all felt like, "I just wish I could see, or feel Him here with me." Using your imagination this way, you can.

So how 'bout it? Close your eyes, and ask Jesus to help you hear His words that He is speaking to you right now.

Ask Him what about you makes Him smile? In what ways was He pleased with you today?

What things made Him sad today? Things that you did, or didn't do? Things that you saw happen today?

What things has He been doing today? Where has He been working? Where does He want you to work alongside of Him?


Remember, we do hear Him. We have just learned how to be deaf. We have learned how to reject His words with our logic. Wherever He takes your mind, to whatever part of today, look for where He was and what He was working there. What He says will always correspond with He has already said, and what He has said/is saying to others. If you're not sure, just ask! He'll always tell you.

The book that I read that sets this all out can be found at this link,

http://www.freshwindpress.com/

and is entitled "Can You Hear Me?" by Brad Jersak. If you haven't had a chance to look at the site, and/or order the book, I would highly recommend it. Any price is worth the freedom and joy in Christ. If nothing else, His example on the cross proves that. If you want to get the book, but can't afford it right now, talk to me. We'll work something out.


I am reading another book right now that has been really resonating with me, with what I've been learning and growing in. It is called "The Gift of Being Yourself: The Sacred Call to Self-Discovery," by David G. Benner. Here is a link to one of the sites that offers this slim, paperback book for under 10 dollars. You can also just search 'David G. Benner.'

David G. Benner Books - BestPrices.com's David G. Benner Book Catalog

One of the things that David writes about echoes another use of Listening Prayer that Brad Jersak describes. Just as you can look around and find Jesus with you wherever you are in the day, you can enter Biblical accounts and do the same. Pick out your favorite Bible story, find it again in the Bible, and read through it a few times.

Then sit back, preferably in a quiet place where you won't be disturbed and won't go to sleep. Use your imagination and enter the story. Look around, and find Jesus. Don't worry, He'll always be there. Even in the Old Testament He will be present. His plan to reconcile us to Himself was a first-run idea. It started on the first page of the Bible, and goes to the last. More than that, He's on every page in between. It might be a little tougher to find Him sometimes, but He's always there.

Just daydream on that story. You are a spectator, watching the events unfold before you. And, as the story progresses, focus on Jesus. Watch what He does, what He says. Watch His face. David G. Benner acknowledges that he has difficulty imagining much more than the details provided by the Bible. But he says,

"... after I get past my frustration and sense of failure, I realize that simply pondering the event - allowing myself to daydream on it - is sharing Jesus' experiences with him. I am, in fact, slowly moving into a new level of personal knowing of Jesus."

And only in sharing experiences do we build a friendship, a relationship. While going to church contributes to our walk, and springs out of our walk, it does not by itself build up our friendship with Jesus. The same goes for merely reading the Bible, not experiencing it with Him. These things are a fruit of our relationship with Him, not what cause that relationship. Spending time will always lead you right back into the Bible, and back to setting aside time with His people, His church. He will never lead us away from Himself, whether in His body or what He has already revealed.

I would really enjoy hearing from each of you, and things that are a part of your life right now. Your experiences with listening prayer, and whatever else is drawing you to Jesus right now.

Those site links again are:

"Can You Hear Me?" by Brad Jersak
http://www.freshwindpress.com/

"The Gift of Being Yourself" by David G. Benner
David G. Benner Books - BestPrices.com's David G. Benner Book Catalog

Both books are terrific, and have been a tremendous blessing in helping me know Jesus more intimately. I highly recommend them both.


Also, for those of you who haven't heard, I am planning on going to Cincinnati Christian University in the fall. I am signed up for a Bachelor of Arts, with a program in Youth Ministry. That may change, but for the moment that's what I'm signed up for.


Experience life with Him ~ There's no going back


In His Time,

Joeletter 11.2

The Joeletter

For all of you who haven't heard, or haven't checked my blog (tsk tsk - http://www.joeletter.blogspot.com/), I am now a working man.

Contrary to what I wrote last time, a first shift job did present itself at Delta Faucet, and I started last Tuesday at 6:15 a.m. It astonishes me every morning that the sun is up before me, when I wake up at 5:20. Still, I'm glad that it is. If the sun weren't up, I don't think I would be able to drag myself out of bed to eat breakfast and make the twenty-five minute drive to the factory.

So far, my job experience has developed in two completely separate areas. The place where I am assigned, Plating, is a lot of fun. We take faucet parts out of boxes, and put them on metal racks. Then, the racks are put on a a machine that dips them into a nickel solution. Electrolysis plates nickel onto the faucet pieces.

The place where I've worked three of the past five working days is totally different. (And, yes, I started on Tuesday, but I worked today, Saturday, as well. That makes five). I'm not entirely sure what this place is called. It might be Polishing, or Coating, or Finishing. Whatever the name, I have been busy putting pieces into large rock-polishing machines, and taking the same pieces out a few minutes to several minutes later. While slightly more repetitive, this job is also fun.

