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Day 14 of my 40 Days of Water journey with blood:water mission finds me almost…apathetic. In my faith. Not in my water drinking. My water drinking is going great. When I got that boost from reading all over the blood:water site about the HIV/AIDS, and the water crisis going on over in Africa…it game me that extra boost to keep going. But my reason for it…I just want to see AIDS eradicated, and clean drinking water made available to everyone! But I don’t have Jesus in it…

James tells us in his letter that faith without works is dead. But I think it also works the other way around. There’s a song I like by Jimmy Needham, and in it he says,

Sure I’ve got zeal, but does love have a part in it?

Passionate words and beautiful phrases

They just don’t mean much if I don’t have Jesus in it”

I am a big fan of social justice. I think the Bible is clear that we are supposed to care for the poor and the disinherited. And honestly, I don’t always do a good job of seeking that out. But when I do. Look out. Because I’m on fire, and I’m going to try and light you as well. I can read all kinds of book and websites, and tell you all about it, and tell you that you should get behind it too. But it’s generally not because I’m reminded that Jesus is a bigger champion of those causes than I, or any billionaire could be. He already conquered them all when he died on the cross. but he allows us to come along side him to help. But I have to remember.

Jesus loves the people in Africa who don’t have water more than I do. And He can do more for them. And the same goes for those afflicted by poverty, and disease all around the world, including those in my own town.

If I want to be working along side Him, and not just “in His name”, though, that requires my relationship with Him to be growing. And as of late it hasn’t been. I’ve been running on empty, but making sure I’ve got words and actions to hide behind so that it’s not too obvious that I haven’t cracked my Bible on my own in a week or two.

And the thing is, I can sit here and tell you about how crappy I am at reading my Bible, or having a consistent prayer life, but that doesn’t amount to a hill of beans if I don’t just cut the crap and start doing it.

Action. The word of God requires action from us. That’s where we get these great organizations like blood:water mission, World Vision, Compassion International, Mission Year, Word Made Flesh, etc…But to have our hearts transformed to take those actions we have to take the action to open a book. Not another book about world hunger, or the AIDS pandemic. But The Book. The Bible. Everything we need to know is right in there. It’s a 66 book love letter from the ultimate lover. And we have to take the action to talk to God. Hit your knees, fall on  your face, sit in a chair! He doesn’t care. He wants us to talk to Him. And he wants to talk back to us. These are the things He wants us to do to get to know Him. That way, we find out what He is passionate about, and what breaks His heart, and then He can show us in what ways we are equipped to help Him fix those things in this fallen, broken, sin sick world we live in.

Water teaches you things in funny ways.

I originally wrote this on my Mission Year blog on February 24th, 2009. Got a nice reminder about it last Sunday though.

We have a Sabbath built in to our week, and it’s great. I generally spend mine doing absolutely nothing but reading, web surfing, and blogging. I enjoy it…but that book that we’re reading that I told you about (Practicing Our Faith) made me rethink how I will probably be spending my Sabbath from here on out.

In the Jewish tradition, they are called to observe the Sabbath for two reasons. One reason is because God did. He worked for six days, and rested on one. If we are assuming that the world can not go on without our work for one day…how arrogant does that make us? What does that say about how we view God? The other reason is to remind them of their newly found freedom. He reminds them of their slavery in Egypt. Slaves can not take a day off, free people can. (Exodus 20:8-11; Deuteronomy 5:12-15)

In the Christian tradition, we kind of have this day built in to our weeks as well. Sunday. We get the family all together, go off to Sunday School, go to service, go out to eat, go catch a quick nap at home (if we’re lucky), then back to the church building for budget/personnel/ministry team meetings, and then there is always the possibility of the Children’s Choir performance or some banquet or other after that. We don’t honestly get that much rest, because we’re so involved. That totally used to be me.

The Sabbath is supposed to be a time of rest. A time that we use to thank God for giving us the time to rest, and for the work he has given us to do.

Sunday is no longer protected by legislation (Blue Laws), or custom. Because our lives are so busy on other days, we have to cram all those meetings and events in to one day. A lot of the time we don’t think about the fact that some people don’t ever get a day off, because they work multiple jobs, or have to put in insane hours at the one job they’re trying to keep. When we go out to lunch at a restaurant, we don’t wonder if our waitress has had a day of rest this week.

How great would it be if groups of three or four families got together to spend their Sabbaths together, and keep each other accountable to just…resting. Maybe they set up a rotating schedule of who provides food, or they all contribute every week. And they make a commitment not to be committed to anything that is work (or church work related). As far fetched as it sounds, if the body of believers decided to take back their Sunday as a day of rest, a Sabbath (this is most often the best bet because it is a relatively open day), then eventually the church governance would get the message and stop scheduling meetings on Sunday, and (and yes I really believe that if enough people did it this would happen) if people stopped going out to eat, restaurants wouldn’t open, and perhaps they’d learn something from S. Truett Cathy (founder of Chik-Fil-A and does not allow them to be open on Sundays).

