Pulling Weeds

The original city wall of Plzen, built (I think) in 1295. There is only a small section of it left.

The tower of St. Bart's Cathedral on the square offers a pretty amazing view of our city. Here is the Big Synagogue of Plzen. Isn't our city beautiful?!

But sin didn't, and doesn't, have a chance in competition with the aggressive forgiveness we call grace. When it's sin versus grace, grace wins hands down. Romans 5, The Message

I want to acknowledge up front that this post was almost required of me by my friend, Frances Courson. When I announced on Facebook that I was looking forward to a day of pulling weeds in my back yard, her comment was that she was sure I would make that into some sort of spiritual application on my blog. Certainly, I cannot just ignore that challenge. :) Of course, there are some pretty easy spiritual applications to make from weed pulling, aren't there? I'm sure none of these conclusions is going to be something new and miraculous to you, but maybe you, like I, can use a good reminder that sometimes we have to pull the weeds in our lives. So here are my spiritual applications from the back-breaking work of pulling weeds.

• Sometimes, the big weeds have tiny little roots and are easier to get rid of than we think they're going to be. There were prickly weeds all over my yard, and some of them were huge. I'm talking HUGE (I thought they were plants at first. Don't judge me.) But when I went to pull them out, they just came out. What I had pictured as the torturous job of pulling them, something I dreaded and had put off, wasn't that big a deal. Isn't that true with things we think are huge and difficult to overcome? Sometimes those things turn out to be no big deal, easily handled. When I went to Russia, the darkness (the literal darkness) overwhelmed me. It became to me this huge monster that I could not live with, but could not get rid of, either. But because of my pride (another weed of mine, by the way), I would not ask for help until I was absolutely desperate. When I DID ask for help, I was given a lamp specifically designed for people who have trouble with the darkness. Poof. Problem fixed. Never had a problem with it again. Big weed, little teeny roots.
  

• Some of the tiny little weeds had deep, deep roots and were difficult to pull. The opposite is also true. Some of the little grass that I pulled from the flower beds had roots down to China and were really hard to get rid of. Hmmmm...can you think of anything in your life that looks like a little problem, but turns into a BIG, deep-rooted problem that you really have to work at fixing? I can. For me, insecurity is the ugly little grass that continually pops up in my flower bed. While I present to the world at large the face of someone who is confident in who she is, it's a complete lie. Given half a moment to pop up, insecurity whispers in my ear at every turn. You know what it whispers? "They don't like you." It doesn't matter who the 'they' is, I am pretty sure that anyone who knows me probably doesn't like me all that much. And given a whole second to take hold, this little grass completely takes over my flower bed. I am not good enough, smart enough, pretty enough, thin enough (NEVER thin enough), spiritual enough....the list goes on and on and on. Whatever the adjective, I am not enough of it, or I'm too much of it. Too emotional, too dramatic, too demonstrative...you get the idea. The roots on this little weed can strangle me.
  
• I cannot pull them all at once. I have to do a section at a time, or I am overwhelmed and give up. Ever listened to a sermon and just decided to completely change everything about yourself in one fell swoop? I have. I think we all have, if we're honest. How did that go for you? In my experience, it doesn't go all that well. For me (and I'm not making a universal statement here--I'm talking about only for me), real change in my life is gradual, little baby steps. When I decide to completely change this or that, I usually fail. But when I decide to let God change things (as opposed to me forcing them to change) and then really pay attention, I can see things changing around me and in me. And then I can move on to the next change.
• My back yard doesn't have to look like the neighbor's. It has to look like mine. Some of my neighbors have beautifully landscaped yards. Some don't. Mine is somewhere in the middle of that. I only have 55 days left here, and I don't want to invest tons of money in plants, etc., but I want it to look nice, both for my neighbors and for my landlord, who will need to rent this place when we're gone. I want to make my yard the best it can be, but I don't have to make it like someone else's. I have spent way too much time on the field (and in life) comparing myself to others and always finding myself lacking. A perfect example is my weight. For the most part, people with my company are pretty thin, because they have to be--we are self-insured and have weight requirements because of that. I lost a lot of weight to come to the field, but when I arrived, I was still one of the heaviest people there. And I've struggled from day one with my weight. I will be going back to Weight Watchers the second I step foot on American soil, because I've put on weight and I can't seem to get it off, no matter what I do. So to me, weight has become a huge monster in my life. And I tend to think that anyone who doesn't struggle with it like I do isn't struggling with anything. They are perfect, they lead perfect lives, have perfect marriages, perfect children, perfect everything. Now, we all know that's a lie, right? Nobody anywhere is leading a perfect life. But when I compare my life to others, I am doing myself (and them) a disservice. God didn't call me to be anyone else. He called me to be Kellye. And Kellye struggles with weight. But I don't struggle with an abusive background or a terrible childhood or a family who doesn't want me on the mission field. Everyone struggles with something. Comparing myself to others...a waste of my time and theirs.