Now, the fun involved in these jobs does not come from the jobs themselves. I would like to share with you something that has totally revolutionized my personal relationship with Jesus. This thing makes all factory jobs fun, sets you free from what other people think about you, and turns on a huge, never-ceasing fountain of joy right in the middle of your chest.

It's called Listening Prayer. Now, that's just a name, a convenient way to handle this 'thing,' this concept. I don't really care what you call it, if it is bringing you to know Jesus better.

I first learned about Listening Prayer from a book called "The Practice of the Presence of God," by Brother Lawrence. Now, Listening Prayer is not mentioned throughout the entire book. What Brother Lawrence did was try to practice God's presence at all times. When I first read this book while in Deeper, I did not understand how exactly that worked.

What flipped the switch for me was a newer book entitled "Can You Hear Me?" by Brad Jersak. The book is available from Fresh Wind Press - http://www.freshwindpress.com/. The premise is that God/Jesus/the Holy Spirit is always speaking to us. Not always audibly, but always spiritually. Furthermore, that we do hear Him as He speaks to us.

To us, it makes sense that the more we grow toward God, the more He will speak to us. But, how then can we grow close to Him in the first place, if only at a certain 'level' does He begin to speak to us? And, what is this level? When have you attained it? In God's outrageous grace, He speaks to us all the time, just as he causes the rain to fall on the evil and the good.

To listen to Him, we must first believe that He is speaking, and that we can hear Him. This can seem a little scary, opening ourselves up to listening to someone outside ourselves, especially to One in the spiritual world. But, as Brad writes in his book, remember Jesus. He is strong, He is loving, and He is good. His voice is unlike any other. And His message is always consistent with all that He has already said.

Picture it this way, with an illustration from "Can You Hear Me?" You and a close friend are camping outside in a tent. It is pitch black, and you can't even see your hand in front of your face. You and your buddy are talking together. Outside the tent, however, are several of your enemies. They keep trying to sound like your friend, and cut in on the conversation. They keep lying to you.

Now think about it. Your friend is right there. He can hear all this. He loves you. He won't let these lies and impostors deceive you! Every time, He will tell you if it was Him or not. All you have to do is ask!

That is some background for listening prayer, but not the listening itself. Listening to Jesus involves the imagination. I realize that raises several red flags, again. We have been taught from childhood to live in the real world, not our imaginations. The imagination is where we make things up, not a place where anything serious happens.

I'm not sure that what we have been taught is entirely true. While it is true that we make things up with our imagination, I don't believe that our imagination is to blame. The imagination is, so to speak, a projection screen. You might think of the large, drop-down screens being installed in many of our churches today. The imagination is where we can 'see' things happening. But the 'screen' doesn't determine what is played upon it. The projector does.

If we ourselves act as the projector, then the screen of the imagination is only going to show what we decide. This, then, is where the limitations on imagination come from. We record our own movies, and then watch them play out in our imagination. But what if Jesus is the projector? Would not our perfect Savior show us only what is good, and true, and noble, and right?

This, then, is the core of listening prayer. Using our imaginations to meet with Jesus, the person. Using our imaginations to realize our relationship with Him.

For some, it's easier to first try with eyes closed, while others find it easier to listen in prayer with eyes open. Look and see what Jesus is wearing. For me, He is usually wearing the white robe and blue sash shown in Standard Publishing's depictions of Jesus. And that's fine. For you, He may be wearing jeans and a t-shirt. That also is fine. The point is spending time with Him, not his outfit.

Next, look up at His face. What expression is He wearing as He looks at you? Along with whatever other expression, you know that there will be love. He will never tell you something opposed to His word, because He does not change. He will never make you feel bad, or ashamed. If you're not sure it's really Him, just ask! He, our strong Lord, will always be right by your side, answering you.

Open your eyes, and look around. Where is Jesus? Is He sitting in one of the chairs by the table? Is he up on a tree branch? Is He right beside you? Practice finding Him wherever you are. He has promised never to leave. We just have to realize that.

At this point, you might be concerned that you're just making all this up in your head. To a point, you are. Remember, Jesus is working with your imagination. But the question to ask is not, "Am I just making this up?" That introduces doubt. Doubt in God is one of the primary weapons of Satan. Eve was tempted to doubt that God had her best interests in mind. James tells us that he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think that he will receive anything he asks for in prayer.

So don't doubt. The question is not, "Is this just my imagination?" Rather, the question should be, "Is this true? Is this You, Jesus?" Whether it is your imagination or not doesn't really matter. All that matters in life is what is true; what is Jesus. The one way to know what is true, and what is truly Him, is to know what He is like. Only through reading and knowing the Bible will you be able to hear Jesus clearly.

