Well, that was fun. Thirty days, thirty “real” blog posts. It was harder than I thought … not only to come up with significant things to say, but also to simply write so consistently. I kinda cheated a little more lately, mostly because I was so busy living life that I didn’t want to stop and blog. But in the end, I think it was good … forcing us all to think a little more. I’ve still got some lingering issues that I’m sure will come up here or there … so don’t expect this website to become all sugary and fluffy anytime soon.

I’ve also come to the end of yet another school year. I’m absolutely exhausted this time … readjusting to our crazy culture and lifestyle was really difficult, and I simply ran out of steam a few weeks ago. I’ve been hanging on for dear life, trying to maintain as much focus in the classroom as possible why trying to keep my sanity in the background. I think I just fell across the finish line. And now it’s time to sleep … for a month.

Honestly, I don’t know how people work 12-month jobs. The intensity level must not be anywhere near what I experience … or they must have to find some incredible coping mechanisms. Personally, I’ll take seasons … life, death, and regrowth. I’ll take margin in my life, a time to just relax and recover. I’ll take days of sabbath-time.

And I’ll definitely take June, July, and August!

You think I’d have it down by now
Been practicin’ for thirty years
I should have walked a thousand miles
So what am I still doin’ here
Reachin’ out for that same old piece of forbidden fruit
I slip and fall and I knock my halo loose
Somebody tell me what’s a boy supposed to do?

I get so clumsy
I get so foolish
I get so stupid
And then I feel so useless
But You’re sayin’ You love me
And You’re still gonna hold me
And that You wanna be near me
‘Cause You’re makin’ me holy
You’re still makin’ me holy, yeah

I’m gonna get it right this time
I’ll be strong and I’ll make You proud
I’ve prayed that prayer a thousand times
But the rooster crows and my tears roll down (again)
Then You remind me You made me from the dust
And I can never, no never, be good enough
And that You’re not gonna let that come between us

I get so clumsy
I get so foolish
I get so stupid
And then I feel so useless
But You’re sayin’ You love me
And You’re still gonna hold me
And that You wanna be near me
‘Cause You’re makin’ me holy
You’re still makin’ me holy, yeah

From where I stand
Your holiness is up so high I can never reach it
My only hope is to fall on Jesus

I get so clumsy
I get so foolish
I get so stupid
And then I feel so useless
But You’re sayin’ You love me
And You’re still gonna hold me
And that You wanna be near me
‘Cause You’re makin’ me holy
You’re still makin’ me holy, yeah

– Chris Rice

Cincinnati has had its fair share of negative press in the last decade … and then some. Stories of racism, violent crime, corporate greed, and poverty have dotted the headlines, and even many people who live here seem to like to talk bad about the city.

But in reality, the Queen City is a fantastic and unique place to live … I’ve only been here seven years, and every day it seems that I discover something new that I like about this place. So, without further ado, here are my top ten features of Cincinnati, in no particular order:

1. Lots of world-class fine arts, including opera, ballet, orchestra, and some pretty good museums. Having UC, Xavier, NKU, and Miami nearby provides quite a few opportunities too.
2. A beautiful riverside skyline … with a new skyscraper (it’ll be the tallest) on the way. If you’ve ever driven up 71/75-N into the city, especially as the sun is low over the city, you know that it is truly one of the most gorgeous cities in America.
3. A really vibrant religious community, with lots of faiths and churches that are actively involved in real good work.
4. A unique partnership with northern Kentucky, with lots of development along the river (i.e. Newport on the Levee and the upcoming Banks project).
5. A booming economy … it’s one of the top five places to buy a home right now (according to Money Magazine) and the third most affordable place in the nation to live well (according to Forbes). The new IKEA is also a great indication of the financial stability and prime location of Porkopolis.
6. Great sports … Bengals, Reds, the Cincinnati Masters, and one of the only non-profit community-building marathons in the world (the Flying Pig).
7. Amazing local foods like Montgomery Inn, Graeter’s ice cream, LaRosa’s pizza, Skyline chili, The Maisonette, Findlay Market, and UDF.
8. Lots of sweet history … it’s the original midwestern boomtown, the home of river steamboats, the first major inland city in America, and a big player in the abolition of slavery.
9. The home of Procter & Gamble, Kroger’s, Sunny Delight, GE Aviation, Macy’s & Bloomingdale’s, Convergys, Chiquita, Great American Insurance, Western & Southern Financial Group, The E. W. Scripps Company, and Fifth Third Bank. Cincinnati is actually sixth in the country in Fortune 500 companies.
10. Some of the most amazing people on earth … there’s just something about them, and it’s one of the only places I’ve been where people seem to leave and come back, where they not only miss their hometown but choose to return and settle down.

So what do you think … did I forget anything?

[Spectacles, by webel]

Something about this photo, displayed in the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, really messes with me.

Dood … what on earth are you doing?

Peel your eyes away from your computer screen, put on some shoes (or take them off), and get your butt outside! Go to the park, call a friend up and throw a frisbee, walk the neighbor’s dog, plant some flowers, take a stroll with an ice cream cone, ride that bike you’ve been storing, climb a tree, or teepee a friend’s house.

