Yes, she is Beautiful

Yes, she is Beautiful
Originally uploaded by leyendecker2004.

So this is her. The woman that God has entrusted with aiding me on my journey to seeing Him face to face. She is absolutely amazing. She tells me that I have helped her as much as she has helped me in her relationship with Christ. Lord let it be so. I would gladly give my life for her, and I try to on a daily basis through serving her, but I fall short. I want to build her up, and then I ask why she hasn't finished something around the house. I want to make her feel honored, and then I am absent to her needs. I want her to know how much she means to me, and I forget to tell her.
Through our marriage Christ is teaching me so much. Most of all, He is teaching me how He cares for His body the Church. He is faithful in all His desires for His Bride. Let me walk as He walks with His Spouse so that my bride and our kids might one day gaze on Him with unveiled faces. Come Lord Jesus!

Max hookin' Kunos up

Max hookin' Kunos up
Originally uploaded by leyendecker2004.

So my son knows how to share, most of the time. Yet, often he chooses not to share. Or, like most of us, he shares what he wants to share, meaning the things, food, or toys he doesn't want. He doesn't give what he likes the most, tastes the best, or gives the most joy.
I was thinking about this because I was asked today to provide a quote about my experience in Nicarafua this past summer. I was trying to think of a three line quote that sums it up. Am I supposed to say' "Wow, it is really great that the center we visited offers alot of secular help, but little for the eternal, but that is ok because missionaries are supposed to be social workers." Or should I comment on the fact that they are preached a skewed gospel of liberation when they are taught anything of God's Word. Or should I comment that the parish that I work for has an obscene amount of wealth , but it is so nice that we throw some bones to those poor people down there in Nicaragua.
We do alot of good in alot of places. I know a woman that does a tremendous amount for the people in Nica by way of her efforts up here, but her own daughter languishes under the weight of a priviledged upbringing, a desire for things that keep the material machine moving, and the idea that she chose to have sex before marriage, was informed enough to make that decision and continues to do it because of her enjoyment. It is sad.
Shouldn't we first know Christ so that the fire in our hearts might warm others? Shouldn't we be reproached for how we live and what we keep for ourselves? But that last thought is communistic, it is radical, doesn't he know that I worked for what I have?
In short, yes it is communal, it does go back to the root (radix in latin is "root"), but even more it goes back to the stump or root of Jesse, who is Jesus. And yes, I know many of us work very hard, but we forget who it all comes from, who it belongs to, and that we are stewards.
So it seems many of us know Christ and have some goods, and are quick to share goods with others, but not Christ in our families. While still others are poor, but are quick to proclaim all Christ has done for them. Who is really rich? Who is poor?
1)Share what I want for myself
2)Give what I want to keep for myself
3)Immerse myself in the mercy I have been given and share it with others, instead of simply giving bread, give hope that lasts.

This year

100_4025
Originally uploaded by leyendecker2004.

So what do you think? Is the family looking better this year or last year? This year we have our own home, Anastasia has joined our ranks, Max grows evermore entertaining by the second, we have met so many more people in the body of Christ, we live in Cincinnati, and have been given so much grace in the past year. Yet, last year I had time for naps, saw my wife and max quite a bit more, had only one job, were just moving back to Cincinnati after a very annointed year in Lexington, KY. Man this year has gone by fast! I hope I slow down to catch some of it. Some people ask why Lisa and I don't get an antenna so that the TV in the basement could get some channels, but I can't imagine how much less I would talk to Lisa, how much less I would play with Max, and how much less I would read. Lisa and I are now on three years without TV channels and the thought bringds a smile to my face. I think about all the comments we've gotten over the years, how we should really get an antenna, or basic cable or something that would normalize or better yet help us to keep up on "news". Yet, I think about all the times I simply looked at Lisa and watched her smile as she read or studied her thoughtful glance at our children. Or all the times I simply stared at our children, smiled, made funny faces, or just plain reflected on things. Come to think of it, it has been a great year. I thought I have been really busy, and I have been, but this is the kind of busy my heart was meant for. Thank you Lord.

Lisa, Max, and me '04

Lisa, Max, and me '04
Originally uploaded by leyendecker2004.