Listening prayer doesn't lead you away from the Bible and into your own little world. Rather, listening prayer (like all parts of the pursuit of Jesus) loops right back into His Word. What He says will always be consistent, both with the Bible, and with the messages that other people are hearing from Him.

There is a whole lot more that I will write about in the following Joeletters. But, for now, look around. Where is Jesus? What is He saying to me? How do I need to respond?

This is the thing makes all factory jobs fun, that sets you free from what other people think about you, and that turns on a huge fountain of joy right in the middle of your chest. It's hearing and seeing Jesus in a relationship. "And the things of earth / will grow strangely dim / in the light of His glory and grace."

If you have any questions before the next Joeletter, just let me know. I would highly recommend obtaining a copy of Brad Jersak's book, "Can You Hear Me?" for yourself and to share. I have not yet found a Christian bookstore that sells it, but the website is http://www.freshwindpress.com/. They also sell a children's story/picturebook version, appropriately entitled, "Children, can you hear me?" This beautifully illustrated book captures the heart and the message of listening to Jesus, our best friend. It's never to early, or too late, to start listening to Jesus. It might even be easier to understand than the adult version!


I have thought some more about writing of all that happened in Taize and afterward. Unless one of you really, really wants to know, I'm just not gonna write about it. It's over, done, and gone, and I'm living in the now.

In His Time,

Change in Schedule

So, I went in yesterday to the temp. office to pick up the piece of paper I would need to give to the guard at the factory where I was to work. And, yes, it was every bit as involved as that sentence.

I showed up at the office, explained it all, and found that they could move me to a first-shift job which would start today, Tuesday. Well, that was what I was hoping for, really, because that means that I could probably see the Solid Rock concert and friends when they perform later this summer. Plus, that helps me to wake up at a regular hour each morning, and get into that good habit. College will probably change that, but at least I'm trying.

So, the gist of all this, is that today I woke up at 5:30 a.m., stumbled out of bed, and saw that the sun was shining. I ate breakfast, hurried to work, and entered the work force!

My shift runs from 6:15 to 14:15 (that's 2:15 p.m., for all you non-European people). I am in Plating. It's the part of the production process that takes the metal faucet fittings and change their color. Today, at least, we were changing the fittings from a copper/bronze color to a pretty silver.

This is accomplished through electrolysis. For all of you who are out of high school and can't remember what exactly that means, it's a process of running electric current through metal (in this case the fittings) that forces nickel molecules in a nickel-solution to bond to the metal in a nice, smooth finish.

My job today was to take the faucet pieces from their boxes and fasten them onto racks. These special racks were hung on the plating machine. The machine dipped the racks and the fittings into the nickel solution. It is kind of a repetitive job, in that I did it for eight hours. But there were enough different kinds of pieces and different kinds of racks that I never became bored.

We get a break from 8:30 to 8:40, and then lunch from 11:00 to 11:20. Today we also had a fire drill/alarm. I never did hear if it was just a drill, or if it was an actual alarm. Either way, we got to go outside for about five minutes and stand in the fresh, cool air. It got warm in there. Fortunately it was a fairly dry heat, so the sweat didn't ever become too unbearable. But I drank a whole lot of water.

Okay, I've gotta get to bed. This working man has to be back at it tomorrow morning. Later.

In His Time,

College Kid

Yesterday, when I was posting, I thought I had something more exciting to write about than just starting work today. This morning, I remembered it.

Friday, the 10th, I registered to become a College Kid! Woohoo! I am now registered for classes. And even more importantly, I have a student ID card with my picture on it.

Yes, I'm getting excited. I'm looking forward to this new experience, and seeing friends from Solid Rock. My roommate, in fact, if all goes well, will be a guy that I met on Solid Rock 2004. We ran together in the mornings on campus.

Also, I got to visit the Kentucky Christian University Bible Bowl Tournament Friday night and Saturday! It was really, really nice to be there, and see all my friends without having to worry about studying, or playing the games. I enjoyed that a whole lot.

I did watch several games. I know, I've said before that Bible Bowl is one of the most boring things to watch, probably rating right above fishing. And, I still stand by that, somewhat. But it was a little more fun watching this year, probably 'cause I don't know the text, so the entire game is a surprise, watching people buzz in and answer.

I really enjoyed spending time catching up with friends that I had played with and against. I even made some new friends! Bible Bowl people, as a general rule, are a pretty nice crowd.

All right, I just wanted to let all the rest of you know what I did over the weekend. Peace Out!

In His Time,

"You're in the factory now..."

If all goes as planned, I will be starting work tomorrow. Delta Faucet, 2nd shift, 4-12 p.m. No life, moderate amount of money. They keep telling me this will help me want to go to college. But, I already want to go to college! That line doesn't seem to be a get out of jail free pass, at least around here ;-)

In His Time,

Wow, I really am different

Yesterday, I did something I never, never in my wildest dreams, thought I would ever do. I bought a pair of sandals.