Whatever … just stop wasting away this beautiful day!

Congratulations, my dear friends … I’ve known each of you a long time, and I can’t wait to see what’s ahead. Onward and upward!

I used to live tentatively, gingerly tiptoeing around other people in conversations and choices. I’d apologize profusely whenever I felt that I might be inconveniencing them … then apologize again for apologizing. It really was ridiculous … in my efforts to be kind and upright, I just lost my spine and often ended up inadvertently offending people.

Now I think I’ve swung to the other end of the spectrum … I try to say “yes” and “no” definitively, to be confident in my opinions, and to walk forward with conviction and assurance. Rather than always fear what other people might think or worry about how my reputation might be affected, I now try to trust my gut and stand for Truth. Sure, it might make me seem like a harsher person on the surface … but I think I’m ok with that.

And I hope that my shadow, in the process, is following suit.

[original photo]

I’m hesitant to write yet another post about China and the earthquake … but the following email, which I just received from Melody, a friend living 80km from the epicenter, is quite amazing:

Thank you Lance, for your concern and the prayers from your church. I am ok, so is my family. Chengdu wasn’t affected much by the earthquake because of its unique geographical features, no building is crashed here. But the rest of my hometown was damaged severly. Lots of pretty mountainous areas disappeared together with their people. The pandas are doing ok though.

Yes, all chinese people are pulling together because of this tragedy. And we have never felt so much love among us. Which is quite comforting. Lots of people are willing to sacrifice for others. Many school teachers died saving students, P.L.A. soldiers kept on saving others when some of them lost all their family members, all the taxi drivers in town drove out of the city to the dangerous places to help transport injured people for free … even beggers are helping, some of them donating all those small bills they have.

The earthquake destroyed our homes and families, but God will use it to create a strong bond of love among us. I can tell how much He loves Sichuan’s people.

Melody

It was really good to finally hear that Melody and her family are safe. Even more, it was awesome to hear her describe the upside to the earthquake. As devastating as it was, this disaster came at a time when the passion and fervor of the Chinese people is at its peak. Centuries of repressed emotion, terrible pain, and delayed gratification have been coming to the surface all year … and now, the quake has essentially provided lots of chances for love and compassion, things that the hearts in China so desperately need.

I’m convinced … disaster always has opportunity stapled to it. And I, for one, am eager to see what’s going to happen over there!

I’ve tried to explain to people that the area where I lived in China last year was pretty backwater. Sure, the infrastructure was fairly developed (in some ways), but the lifestyle and attitudes and society in general were pretty backwards, at times.

I just received an email from Grahm Dion, one of my “fellow Americans” in Loudi, that gives a good example of what I’m talking about.

last night was by far the strangest experiment in social psychology i have ever seen. of course you all know the earthquake that recently destroyed part of the west here. well, for the past week the country has been watching images of earthquake victims, all the time. and there have been many tears spilled watching tv, and relating to the victims. the thing is most chinese feel things as a group. if you ask them how they feel, they will tell you how everyone feels, not how they indivudualy feel.

so, last night, a rumor hit loudi that there was going to be an earthquake. not this year, not ths month, not this week,….but last night! it is completly rediculous. and i tried to calm the people i talked to, but they were completly incapable of thinking for themselves. so, everyone went outside with their blankets and things, just like they say on tv. they were living their tv experience and did not want logic to intervene.

it was awesome. the whole city of loudi, was outside last night. midnight. the food vendors were selling food, the police were telling people not to worry, there were public announcements on the signs, and just general, having a good time, paranoia. whee!

there was one chinese guy that asked me if my government told me about an earthquake coming to loudi. he was convinced that the u.s. government could predict earthquakes and was only telling u.s. citizens the results. so he is prodding me to tell him the big secret of when the earthquake is goin to hit. Awesome! like i said, last night was incredible. i wish you could have been here with me.

ok , gotta go teach.

much love,
grahm

Oh, man … I miss that place.

The way I see it, my body has three purposes.

1. To highlight my Creator. I was made in His image, and I’m His workmanship … I reflect His creativity and passion, and my body, in general, is beautiful. Not that a skinny, hairy, goofy-looking fella like me is particularly “attractive” … but I’ve definitely got some amazing stuff in me (mitochondria, passions, an immune system, a spirit that connects with Eternity, loads of snot, etc). And it’s right for me to look at another one of His creations and see something beautiful or lovely … anyone who says otherwise simply doesn’t understand how to worship (and probably has a pretty unhealthy self-image to boot).
2. To temporarily house me. This body is a flimsy tent, a container that is designed to fall apart. As I go through this mortal life, it breaks down … and I shouldn’t be surprised when sickness, injury, disease, and death all have their way with it (or with the bodies of the people I love). In fact, when that stuff happens it once again highlights our Creator! Nope, I wasn’t meant to live in this body forever … but I was meant to groan for freedom from it, for the Eternity that has started in my heart and will continue when I die. In the meantime, however, I should take care of my body … it’s His temple. To pursue His kingdom, I need to be healthy and alive and able to give!
   
