Labor Day, Dana Point

Scraps from the Kitchen table

For those who are just beginning the journey on the global road, "Scraps" are disconnected thoughts or events with little real purpose or meaning, as far as I can tell. Which is why I share them with the world.

I returned on Wed night from STINT Briefing Conference up at Copper Mt, CO. (A fantastic week with lots of meaning and purpose...it is a reflection of God's work in 250 lives and a glimpse of eternal impact across the world). I was exhausted and entered 2 straight days of national meetings.

I hit the fatigue wall about noon yesterday, and felt like I might pass out. After panang curry lunch, I revived enough to almost understand our conversation the rest of the afternoon. Vaguely recall something about students and Jesus, I'm not sure really.

I can get pretty sarcastic when I'm really tired. I think I only broke out once yesterday, but it was probably more and I didn't even notice.

Tried to watch a movie last night from Blockbuster, but it wouldn't work, so we watched Comedy Channel with Flight of the Conchords. If I was a talented musician, I think I would have ended up doing a verson of what they do.

Why do so many car dealership owners put their kids in their commercials? Is this marketing tactic really so wise? Don't most adults get really annoyed at children in cars? "are we there yet?", "my brother is annoying me". Do we really want that memory when we go to buy a car? (I just reread this and must have been channeling Andy Rooney from 60 minutes. I know no one under 30 even knows that guy, but the little dude is still around giving commentary on just about everything.)

And about cars, I had a new Nissan Altima rental while in Colorado. It has a start/stop button, so you don't turn a key, you just press a button. I found this so much easier on my wrist, no more troublesome inserting a key and then all that rigorous 90 degree turning of the wrist to start the car.

I mow my jungle/yard today before the afternoon rains come. Going 10 days in Florida without mowing this time of year is not recommended.

I love weekends.

Stint Briefing Conference

Sitting at the Copper Mountain Conference center with 248 stinters getting ready to go to over 30 strategic locations around the world. I've been to one of these every year for over a decade, and I never get bored of what I experience here - the faith, courage, and energy of young men and women trusting God to make an eternal impact in the world. Every Christian who is starting to get a little skeptical or pessimistic about the state of Christianity in the US should come to this for a couple of days. The story line here is one of hope because of the love of Christ that has transformed their lives.
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10 Reasons the Great Commission will be fulfilled in this generation

Dr. Steve Douglass' view of why the GC will be fulfilled soon.
1. He intends to do it
2. He has commanded us to go.
3. He offers us the power
4. He is moving today
5. His people are praying more
6. Hs people are planning more.
7. His people are more at one.
8. Non-written methods are overcoming illiteracy.
9. Scripture translation is expanding rapidly.
"Never since the beginning of time has every people group had the Bible in their language. This will be happen by 2025."
10. Many other breakthroughs have occurred. E.g. Student-led movements, films (Magdalena, Damascus); leaders reaching leaders; Everystudent.com
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Big Conference

I'm sitting in Moby Gym/CSU at the Staff Conference for CCC. Listening to Tim Keller on Luke 10.
Yesterday I had conversations with leaders from S Korea, the Philippines, Central America, Uruguay, and Western Europe. The common theme - we want and need US students to come as missionairies to our countries. Help us reach more students. Help us raise up leaders. Be our partners in the Great Commission.
Tim Keller's opening comment on CCC paraphrased - if you (CCC) disappeared tomorrow, church leaders would need to start figuring out how to recreate you, because of your role in the world.
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We all need a mission

I joined several of our illustrious WSN leaders in beautiful downtown Portland for 2 days to plan some next steps for reaching students in global cities. But we weren't the only ones at the Doubletree hotel on a mission. We were overwhelmed in numbers by the knitting convention. Lots of knitting and pearling. An argument in the restaurant where someone was accused of dropping a stitch. Some very interesting clothing, shawls, and other stuff made by knitting. Most of all I liked this car window sticker.
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Psychotria nervosa is ...

Kim and I ran in to this at the Selby gardens in Sarasota. Whoever named this plant must have not been a regular coffee drinker.
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