Yes, I know that doesn't sound very earthshattering. But, you have to understand, I have been against sandals for a very long time.

I just don't feel like they provide very much safety for my feet. I always feel like they are going to fall off any second. And you can forget about trying to run in them!

But I have really come to appreciate dry feet during my time in Prague. Not that I had wet feet before, mind you, but you know how feet naturally sweat when encased in shoes. The custom in Europe, as in much of the rest of the world, it would seem, is to take off your shoes when entering a person's home. This includes your own home. Thus, much of the time your shoes are off your feet.

When I returned home, I realized how much I missed leaving my shoes off . So, I began taking them off. Real simple, I know. Then I moved to sockless. While in Wal-mart, I passed a rack of sale sandals. The rest is history.

Now, I am still against flip-flops. They still hold all of the negatives that I dislike about sandals. But these sandals that I bought have three straps, holding my foot fairly secure, but allowing it to breath.

Thank you, Tina and Lisa, for your efforts during Deeper to reconcile my feet with flip-flops. I now report to you that you have somewhat triumphed.

In His Time,

Joeletter 11.1

The Joeletter

Another month, another letter. Well, now that I'm home I hope to write more often again.

Yes, I, Joel Jackson, am home. After nine wonderful months of Deeper, and two 'most excellent' weeks of vacation with my family, I am back for the summer in good old Indiana. Funny, it's still pretty much the same as when I left it. It's me that different.

One difference is how much more I love my country. I still dislike American tourists, but I definitely love my country even more than I did before both Deeper and this vacation. Let me explain why:

We started out the trip by flying from Indianapolis to Boston. This was the first time for some of my siblings to fly, or at least be old enough to appreciate it. It was neat to fly with them.

We rented two 7-passenger vans there in Boston, and drove up to Maine. It was wet, rainy, and cold, but walking along the coast was still an amazing and wonderful experience. We got to see the real New England ocean, stormy and raw. Looking at the rocky coastline, it made us appreciate how difficult it would have been for the Pilgrims to land, farther down the coast at Plymouth. Here at this hotel we enjoyed the indoor pool and Roman Spa.

The next day we drove back down to Boston to see several sights. My favorite was the USS Constitution, the oldest warship afloat still under commission. This ship, nicknamed "Old Ironsides," never lost an engagement.

We also stopped by a visitor's center that had a 270 degree ( not 360) movie about the Battle of Bunker Hill (Breed's Hill), as well as some displays. We drove by the Old North Church (one if by land...). And we parked on the Lexington Green, where the shot heard round the world was fired. Did you know that the Patriots and the British soldiers began the war with the same type of musket? The Americans had been equipped by the British previous to the Revolution, and thus had very similar equipment.

The next day, having picked up our relatives from Kansas, who flew into Boston, we toured the area around Plymouth Rock. The Mayflower 2 was anchored in the bay, modeled as close to the original Mayflower as possible. Just 50 yards from the Mayflower 2 lies Plymouth Rock, the rock the Pilgrims were said to have landed at. Plymouth Plantation, a recreation of the original settlement, was a fantastic place to visit. People in the character of 1627 residents spoke with us about their lives and histories. Detailed research allowed them to role-play these characters down to accent, personal history from before crossing the ocean to America, and current occupation.

In Philadelphia we visited Matt and Melissa Johnson and their children Miles and Nina. The Johnsons are a loved part of our church family. God called them to serve in the Levittown, Pennsylvania Church of Christ.

While in Philly, we also saw the Liberty Bell, and a lights and music show entitled "Lights of Liberty." It was in this show that I understood how uncertain our future really was, back when we were revolting from British control. There was a lot of uncertainty.

I got to see the room where they wrote and signed both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States of America. Later, in D.C. I got to see both of these original documents. It was pretty cool to have stood where they started out.

Speaking of D.C., that's where we drove to next. We saw the Washington, Lincoln, and Jefferson Memorials, the Vietnam memorial, and the new W.W.II memorial. The Capitol, the outside of the White House, the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, the Library of Congress, the National Archives, and quite a few metal detectors. It was an amazing trip.

Btw, if you ever go to the Library of Congress, don't take your shoes off. Well, let me back up. Don't wear steel-toed boots on a trip where you know you will be encountering the heaviest security precautions in our country. Don't be an idiot.

See, the airports don't mind if you send your shoes through the metal detectors. You just pop your shoes off, set them on the machine, and walk through the metal detector. No sweat. But not in the Library of Congress! No Sir! You can't even explain that you have metal in your shoes, and you know that they will set off the detector, and you just want to send them through the x-ray machine, and save everyone a whole lot of time. No, you have to be wanded. Every time. Every. Time. The worst part is that they don't have a standardized procedure for wanding you. So I never knew if they wanted my to put my Mt. Pleasant sweatshirt and jacket through the machine, or leave them on my person, or hand them to someone to feel through to make sure I wasn't smuggling a pair of nail clippers into the building.

