Pixels for Jesus

Today we are traveling back to the US. I have my final class next week since the timing is so close to Christmas, we are staying for the whole Holiday season. We are very excited, well to be honest, Katie is very excited. I have my final doctoral class and I always approach it with a healthy sense of trepidation.

When we are home, we are going to see our families. We will celebrate the Holidays with them. When we leave, we will all cry, and miss one another because we know what it means. When we say goodbye this time, it will be for a decent amount of time. For all of our family and friends, they have to accept pixels for Jesus.

This saying refers to our relationship with them and theirs with us, especially Hannah. Over the Thanksgiving holiday break, pixels became very important to us. We spoke with family and saw them through an electronic device with their faces displayed by millions of pixels.

These pixels represent a significant sacrifice and heartache for the parents/grandparents. Since we live in another country, their relationship is relegated to pixels. For them, these pixels are pixels for Jesus.

“And he (Jesus) said to them (his disciples), “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.”” (Luke 18:29–30, ESV)

These pixels that we see of our loved ones are really for Jesus. So as we visit friends and especially family, my heart really goes out to them because this decision is not theirs. It is ours. The pixels were forced on them. It hasn’t been easy but it is necessary. And we are so thankful that we live in a time that pixels are an option. There have been many who have gone before that the saying would have been parchment for Jesus.

What do you do if you are stuck with in a similar predicament? What do you do if your children or your friend is considering missionary service? These answers will come in a post tomorrow. 

Lord, anything but my dogs.

Today is a hard day for my family. We have, for almost five years, enjoyed two great dogs. Sadie WalkerTexasRanger and Howitzer JackBowitzer whom we affectionately call, “Howie.” Sadie is a boxer and Howie is a Heinz 57 mutt. They are great, a little overweight, well trained, great with kids, the consummate guard dogs, big babies, and grocery destroyers. When Katie and I followed the Lord in our call to missions, we never knew all it would cost. We are giving away many of our goods, selling our house, and today, giving our dogs away.

Now some of you might go online and look at the requirements for bringing dogs overseas. Before you do, let me assure you, it is possible that Sadie and Howie come with us. However, we are not thrilled about them spending time in quarantine or living in an apartment. Even worse, would be putting them through this twice in one calendar year.

For us, our dogs served as children place holders. For several years, we were trying any avenue to have a child. While we were there waiting, Sadie and Howie were there. When we had multiple failed adoptions, Sadie was there trying to lick Katie’s tears away. Howie, well he is a special dog and is perfectly happy to just lay around and be pet or to just lay around. Now with Hannah they are no longer place holders but are child protection and friend. One of Hannah’s greatest joys after she is finished eating her food is to drop her food on the ground for her two patiently waiting friends. I saw it (and without attempting correction) yesterday and I have no idea how much food Hannah eats. I also know why Howie is overweight!

Things have not always been great with Sadie and Howie. A couple of years ago, they decided to make a break for it and take a vacation in the nature preserve. Howie came home after five days and Sadie eight (she is a bit more stubborn).

All in all, today is a sad day because we love those two dogs. They are going to a great home with new owners who love dogs and will have time for them. Today is tough because it is another loss we are experiencing as we follow Christ.

Paul writes to a church and recounts who he used to be and what he had and says, “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead (Philippians 3:8–11).”

Today, we are experiencing another loss but we will gain more. It is incredibly sad to see these two dogs go. But we praise God for the time we had with them and for how He made them. God made animals, dogs especially, (the verdict is still out on cats), with an innate ability for love and relationship. This ability is how God created them and for that He is praise worthy. A dog is a man’s best friend. I prayed the other day and it ended with, “Lord anything but my dogs.” But I don’t want to settle for a “best friend” when I can have a Savior and Heavenly Father. When I see the love these dogs have, it is infinitely better in Jesus. These days make us focus on loving our Creator not his creation because what we love in creation is really what we love about him. It just hurts to see it sometimes.