community, virtue, and nachos

Do you know what I love about God designing His people to be a community, instead of little satellites all over the place? I love the opportunity for virtue. I mean, human relationship is the same way, but believers in particular have a special commission in this regard.

1 Peter 1:22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.

1 Peter 4:8-9 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.

The passages related to love and service within the community of believers go on and on. And I love it. Holding in mind that He commands us to relate to one another this way, I have lately been impressed afresh by what giving, sharing and generosity do to us.

A couple of my old friends have recently moved back to town for the summer, and a couple others that live here in town have been around a bit more. Several of us have been using the lecture hall at my house for our office (since we haven't had a class here this past semester) and often find ourselves going to the kitchen to prepare food at the same times. Frequently, we have decided to collaborate on something together (like nachos last night), or have simply made meals for one another from our own resources (BLT's i made yesterday). This exchange is an incredibly simple demonstration of the blessings with which Christian community may be fraught. Like, it seems to me to require less effort to simply each purchase our own food and care for ourselves. For example, three people spending $5 each on their own meal. But community and relationship is such that one of the three may spend $15 and feed all the others, only to have another of the three follow suit at the next such meal. Instead of evenly and frugally "going dutch", there is the generosity of "treating" the others. Both occur, of course- and both legitimately. But how fruitful the latter! God in His wisdom looked not after the efficiency and minimal effort methods man esteems- but instead to the fruit which grows from the unlikely seeds of self sacrifice.

When I share a meal, I use up my resources ...on others. And I enjoy it- it is such a blessing to offer hospitality. In doing so, I give my heart- and I follow my Lord in service. Then, when once my friend offers me hospitality- or we go in on making a meal together... I feel so blessed. So... given to. Lavished upon. Cared for. Served. A meal has become more than a biological function, more than a sensory experience- it has come to my heart. A thing so common as lunch has caused growth in my character and discipleship when I serve it; blessing and fellowship when I receive it.

This is what I mean when I say that Christian community occasions virtue. For if I am alone, how can my common act of eating lunch affect my inner life but by gratitude to God?But if I serve, I follow Christ. If I share and give, I obey Him. If I sacrifice I taste fellowship with Him. If I am generous I am graced by a likeness to Him.

Gratitude, generosity, long suffering, graciousness, care, kindness, open handedness, and sacrificial love... all of these things are shaped in us when we are looking to the needs of our brothers and sisters- not only taking care of ourselves. There is opportunity to learn to prefer one another in love, to help, to serve. Oh, the wisdom of God! He would have us strive to love one another that in so doing we may be shaped ever more into His image- our one true good. By asking us to give, he gives to us what is best and most glorious for our soul.

Launiupoko

Thats right, everyone- its time for my annual surf! For living in Hawaii, i sure don't make it out surfing very often. I borrow a board and go long boarding about once a year, actually. This particular occasion was a staff outing to Launiupoko, a break on the southwest side of the island. The outing was a day for team building and relationship development. I walked into the water to get on my board and despite stepping carefully, I immediately stepped on wana (pronounced vauna)- the spiky creature you probably know as a sea urchin. Thankfully the spines stuck mostly in the back of my heel- much less painful than the sole of the foot. It still felt like a bunch of cuts in my heel, but i decided to paddle out anyhow...i mean, we had just arrived! Overall, we had a good time surfing, bonding as a staff team, and barbecuing.

Now a day later, i have excellent salty beach hair, wana spines in my heel, and a very sore upper body (from paddling)...which i confess is rather a mixed bag of souvenirs upon my person. Haha. It was fun though, and I really appreciated the time with my staff team... so here's to Launiupoko and to Liz's annual surf, 2011!

Don't be fooled- we took the pictures between sets of really decent surf swell!