3. To give her pleasure. Let’s face it … most men are just plain ugly. But if my Smeagol-looking self is somehow sexy to the one I love, then she can have all of me. If she wants me bald, I’ll get bald. If she wants me buff, I’ll get buff. I’ll wear the clothes she thinks are attractive, shave or grow a beard as she desires, get really skinny or put on the pounds, and pierce or tattoo myself to high heaven … if it pleases her. And I’ll do everything that I can to learn to serve her physically and sexually with my body … ’cause God designed us to fit together.

Wouldn’t you agree?

How do you explain, how do you describe
A love that goes from east to west
And runs as deep as it is wide
You know all our hopes, Lord, You know all our fears
And words cannot express the love we feel
But we long for You to hear

So listen to our hearts, hear our spirits sing
A song of praise that flows from those You have redeemed
We will use the words we know
To tell You what an awesome God You are
But words are not enough to tell You of our love
So listen to our hearts

If words could fall like rain from these lips of mine
And if I had a thousand years
Lord, I would still run out of time
If you listen to my heart, every beat will say
“Thank You for the life, thank You for the truth
Thank You for the way.”

So listen to our hearts, hear our spirits sing
A song of praise that flows from those You have redeemed
We will use the words we know
To tell You what an awesome God You are
But words are not enough to tell You of our love
So listen to our hearts

– Geoff Moore

Dear Prayer Partners,

More than 100 hours have now passed since the earthquake struck. Though in disaster relief the first 72 hours is given as the optimum survival time, still today more than 100 were brought out of the rubble of collapsed buildings alive. The search for missing goes on.

The extent of the Sichuan earthquake tragedy continues to unfold. The government is already looking into the possibility that substandard construction is the cause of such a large number of schools collapsing. The official count of those killed is 29,000; however, the government has mentioned 50,000 deaths. Some remote areas are still not reached. Adding to the tragedy is the deadly dilemma that dams in the area may break, drowning rescuers and any remaining survivors.

Then there are the injured and homeless. Dr. Matthew Koh, President of MSI, reports from Mianyang that 10,000 are being housed in the local stadium. Outlying counties are still without electricity. We will be buying power generators for use in the counties. Water is in desperately short supply with some fighting for it when bottled water was being distributed. Crowded, unsanitary conditions are now becoming the breeding ground for epidemics.

Matthew and his small advance team of 4 arrived in Mianyang, a city of 5 million, on the 15th. Here more than 18,000 were reported missing. Doors were opened in a miraculous way as MSI was welcomed to work with the Mianyang Central Hospital. From there they were taken to 2 outlying counties to help with their county hospital. Originally, the team wanted to go to the Qiang minority area but the scene there is one of total devastation - only dead bodies.

Based in 3 centers, our medical teams will live in tents they are bringing in. Their work will proceed in 3 stages of service: 1. surgical; 2. internal medicine; and 3. post-trauma counseling. Later, people with skills in administration and management will be needed to train local leaders.

Following the advance team, a second team of 7 from Taiwan, lead by Dr. Chen from 2 Christian hospitals, and 10 more from Yunnan, lead by Dr. Russell Zinn reached Chengdu today. Dr. Leung Chung Ying will lead a medical team of 8 from Hong Kong tomorrow. Another team from Taiwan will go in on May 21. Dr. Philemon Choi from Breakthrough in Hong Kong will lead a team of experienced counselors to begin their important work in counseling and in training local people in post-trauma counseling.

It is marvelous to see how the Lord is providing for this mission of mercy. Dragon Air has offered free tickets and excess baggage allowances for all our teams flying in with medical supplies from Hong Kong. The Public Health officials in Chengdu and Mianyang have also provided free transportation. Contributions continue to be received from prayer partners and friends around the world.

Please stand in prayer with China and her leaders at this critical time of deep distress. Remember the missing, the injured, the thousands who have lost children, husbands, wives and other loved ones. With China’s one child policy, just think what it must mean to a family to lose their only son or daughter!

It is thrilling to see how Chinese Christians from other provinces in China are responding in an outpouring of love in this great relief effort. Pray that their Good Samaritan concern will alleviate suffering, bring comfort, and result in the advance the gospel. How can we not stand with them?

“I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”
– Matthew 25:34-40

Your brother in His service,
Jim

I think that blogging often brings out the worst in me.

I’m usually really bad about responding to emails … in any given day, I get dozens and dozens, and there’s simply no way I can answer everything that I want to answer. So for those of you with messages still sitting in my inbox, here are a couple of tips if you want to get a response from me.

1. Keep it short.
   A couple of sentences is usually enough.

2. Ask directly.
   I’m not that smart … beating around the bush distracts me.

3. Be persistent and patient.
   I won’t be offended, at all, if you send me 5-10 messages.

4. Be awesome.
   I tend to make time for people who I consider to be amazing.

5. Show me that you care.
   If nothing seems meaningful, I often don’t stop and notice.

6. Don’t.
   Sometimes email’s a terrible medium … phone or visit me!