I love me?

As we were driving home from a dinner last night (all of us who live on the base were treated to one last supper together before we move and spread out!) Karis began singing what she remembered of the Barney song (she really only saw it a few times, so I'm not surprised that she made so many mistakes). Here is how she was singing it...

"I love me, you love me, we're best friends, friends should be, with a great big hug and kiss to me, won't you say love me too."

Cristy and I found it quite humorous although I wondered if she were a bit older would she even sing it differently? (seeing as how she does have a great love for herself :-)

It may not make sense just yet, but let me share a quote with you from Elizabeth Elliot, who wrote a biography on Amy Carmichael...

"If there were less of what seems like ease in our lives they would tell more for Christ and souls...We profess to be strangers and pilgrims, seeking after a country of our own, yet we settle down in the most un-stranger-like fashion, exactly as if we were quite at home and meant to stay as long as we could. I don't wonder apostolic miracles have died. Apostolic living certainly has."

The reason this quote jumped out at me is because the main message that seems to be ringing in my ears this year is to live a simpler life so that Christ's message may be furthered (if you haven't already, read some of K.P. Yohannan's books...they're fabulous!) But my self-love (hence the reason I included Karis' version of the Barney song) really fights against this desire to lay down my other desire to live a life of comfort and ease. This has become a daily struggle for me, yet as I make baby steps in this area I am experiencing a new-found freedom like never before (even though I do take two steps backwards at times).

Now this may seem like a rabbit trail as well, but after pondering about the above I also realized that I can use this blog to try and convince readers of my blog to read certain books. Ha! And I just read a great one recently that continues to challenge me in living simpler so that I can support financially a wonderful ministry. The books is called "Children of Hope" by Vernon Brewer (hence the picture up top that I couldn't figure out how to put down here). The main theme of the book is to awaken the Christian community of the Aids epidemic in Africa, how it is affecting so many lives (especially children) and the call to do something about it. In one survey they did, only 3% of professing believers said they would be willing to help out with the Aid's crisis in Africa (many with the attitude that "They deserve the disease by their lifestyle"). What many don't realize is that the main victims are faithful wives to their husbands, and then the orphaned children left behind. It is heartbreaking, yet also hopeful as the Lord uses their ministry in a mighty way! I would encourage anyone to read this book and share parts of it with your children, so that they can understand how much in the minority they really are, growing up in a country where poverty and suffering are almost non-existent (compared to the third world) and also expand their world-view. It will change your life!