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I remember watching those “Back to the Future” movies growing up, and always getting lost in figuring out what would happen today if _____ happened or changed in the past.  Or how cool it would be to know certain things about what would happen in the future (sporting events, investments, etc.) and be able to benefit from that knowledge.  My love for time travel continued with my imagination, until more recently I was duped into reading “The Time Traveler’s Wife” even before it became a hit movie.  I was well into the book before realizing how sappy it was getting, and I’ll just confess that yes, I enjoyed it.

So in my reading recently, I was caught by this notion of Sabbath as a sort of “time traveling”.  I’ll try to explain.

In scripture, we see the people of God observing Sabbath on the 7th day.  The day marking “completion”, the day that follows 6 days of work/activity.  This is transformed when Jesus is resurrected on the first day of the week, and followers of Jesus began to gather not on the Sabbath, but on the “first day”.  Eventually, as the movement became more and more defined by these “First Day” gatherings – Sabbath gradually became observed on that day also.  There was never a “meeting” or a “council” that determined…it just happened as a community of people became increasingly centered on receiving all they were from Jesus and this “new thing” God was accomplishing.

But when we gather on Sunday, the “first day”, we aren’t simply gathering to “sing songs, learn Bible lessons, and share space together.”  These are all good things, but they are all things that do not require the Spirit of God to take place.  We gather to share in the liturgy, that is, the “work of the people” and declare Jesus as Lord in a trans-formative way.  We gather as one community, celebrating the body of Christ we are being as we join together in the work of the Kingdom.  But that Kingdom is not one of occupying space at this point, but of redeeming time.  This Kingdom of God is of “The Age to Come”.  Yet, when we participate in declaring the reign and rule of God – that Age breaks through into today.

It’s as if our gathering happens not only on the 1st day, but simultaneously the 8th day as well.  A day that exists outside of our regular rotation of hours and days.  That comes after what has happened, at the same time launching something utterly new each time it occurs.  As Craig Keen writes, “Christ is raised not on the Sabbath, not on the last day of the week – but on a new day that exceeds the old order of a seven-day cycle.  Resurrection joy irrupts as the dawning of an unprecedented first day – a first day that will not stand in competition with the old order, but penetrates it, saturates it, and folds it into the new.”

This also forces a dependence on the Spirit for what happens as we come together.  As William Cavanaugh writes, “Because the church lives from the future, it is a thing that is not.  The church inhabits a space and time which is never guaranteed by coercion or institutional weight, but must be constantly asked for, as gift of the Holy Spirit.”

If you’re a parent of a young person who gets geeked out about time travel, there are some cool potential conversations to be had there, for sure.  If you’re like me, and have young kids who have a hard enough time understanding how “tonight” relates to “tomorrow”…..you may want to wait a few years….:)

Hey friends/family/readers/accidental stop-by-ers!!

We’re going to try something out, because we’ve heard of it working very well for others.  We’re going to be holding an online “Anderson Adoption Auction” through Facebook!  Right now we’re in the process of gathering anything we can:

– items you’re willing to donate that may be valuable to someone out there

– items you make/crafts you do that others might want to bid on

– services you offer – are you a stylist? a plumber? electrician?  We’d love to collect bids on anything you could donate, and get you some great advertising in the process!  (sidenote: I told Sarah perhaps I should auction off doing someones Wedding down the road.  She nixed that idea.)

– Anything else you can think of!?

No matter where you live, or how we know each other, you can get involved!  Just e-mail me by clicking the “Contact” button above, and I’ll respond to get more details on your item/services!  For now, head on over to the Facebook Group, so you can help us publicize it to all of your friends as well, and join to stay tuned to all the great items that we’re already hearing about!!

When it’s time for the auction to begin, we will post pictures for each item, and bidding will take place by people posting their bids as “comments” under the item.  When the auction has ended, items can be shipped directly from the person donating it, as soon as they hear we’ve received payment!  It’s that simple!

Thanks so much, together with your help, we hope to bring our daughter home this year!!

“PRAXIS” – 1. practice, as distinguished from theory; application or use, as of knowledge or skills.

We’re in the midst of an international adoption from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  We began this journey for many reasons, among the top being God’s call for His followers to care for the orphans and widows.  Also, the call in Deuteronomy to pass on foundational God-Love to our children using every moment of our existence.  These are formative years in the greater life and testimony of our family, and there’s a little girl out there somewhere in her formative years who needs a family to love her and reveal God’s love for her.  Why international, and why the DRC?  There’ve been many answers to those questions, all leading to the path we’re currently on.  God is already using this journey to reveal Himself and transform hearts, confirming that we’re following His lead.  We continue to yield our plan to His, and are open to whatever He has in store for us.

In the midst of learning all we can about the aspects of this journey, we continue to hear an ugly truth.  There are people out there, both parents and orphanages/organizations – who would put financial/personal gain as a priority in the midst of the orphan crisis.  Parents who’ve paid thousands, only to find out the child they’re holding has parents or grandparents who were paid to let their child go “to be in a better place”…yet they continue forward in adoption.  Orphanages that are paid generic “fees” to go out and locate a specific orphan to meet the qualifications of those paying.  We’re thankful for the path we’re on, and the openness of all involved.  We’re able to ask questions every step of the way, meet everyone involved, and investigate anything we think might not be kosher.  Some in the adoption process are not given such opportunities, and are in fact often discouraged from asking questions or doing their own investigating.

You don’t have to search long to find stories of adoption corruption and mis-using children for personal gain.  There are great voices emerging as those who have grown from such experiences of investigating and learning the truth about the situation they were in.  Stories they are passing down to future adoptive families of how to be faithful in this journey of earnestly wanting to join the body of Christ in caring for those God’s heart aches for.

For me, it’s definitely been a reminder of the importance to yield our plans to Gods on a daily basis.  To have the humility, and courage, to follow God and Truth over what I think should happen right now, or even next.  Yes, we believe this is the path God is calling us toward.  In reality, it may be more a situation of “God gave us several trees in the garden to choose from, and we love what we ‘re tasting of this fruit called ‘Loving the people and children of the DRC.'”  But it certainly seems like God was at least leading us into the garden, with a grin on his face saying, “Hey Anderson’s….why don’t you try tasting this?” in a way that He knows it’s about to transform our lives, and possibly others as well.

So how is this all an update?   It’s not really.  No new facts.  It’s me pausing in a moment of difficult waiting, to reflect on the journey we’re on.  To offer Him this journey once again.  To testify that we still don’t know exactly where this will all lead, but we know who we depend on every step of the way.   Our family is so glad He is with us…