We get scared of hearing something like this, or of considering making it a priority because ‘What about this project I have a work’, or ‘Yeah, but the garage isn’t going to clean itself’. Consider this though:
“People who know the Sabbath pattern of creation, liberation, and resurrection nurture a dissatisfaction with this system, however, and can work for change. Keeping Sabbath, we grow in our longing for a system where all people have work at a living wage, and time for rest and worship too.” – Dorthy C. Bass
People who decide to take a stand against what the culture decides to observe, and celebrate the Sabbath can change the culture.

Using your Sabbath as a day to rest, commune with God, and others, and respect the right of others to do the same will change your life. I promise

-Stippick

Ok. So I haven’t let you know a whole lot about my 40 Days of Water journey with blood:water mission in a few days. For those of you who are giving a rats behind. My bad.

Last Wednesday was the week marker. I’d made it a week on just water (except on Sunday…I had 2 Dr Peppers, a Fanta Strawberry, and some tea…). But I was feeling really good about it. I even had someone give me some really great encouragement that night. At that point, I had run more days that I hadn’t throughout the process, and I seemed to be on a great track. I’d learned some cool stuff in the first week, and was excited to continue the process.

The back half of last week rolled around, and I was not feel as gung-ho about the whole thing. I had a big personal discouragement that was my fault, and I remembered how flavorless water was. The first week, I’d been drinking 7 or 8 glasses of water a day. By the end of last week I was down to two or three, and I was feeling sluggish. I got another headache, and I was not happy about it. The caffeine should have been out of my system by now! (I realize that other things cause headaches, but at the time, this is what I chose to blame the situation on.) So I popped another excedrin migraine, and let ti work it’s magic.

I’m going to be completely honest with you. Coming into this week, I was no longer pumped, or thrilled about any of this “drinking only water stuff”, I was more…apathetic. I was going to keep doing it, but not because I really wanted to, because I’d committed to it. Hoping for some inspiration, I decided to go over to the blood:water mission website. It was a nice kick in the seat of the pants.

I remembered that I’m not doing this for you. I’m not even really doing this for me. I’m doing it for families in Uganda. Who I’ve never met. Because Jesus tells us that when we are given much, we have a larger responsibility. I have the option to have tea, soda, coffee, beer, wine, milk, whatever it may be. Simply because I was born into the middle class of a western country. And  I have access to as much clean water as my heart desires. People in Majority World countries do not have that luxury. I don’t have the option to not help them have access to clean, safe, drinkable water.

-Stippick

Yesterday, I got to experience one of maybe three or four times in my 22 years that I’ve actually seen real snow. When I say “real snow”, I mean not the stuff that we pretend is snow in Texas. Which is sleet. No, this was real snow. There were fat flakes that fell from the heavens, and I caught them on my tongue, and it stuck. There were a couple inches of it, and people were able to make real snowmen. It was really neat, because we don’t get to experience something like that very often. It was fun to see everyone’s pictures, and read their facebook and twitter status updates about what they’d done in the snow, and what some of their younger kids had done and said. I even sat on a chair on my bed and watched it fall outside of my bedroom window for a while. Because honestly, it was really quite beautiful.

Today, I woke up at 10:48 a.m. to a frustrated phone call, rolled out of bed, and threw on some clothes to run an errand. When I got outside, I had to squint, because things were so bright. I wondered if the the sun was always brighter the day after a snow. Because the air seems so much cleaner. That makes a lot of sense in my head. As I read it just now though, I realize it sounds weird. So anyway, as I’m driving, I notice that a lot of the snow is melted. And I was kind of sad, because I wanted to play in it a little bit today, but that apparently wasn’t in the cards. On my way home though, I noticed that it was melted even more than when I’d left this morning. Yards were mostly bare again, and mushy and wet where large patches of snow melted. Snowmen were melted down, or had fallen over. And roofs were dripping all of the melted snow onto walkways, and flower beds. I started thinking about how gross the day after snow is. Because honestly, it really is quite ugly.

And it hit me. It’s a lot like sin. In the moment, it is fun, and beautiful, and new and enticing. You like it, you love it even. You want to play with it, and in some cases, you don’t even mind showing it off! Because it’s so great, right?! Look at what it’s doing for you. It makes you feel good. It give you the upper hand. It makes you a better person honestly.

And then reality sets in. And the newness wears off. And you feel gross. You want it gone, but it won’t go as quickly as you want it to! It’s causing problems now. It’s mucking up your life, because now you and everyone else see it for what it really is. It is a sickness. A disease even. And it is going to cost you something to get rid of it. It will probably hurt. It will not be as fun as it was at first. It will be nothing like building that snowman.

-Stippick

Probably the biggest thing I got out of my 40 Days of Water was a tweet that blood:water mission retweeted.