Don't wear steel-toed boots to Washington D.C.

In His Time,

So I'm home...

I have been trying desperetely to finish Joeletter 11.1, and let that be the first thing I post on my blog. In it I am writing about the highlights from our (my family's vacation). But with my sisters needing the computer to practice Bible Bowl, me cleaning my room, me playing with Jathan, and trying to nail down a job, I haven't had enough time to finish it.

So, I am actually home now. As you will read about soon, the trip was fantastic.

I will update you on the job search. I went in to the temp. office again today, and finished all the paperwork and orientation. They are currently waiting to see if a 1st-shift job becomes available. If nothing shows up by Friday, (and I really don't expect anything too), then I will call and switch to 2nd shift, which I believe they have available. So, I hope to be starting work next Monday, 2:oo p.m.

"Where at?" you say? Yes, I just realized that I neglected to specify where they hope to place me. Delta Faucet, one of the factories here in the area.

Yes, I am also trying to coordinate haying, and mowing grass. I keep worrying about how that will all work out, 'cause I don't want to not be available for any of these places after asking if I could work for these guys. (Yeah, that was a run-on sentence).

I'm on a simplicity kick after coming back from Prague. Hence, the room cleaning. See, I used to be a major packrat. I would save anything that I might be able to use in the future, including things that held some sort of sentimental value, or that I couldn't bear to let anyone else have. So, my room is crammed with junk. Absolutely crammed.

But with lots of work parts of my room are being reclaimed. It's really pretty exciting to see the how much more space will be available when I'm done. This same simplicity kick is really helping me pack for trips. My suitcase was one of the smallest on our vacation. (The downside to that is that someone else carries my suitcase, while I get two of the biggest ones. Oh well, I've been workin' out).

In His Time,

Joeletter 10.1

The Joeletter

I realize that it's been quite a while since I last wrote a Joeletter. This is partly due to my schedule over the past month, and partly due to my own laziness. To be honest, I haven't felt like writing since after Taize. In addition, I felt like I needed to "be" there in Prague while finishing up our time there. Then, this past week we've been at our Indiana base site, debriefing. I wanted to spend my time there, being there. So I didn't take any time to write. I'm sorry for any inconvenience.

Now, here I am. I am home, after nine/ten months of Deeper. As the next couple months progress I plan to write more about what all has happened this past month since my last Joeletter. But I will share some of the things that I did in this letter.


The first place that we went to following the last Joeletter was Taize, in France. It's been a while since I wrote about Taize, so let me refresh your memory. Taize is an ecumenical prayer community located in the charming countryside region of Burgundy.

We drove from Prague to Taize, one long drive beginning at 3:oo a.m. We drove to Germany and got onto the Autobahn. Let me tell you about the Autobahn. It's insane. But, like all things German, it's not just any crazy mess of insanity. It is most definitely a well ordered insanity.

You may have heard of the German autobahn, and how there are no speed limits. And you may, like me, have pictured this nice, four lane, divided, interstate-like roadway. Nope. In most places the German autobahn looks like a divided highway. Both sides of the highway have two lanes, but most of it still looks like a highway.

We got onto the autobahn, and we are doing about 75 mph. I must specify mph, because over there everything is in kilometers, including the speedometers. So we were doing 120 kph. Most of the other vehicles were going just a little bit faster than us, I'd guess doing 135 to 145 kph. But every so often, some car would come screaming past us. Every time it happened I would almost get goosebumps. They had to be going at least twice as fast as us - and it was legal!

While on the way to Taize, we passed a large number of cars parked on both sides of the Autobahn, on dirt Frontage roads. After maybe a minute of passing all these vehicles parked on both sides of the autobahn, we started wondering what the crowd was gathering for, especially in the drizzle that was coming down. Then we saw the outside of the track, and realized that these people were attending Europe's answer to Brickyard racing - Formula 1.

The rest of the day went well, except for the rain that continued coming down. By the time we arrived in France and were close to Taize, a large number of the fields were flooded. Several roads were impassible, and a bridge was out. This forced us to follow a detour and make a couple of educated guesses as to how to get to Taize. At one point the question was asked, "With all this raining/flooding, what if they close Taize for the week?!"

Fortunately, Taize was open, and we did make it. Ben and I attended the "Welcome" for people under thirty, and Jeff attended the Welcome for all those over thirty. It was at this welcome that we received sleeping assignments and work assignments. At it was at this Welcome that I received the best job on the Taize campus. This job, difficult as it may sound, was preparing lunch for from 300 to 2000 people.