So there you go, Frances. Spiritual applications from pulling weeds. By the way--I'm still not finished pulling them. It keeps raining. They keep sprouting up in places I'm not expecting them. Yeah, yeah...another application. I'll let you all make that one on your own. Wherever you are in the world, I pray that you are daily pulling up the weeds in your life, and that you are going to your favorite place on earth in a week, too. Blessings to you and yours!

His,
Kellye

A challenge to churches

Me and the Han at the Prague Zoo. Do you think the church will let us install a dungeon in the mission house? Because I think we may need one.

Han and Marc. This shows you a lot about Han's personality. I'll just leave it at that.

"Look among the nations! Observe! Be astonished! Wonder! Because I am doing something in your days--you would not believe if you were told." Habakkuk 1:5

These are dark, dark days at the Hooks house. No, I'm not talking about our darling Sarah Beth's absence. No, I'm not talking about the financial stresses of living on the mission field. No, I'm not talking about the loneliness of being away from friends and family. What is it, you ask? What has caused this dismal gloom? I am out of ranch dressing mix, onion soup mix, and Italian dressing mix, and I am nearly out of fat-free flavored coffee creamer and Crystal Light raspberry lemonade mix. Sob. Pardon me. I need to pull myself together.

Of course, I'm joking. Though we are out of those things, one of the nice things about living in Czech Republic is that while it's nice to have those things, there are plenty of good things here that we can easily get. Not necessarily substitutes, but things with which we can easily live. Our life here is a good one, an enjoyable one. And so, though we love ranch dressing, we'll likely survive its absence from our shelves. We've also been incredibly blessed to have so many people--friends, family, Sunday School classes--who have sent us so much over the last three years, giving us a little taste of home. That means a great deal in the middle of a dark, cold winter.

I've been thinking a great deal about churches lately. Not just churches in general, but specifically how Southern Baptist churches support their missionaries. If you are at all clued in to Southern Baptist life, you know that there are many changes in the works regarding how we cooperate to do ministry. The IMB, our company, is the largest mission-sending organization in the world, and that's a pretty hefty expense. In these times of economic downturn, everyone is looking for new and innovative ways to fund missions, both inside and outside the U.S. I'm not qualified to make any comments on the Cooperative Program (beyond that I am for it) or "Great Commission Giving" (beyond that I am for it). I am not an expert in how things should be done, and that's not really what I want to write about, anyway. What I want to talk about is how individual churches "do" missions.

This week, we have a volunteer team from FBC Forney, Texas. Great, sweet folks. We have thoroughly enjoyed our time with them. (They are having a Tex-Mex night tomorrow at English club...we are especially excited about that!) I went with them yesterday to a gymnasium (a kind of school here) to spend a couple of hours with some Czech middle schoolers. Unlike the U.S., where a mission team certainly could not come into a public school and talk about God, Czechs have seemingly no problem with that. (Interesting, since CZ is one of the most atheistic nations on earth.) It was a great, great time--so much fun for me, for whom a room full of kids is paradise on earth. But what struck me afterward was not just that it was fun, but that it was a paradigm shift (I'm taking that from Marc, by the way) in how Southern Baptists do missions.

FBC Forney is not a newcomer to Plzen. They have sent teams again and again and again. They work in the schools here, and they have created lasting relationships with people that have allowed them access to places the ordinary person would not have. Those relationships have also created ways for Larry and Melissa to have relationships with people they might not otherwise know. I hope you are noticing a word that I keep repeating--relationships. In our part of the world (I would argue this is true everywhere), relationships are everything in terms of church planting and discipleship. Long years of communism have created a lack of trust in everything for the people of the former Soviet Union. Relationships make it possible for us to earn the right to tell people about Jesus and have them listen. And relationships are not always easy to build and maintain. So what FBC Forney is doing by coming back again and again is invaluable to the work in this city. Their commitment is furthering the work of church planting in this city.

So how is that a paradigm shift? Because FBC Forney is not paying us to be the missions professionals. They aren't putting money in the plate every week and thinking that absolves them of any further work. They aren't taking a missions "vacation," either. Their teams don't go somewhere different every year, seeing the world and spreading Jesus at the same time. They are committed to this city. That's not to say it's the only place in the world they are committed to, but they are committed to this city. They are here to help the people on the ground, certainly, and they are great about bringing things we can use for ministry. But I'm pretty sure that if something happens and there is no one in this city from our company...they will still be here. Because they have committed to this place. And that commitment is working.

Other churches have these kinds of relationships, certainly. Our church, FBC Middleburg, Florida, has a long-standing relationship with an area in Brazil. We send teams every year, making relationships that further the gospel. FBC Allen, Texas, (which we consider our second home church) has a relationship in Cheboksary, Russia--a place where we have no personnel. They are working with a Baptist church there and a wonderful pastor--Sasha Franchuk--to whom they have committed. But for many Baptist churches, putting their money in the offering plate every week is as far as their missions involvement goes. And not only is that not a Biblical view of missions (the Great Commission doesn't say "pay missionaries to go into the world"--it says "YOU go"), those churches are missing out on a front row seat for the great, amazing, unbelievable things God is doing all over the world.