Haha- really looks like a lake in this picture! The waves were perfect for long boarding though!

breakfast done old school

There is a wonderful little diner in nearby Wailuku, a little local spot called Tasty Crust. Its one of those once typical small town restaurants where old men drink diluted coffee and read the paper on a stool at a lunch counter that hasn't ever been remodeled. Of course, greasy spoon haunts like this are difficult to find nowadays. Everything has been either remodeled or is considered a "local gem" and has been classified as vintage. But Tasty Crust is not vintage. And delightfully, its not organic, green or hip. Its just a classic hole in the wall- as hole in the walls once were. Basically, its awesome. Besides the coffee- the coffee is pain awful. But a sign of the times has appeared- behind the counter one can see that Starbucks Via instant coffee packets are also available. This is an admittedly weird, to say nothing of disconcerting, development at Tasty Crust. But regardless, breakfast this morning was its same wonderful self. I only make it up there every now and again- and if i go once i typically go again once or twice within a couple weeks...only to then pass half a year without returning. This morning i went with the staff of the summer seminar i am working on here, and thereby initiated several good friends. It was a great time- and i was deeply pleased that they enjoyed and appreciated the experience. There was hotcakes, biscuits, fried spam, eggs, rice, hashbrowns, sausage... lots of wood paneling, laughter and fun. Mmm.

Seriously old school breakfast diner- seriously great start to a day.

marrying off a good one

So the trip to California that turned out to be so many other wonderful things was initially a trip out to attend my dear friend Peter's wedding. Pete and i go way back- having been one of my best friends in Maui years ago, he continues to be a cherished friend and brother. He's a good one. It was such a joy to see him married yesterday... to see my brother grown up and stepping out as a Godly man to establish his household with a beautiful and gracious woman to the glory of our Lord. Yes, definitely a joy to my heart to witness their vows and be there add my voice to the others that blessed them and gave thanks to God for the love and grace with which they now support one another for life.

My brothers: the groom with his best man, Joel- another of my long standing Maui family

The bride- Jessica

vows (there was definitely tears involved)

Pronounced Man and Wife!

Married! Yay! Mr. & Mrs. Peter Koenen:)

more fun around Oakhurst

We definitely took time to snag a self portrait with a town fixture- the bear statue- before heading out on a short hike to a local waterfall... we got our feet dirty, but the memorable outing was well worth it.

the best burrito in Oakhurst

Jenny and i drove up to visit friends in Oakhurst, a mountain-ish town in the foothills stretching toward Yosemite. On this particular visit, our friend KC gave a fairly emotive appeal for us to try the life changing super burrito at Taqueria Plazuelas. Knowing that California is famed for its exceptional mexican food, i was on board. The burrito was good- but honestly, it was more the ambiance of the place that i took a shine to. The family that runs the little spot was all there, eating chips and talking story in spanish... it was pretty classic. I definitely liked the atmosphere as much or more than the food itself... since all said and done I felt that the salsa was wanting. It was rather in need of some oomphf, i think... but anyhow- good times in Oakhurst.

a California weekend

I flew into Fresno barely two days ago to stay with my dear friend Jenny (and her housemate, Nicole- another friend from Maui who was sweet enough to pick me up at the airport) for the weekend.... and attend the nearby wedding of yet another treasured friend, Peter. More on the wedding and all the folks there later. In the meantime, my friend Jenny and I drank quite a lot of coffee, took tons of pictures, shopped, drove around rural California with the windows down, bought fresh cherries at a roadside stand, prayed together, and talked for hours.

at a pool in the desert (literally)

Its not a vacation without a day at the pool, right? Haha- who'd have thought i would have to come all the way to Phoenix to get a tan?!

2,909 miles from home

And feeling every mile of it! Its another world over here. I've gone from the tropics to the desert- that is, from Hawaii to Arizona; from being surrounding by twenty somethings to being in the company of my two young nieces. Its a refreshing change of pace. The trip is set to be short and sweet though- I'm here with my family for three and a half days, and then tomorrow I'm off to California for just two days for a friend's wedding . But for the time being, I'm soaking up the cuteness here while i can- my nieces Isabel and Adelise are absolute gems. And they love their auntie Liz and her sweet cowboy boots, so i feel pretty special:)

I'll post more pictures soon- when i am not too busy with these darlings. And when i am not on my sister's desktop Pc.

patterns in blue

Just noticing some patterns around my room... i think i have a thing for patterns in blue.