But it was the best! We had a wonderful team leader, a Swedish girl named Erika. She, along with several other guys and gals, was a "permanent." This meant that they were there at Taize for an extended period of time, rather than the week that most people came for.

I say that my job was the best because of what all we didn't have to do. We didn't have to wash dishes. We didn't have to work every minute that we were there. In fact, we would arrive, prepare all the serving boxes, and then have 30 -45 minutes for tea and cookies. I enjoyed spending time with my fellow workers. Christian, Philip, Michael, Annika, and Danielle were their names, all from Germany. Fortunately for me, everyone in the group spoke English, at least to some extent. I must confess, spending that week at Taize made me feel quite dumb. Everyone spoke at least two languages, several three or four. Me, I limped through high school with Spanish, which I'm definitely not fluent in. And spending three months in Prague didn't help my Spanish retention at all! I would try to speak one or the other, in my limited way, and always come up with the word in the other language. Very frustrating.

But enough people spoke English, and could translate for me, that it worked out okay. Here is a like for the pictures that I personally took or had taken while at Taize. Ben and Jeff took many, many more, but I didn't have access to them to put them on the website.

http://photobucket.com/albums/y84/DeepSky8/Taize/?start=20



I'm feeling a bit tired now, so I think I will go to bed. Tomorrow I have to get up at 6:00 to go with my sisters to a Bible Bowl tournament, the Indy Round Robin. I'm looking forward to seeing all my Bible Bowl friends again, and seeing my sisters play. So, good night.


Oh, yes...

Next Monday, the 23rd, my family will be taking a vacation. So, I won't be writing for a couple of weeks, unless I get Internet access. And I don't expect that.

But you ask what we will be doing. We will fly from Indianapolis to Boston, drive up to Maine for a day, and then work our way down the coast to Washington D.C., and see our capitol. Then, we will fly back from D.C. to Indy, getting home on June 4. I must say, after Deeper I'm really looking forward to getting back into a plane and a van, even if only for the two weeks that we will be gone! But it will be really nice to be with my family, and to see all the sights.


Thank you all for your interest in my year at Deeper. I have enjoyed hearing back from you, and I'm glad you have (seemingly, at least) enjoyed reading about what all has happened. Like I said at the beginning of 10.1, I am planning to continue writing The Joeletter, and continue to write about what all happened in this past month. At the same time, I realize that now that Deeper is done you may wish to be removed from the Joeletter mailing list. Unlike the list reformatting this past Christmas, I am not going to actively drop anyone from the list. If you would like to be removed simply send me an e-mail from the address you wish removed, and I'll do it. Thanks.

In His Time,

Name Game

I stumbled across this site, and found out that my name means "God is Willing." I'm sure I knew that at some point, and had been told that by my parents. But, I had forgotten it. It was kinda neat to hear that again today - God is Willing.

I also found that in the past 100 years, the 80's had the highest number of Joel's. Joel was actually the 69th most popular name of my birth decade. Neat.

Here's what the site says about itself:

"Find out how popular your first name has been over the past 100 years, just click below and enter your first name."

http://www.birthdayalarm.com/name

Enjoy!

In His Time,

Back Home

Wow. I'm back home, here in the States. It has taken a little getting used to. Everyone around me speaks English! I actually hesitated about going into Wal-Mart for that very reason. And when strangers around me spoke, I would turn my head toward them. It just seemed like they were talking to me, since they spoke in English!

I slept for twelve hours last night, and that has been a good start to getting over jet lag. Right now, at 5:30, I'm quite tired again. At home in the Czech it would be tomorrow, 12:30 a.m. Time changes are still quite difficult for me to completely comprehend.

Speaking of time changes, I just heard that the Indiana State government voted to adopt Daylight Savings Time. I was quite upset when I heard that. Now I , along with the rest of the country, will have to deal with the foolishness of changing my clock twice a year, and adjusting my sleeping pattern accordingly. Why couldn't they leave well enough alone!? I was quite happy when the rest of the country changed to our time zone, and we didn't have to worry about it. grrr.

Anyway, it was very good to get back and see my family. They came to the airport to greet me! It was great to give them all hugs, and hear little bits of what all has been happening in their lives.

All right, I'm tired.

In His Time,

Going Home

Hi all,

Yes, I realize that I haven't posted anything meaningful since before going to Taize. I will, but not yet. We have been very busy, and it's only going to get worse.

This is because we will be flying home on Thursday. I am sad to leave here, and to leave this season of my life, but I am glad to see my family again. I'm starting to miss them.

In His Time,

Salzburg Salt Mine Slide!

Bumper Sticker of the Day

When I pasted this link in, I didn't realize that it changes what it says each week. So, I have no idea what it says right now. But it's usually kinda funny.

BumperSticker of the Day

Courtesy of BumperTalk.com

Divoka Sarka

As I have mentioned before, there are small parks sprinkled throughout Praha. It's very nice to be able to walk just a few blocks to find grass and trees.