So here is my challenge to you and to your church: pick a place. There is no shortage of places in the world where they need to hear the gospel. Pick one. And then commit to it. Commit to believers already there, to missions personnel on the ground, to yourselves that you will do whatever it takes to see God's word spread in that place. If you can't personally go, help fund someone from your church. Send ministry materials to the people already on the ground. (You can't imagine how much that means.) Assign times to pray weekly for that place and those people. And go. Go, go, go, go. Not once. Not twice. Go a lot. Have a team there several times a year. And watch what happens. Because when God says to look at the nations and wonder at what He is doing...you will not be watching from a far off place. You'll be there. You might be cold or wet or hot or hungry...but you'll be where God is at work. And I promise you this--you'll never be the same. Never.

I'd better run. Today is a busy day for us--we have so much to get done before we leave for the States July 26th. Packing, paperwork, trips...so much to check off our to-do list. But we'll get it done. We might be a little crazy getting it done, but we'll finish everything. Wherever you are in the world, I pray that you are listening to the voice of God calling you to love someplace that is not your home, and that you are NOT out of ranch dressing mix, too. Blessings to you and yours!

His,
Kellye

Saying yes

I especially like Zachary and Sarah Beth's expressions here. I think they tell a tale.

The "normal" picture of the Plzen Six.

This was taken October, 2008. It gives you a little idea of how much our kids have changed over their time on the field. John and Laini were probably building a fort when this was taken.

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. I Corinthians 10:31

Well, for those of you who read this regularly, I want you to know that we survived Sarah Beth's leaving pretty well. Sunday was awful, because the dread of her leaving was so terrible. But when I woke Monday morning, I had a sense of peace and calm. She was ready. And interestingly, so were we. Of course, I've talked to her every day, and I'm thoroughly enjoying how much she is enjoying herself. Who wouldn't want to listen to their kid have fun?! She is loving being home, enjoying family, enjoying American food, and getting excited about the future. And though we miss her, we are determined to enjoy our time here, too, to be all here for this moment. There is a fine line between anticipating the future and living in it instead of in the present. We are trying to walk the right side of that line.

Our time here continues to wind down. It's an odd sensation, really, to think about going home. My life is here. Thinking about my life being in Florida for a while is strange to me. Oh, I'm looking forward to it--I am a girl who needs to see my Momma and Daddy and sisters and aunts and uncles and cousins--but it's kind of unreal to me right now. And to be honest, I've been so wrapped up in what's next for us--in terms of our missionary life--that Florida has just been something I've been unable to comprehend. Our future looms on the horizon, but it's a pretty fuzzy picture at the moment. It comes a little more into focus every day, but I'm still not able to totally make it out. And if you know me, you know that is making me a little crazy. Uncertainty is not something I'm great at handling. I'm a checklist-loving, type-A gal. Not having a lock on what's next...well, it can make Kellye a cranky girl.

So why not just stay in Florida? There is life there, work there, family there. My sister asked me if it wouldn't be really hard to return to the field after living in the States. I replied that I thought it would, but I couldn't imagine not returning. I've thought about that conversation all week. Why come back? We've sacrificed. We've "done our time." We've sat through three years of church services we barely understood (and at first, didn't understand at all). We've learned another language, ministered to people, known some hardship. Why not stay in Florida? I like Florida. I like English. I like my job and my family and my church in Florida. I like who I am in Florida. So why not stay there?

Here's my only answer--we are compelled by a holy God to be here. And maybe when we knew Him less, we could have ignored that. Maybe we could have said no to that compulsion. But after having a front row seat for the amazing works of our amazing God for three years...how could we ignore Him now? Our life the last three years has not always been comfortable, has not always been easy...but in every challenge, in every moment, He has been there. On dark Moscow nights, when my soul cried out to Him, He was there. When my precious friend died unexpectedly, He was there. When I realized how sick John was in January, He was there. When we moved to Plzen, He was there. When Sarah Beth's heart was broken, He was there. And yes, when we watched her walk through passport control with a little grin and a wave on Monday, He was there, too. In the triumphs, in the failures, through laughter and tears...He was there. He promised He would never leave me nor forsake me, and He has been faithful to that promise. He has never left. Never. And all He asks in return is my obedience. That's a pretty simple request from the God of the Universe. I cannot imagine saying no. So even though the picture of our future is still kind of fuzzy, I am content that the God who has been there will continue to be there, that He will continue to be faithful, that He will continue to carve out for us a life that is far beyond what I could even dream for myself and my family.

Well, I should run. John is roaming around aimlessly while I write this--never a good thing. Wherever you are in the world, I pray that whatever God asks you to do today, you will simply say 'yes,' and that the sun is starting to shine in your part of the world, too. Blessings to you and yours!

His,
Kellye