But around the outside of Praha there are a few larger parks. Nice places filled with trees, paths, benches, and sunshine. Yesterday afternoon I visited the largest one, called Divoka Sarka.

Divoka Sarka, in Czech, means "Crazy Sarka." The S in Sarka has a small mark above it called a hatchek. This small mark means that the S sounds like "Sh." According to the story, a woman named Sarka ran off a cliff there. Thus, crazy Sarka.

But when I visited yesterday, I saw no good reason for anyone to run off a cliff. The sun was shining brightly on the first broad expanse of grass. It reflected back as a brilliant green. I walked down, and then up again. On one rock I found five of the largest snails I have ever seen. Their shells were at least 1 and 1/4 in. across. At the top of this second cliff craggy rocks poked their way through the lush grasses and small trees.

I found a nice place to sit on one of the sides, and contemplated the valley before me. Most of the trees were of the evergreen or pine variety. That is something that it a bit different from America to here. Most of these trees are not deciduous, but pine.

The sun was shining in my face, telling me I was looking west. Below, large swaths of grass ran between the forest. To my right, off quite a ways, some people were clambering over the rocks. They looked like mere dots of color from where I was.

Behind me lay the city, with all its noise and bustle. Seeing it, my heart was filled with love and compassion for this great city which I am living in for now. Before me lay the forest and the clearings. And both were beautiful, though each in a different way.

There, on the grassy cliffside, I napped.

Returning from my mountaintop experience, I crossed a crick running through Divoka Sarka. Just as I reached it I caught the scent of fresh streams, the cooler breath of refreshing air. I paused to enjoy it, filling my lungs with sweet stream oxygen.

Yeah, I really like Divoka Sarka. I think I'm gonna go back today.

In His Time,

Joeletter 9.1

There are two things that keep me from writing Joeletters. One is being too busy. Not having a computer at our flat, Ben and I must work out times to be on other people's computers. With all the other things that are going on here in Praha that can be difficult.

The other thing that keeps me from consistently writing Joeletters is not having anything to write about. It seems like we are either ridiculously busy, or not doing much of anything. It's quite silly.

Tonight, Monday night, Ben, Jeff, and I will attend the Ski Trip Reunion. All the people who went on the trip to Austria to ski in the Alps are getting back together. We'll see how everyone's doing now, and each get a CD with all the pictures that we took on the trip. That will be very nice. I'm looking forward to having everyone's pictures of the Alps, and of the participants.

This Saturday Jeff, Ben, Steve Cone, and myself, will drive to Taize, France. Located in the south of Burgundy, the community began in 1940. In 1949 a monastery was established out of that initial community. Today, pilgrims from all over the world flock to Taize (pronounced with the first e as in the name Ed, and the second e like a long "a". Phonetically, it's Tezaaa). It promises to be a wonderful week of introspection and discovery. These websites explain about the origin and current function of Taize.

http://www.taize.fr/en_rubrique8.html - The Community

http://www.taize.fr/en_article166.html - Beginning to Today

Part of the experience is sharing in the work. We will each be assigned jobs helping to serve all the visitors at Taize, of whom we are a part. We will also be put into discussion groups to talk over things that we've heard, been taught, or just thought about each day. I'm looking forward to the week. I've heard wonderful things from all the people who have already spent time there.

Jeff has rented a car to make the trip in, as it would be much too expensive to get to Taize otherwise. Even in a car, it will be a little expensive getting there and back again. Gas here is over five dollars a gallon. It makes the high prices back in the states seem cheap in comparison. Now, I'm not sure if I've talked about this, but we there is a big difference between American cars and European cars. American cars are HUGE! It's so funny to see cars from America over here, because they are so much bigger than what I've grown used to. Over here cars are much smaller, which helps when finding parking places in the city. Also, smaller cars equal less gas consumption.

But, here's the kicker, there will be four of us in this small Czech car. Now, four people in an American car is no problem. Even four large people. But in a Czech car there is much less space. And all four of us have spent some time in the gym here in Praha. I'm definitely the smallest one of the group. And we will be driving for a very long time. If you refer to a map, the Czech Republic and France aren't exactly next door neighbors. Yeehaw.


On the way back from Taize we will stop in Munich, Germany. We plan to spend the night at a friend's flat. Then Jeff, Steve, and Ben will return to Prague, and I will stay in Munich for a week. It's a chance to spend some time with Sandy Graham, a wonderful woman of God. One of the reasons we traveled up to Munich about a month ago was to see here. She came down to see us over Easter weekend and participated in our Easter Prayer Vigil.

But I didn't get a chance to spend much time with her either visit. Since that didn't happen she invited me up to Munich. So, immediately after Taize I will spend a week in Munich, then ride the train home. I'm looking forward to talking and praying with her.


Our time here draws swiftly to a close. I am both glad and sad. I am going to miss the time spent here, and the people that I have met. At the same time, I do miss my family. It will be good to be with them again.

It may sound a little funny to be talking like this right now, since we have about a month left before we have to leave. But with all that will be happening, I know that it's going to fly by very fast.

Well, that's all that I can think of to write to you about. I know I'll have quite a lot to write about after Taize and Munich, so take this Joeletter as the calm before the storm - sol.

In His Time,

Create A Trend - Sol

I am writing today to offer you a once-in-a-lifetime chance. You are being invited to join a trend at the ground level. You, yes you, are being offered the chance to become a trendsetter.

"What does it take?" you ask. "Will it involve any financial expenditure? Because if it does, I'm out of here."

Never fear, this is a no-risk, non-profit trend. Continue reading for full details.

I, Joel Jackson, have invented a new acronym for cyberworld use. It is "sol." That's right, sol. It stands for Smile Out Loud. I became rather tired of seeing "lol" all the time, especially when something was kind of funny, but not funny enough to really Laugh Out Loud about. Thus, I coined the term Sol, or sol in it's uncapitalized version.

This blog post is your official invitation to join a cutting-edge trend. If each of us make an effort to use sol as much as applicably possible when writing e-mails and instant messaging, and invite our friends to do the same, the cyberworld will take notice. Already I receive instant messages and e-mails from my friends that include this hip new phrase. You are invited to do the same.

For those of you who are interested, there are a couple other cyberslang acronyms that are also starting to catch on. These are syk - Slap Your Knee; and gol - Grin Out Loud. Yes, gol is merely a variant of sol. But it's kinda catchy, and has a LOTR ring to it - it reminds me of Gollum every time I see it.

Thank you for your time, and remember to always SOL!

In His Time,

the Church, the Body, & Worship

While I was in Munich, Germany, a few of the Christian men I had met invited me to come to Starbucks. I gladly agreed; these are some wonderful men who I am blessed to be seeking Christ alongside of.

We sat there sipping our respective drinks, and of course began talking about different things. Our conversation at last settled on The Church. More specifically, what form should The Church take? There is the MegaChurch form, the ReallyBigChurch form, the Regular-to-Small Church form, the Tiny Church form, the House Church form, the informal-meeting-together form. This is just to name a few.

But the question, I suppose, really took the form of, "What should a church, meeting together, look like." Is it better to have a huge congregation, or a small group of friends and acquaintances who are all seeking God? Or is something in between best? We wrestled with this question for quite a while, exploring several different avenues. The answer we eventually came up with is, "There is no one best way to meet together as a body." There are many different ways, as we see all around us, and each way is equally valid. This is because our relationship with Christ is dependent on Him, not on what we do. The form of our corporate worship is not nearly as important as the hearts of those engaged in that worship. And we decided that at different times each kind of corporate worship could be best. There is just not One Way to worship together. That would be a method, a pattern. Our life with Christ dies by patterns that do not depend on Him.

However, that's not what I wanted to write about. That's just background information. In fact, I've got a little more background information too.

Ben has started a time of prayer that we host at our flat. Originally the plan was to meet each week on Tuesday night, but it's only worked every other week so far. We have about two hours of silence, prayer, and spontaneous Scripture reading, interspersed with songs. It's a wonderful time of quietness and solemnity.

This time of prayer that we host is in addition to Wednesday afternoon's time of Team prayer. The Impact team meets together at different member's flats to pray and share a meal. And this time of prayer last Wednesday is what triggered this entire blog post.


As we sat in Jeff's flat praying, we kept having different interruptions. We might laugh together at something, someone would ring the doorbell as they arrived late. One member had to escort a guest to the nearby train station. All in all, it wasn't the focused time of prayer and solemnity that I somehow expected.


I have been in many, many different meetings of The Body as I've grown up. Having a set "form" of service can lead to me tuning out, just going through motions. Currently I am very appreciative of small groups of seekers meeting on their own to pray and discuss their pursuit of Him. Since the group does not have a set pattern of doing things, it feels different, and feels more like I'm worshiping God and responding to Him.

But sitting in Jeff's flat this past Wednesday, I realized again that having no pattern is a pattern. And, in fact, patterns will emerge very quickly. Expectations creep in, and I can tune out anywhere. The point of worship is not the form, the point of worship is not how it feels. The point of worship is God. It's an attitude, a heart-spirit. That is why I can be sitting in the midst of the Body, and we can be sharing a laugh, and still be worshiping. People can come and go, doing what they must, and we are still worshipping.

In Sunday School when I was about six I learned a simple chant that I will carry with me the rest of my life. It is not a complete definition, but it still serves to remind me of the point of worship. It goes like this:

W-O-R-S-H-I-P,
Here's what worship means to me
Telling God
how special
He is



In His Time,