Beautifully put RT @justicehoney: Some see it as giving something up. I see it as being set free. This helps me get through the day

That actually helped put things in perspective for me. I may or may not do my fair share of complaining about missing flavored liquids. But the thing is, that stuff (tea, soda, coffee, beer, etc…) was allowed a certain amount of control over my life, in the sense that (this is with the tea/soda/coffee, and things like that with caffeine) my body had become physically dependent on that to make it through the day. And that is ridiculous. I long to not be controlled by outside forces other than Christ. I mean that.

No running took place today. Which, really is a shame, because this is probably the only chance I’ll have for a long time to run in the snow…I’ll catch it next time.

-Stippick

I’m going to be honest with you. On days like today, there may be no reason for you to read this stuff other than that you’re  trying to follow my full 40 Days of Water journey with blood:water mission. And if that’s you? Thanks very much, I appreciate your dedication to my ramblings about my life, and how interesting I think it is. You and I might be the only ones who think that about my life.

I digress. While I didn’t have any big revelations today due to my water drinking, I did get to share with someone why I’m drinking mostly tap water. Which, if you didn’t know, is to be a constant reminder to myself of how much easy access I have to good clean water, when the majority of the world does not. And I’d even not really thought about since day 2…or something like that. It’s a pretty big deal when you think about it.

I also went for about a 20 minute run in the park. When I collapsed afterward though, I saw this bright light, and this voice said, “Quit being such a pansy, you’re not dying.” I look up, and there is Michael Sawyer…Just kidding. He didn’t say that. But I did collapse, and complain to him for about 3 minutes.

Drink more water. And be thankful for it.

-Stippick

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I wam gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” - Jesus (Matthew 11:28-30 NASB)

Abba,

I come to you tonight so weary, and more with a heavier heart than I knew I could have. I hurt. There is a black hole that eats at my inside that I don’t want to hide from you anymore. As if I could hide it anyway though, right? You knew. You know. All along you’ve known. But while part of me runs after you, the other part still wants to keep some things to myself. So I tricked myself into thinking I could hide something from YOU. The almighty creator of everything there ever was or who be, who knows and sees all. And I would tuck it away from you. And it broke me. And I am scarred, and I am wounded, and bleeding, and crying, and scared, and broken, broken, broken. But I know you gave and broke your only Son so that in my brokenness, I could be made beautiful. To you, I am. I am your beautiful child, and you love, and there is nothing I can do that will ever make you love me less. But I feel like you do. I feel like there is no way you can look at me and see the unique creature that you created me to be. But your word tells me that is exactly what happens. I want to feel that. I know it is true deep down in my soul, but I can’t feel it tonight. Tonight I only feel far from you, and I know that it is me who has moved. Not you. You are constant, and unwavering. I am the variable in this equation. I use you when you suit me, and I put you on the shelf when you don’t. I am tired of not listening when you talk. Not acting when you convict. And not showing through my actions, words, and thoughts the man you made me to be. I want to rip this out at its roots and burn it gone. And then I want to walk by your side every day to keep it gone. Please, please, show me how. I’m begging you. I’m crying to you. I don’t cry, don’t you know that?! Please. Hear my cry.

God, please help me.

Day 5 of my 40 Days of Water journey with blood:water mission was not exactly pretty.

I decided to make it my day off. You know. Just to start with my day off being Sunday and keep it that way. Now, I didn’t go as overboard as I thought I might. I had one to go cup of Dr. Pepper, and then a can of Dr. Pepper later, and a medium strawberry Fanta. I mean. I could have gone crazy with it, but I tried to keep it mild. I think that I will probably be regretting this decision tomorrow…but today, I am content with it.

I also did not go for a run, or bike today. I will start up again tomorrow though…I am going running at 5:10 p.m. in the park with Brian and Michael. It should be interesting…

Have a great week,

Stippick

I’m not going to lie to you. The best part about Day Four of the 40 Days of Water with blood:water mission for me was finding out that this deal is a 6 days on, 1 day off deal. I have no idea how I missed that, but it seriously may have been the highlight of my week to find that out. I’m not saying I’m gonna go bananas on stuff that isn’t water on the day off…but yeah, it’ll be a nice break for sure. Maybe that means I’m weak, but…I don’t think I care.

There’s honestly not a whole lot more to report as far as anything related to my 40 Days journey. I did go for a bike ride today instead of a run, for those of you who are following that little story line. Not really sure which is more beneficial for you…but I don’t guess I care that much. I’ve done more voluntary consecutive days of physical activity in the last three days than I’ve done…probably ever. Seriously. And physically feels awful right now. But morally it’s a big one.

Here’s lookin’ at you Wednesday!

-Stippick

Flavorless.

Water is absolutely flavorless. I don’t know if you knew that about water or not, but now you do.

I hadn’t ever really thought about it much until this morning when I woke up and drank a glass. I am on day three of 40 Days of Water with the folks over at blood:water mission. So I wake up, drag myself to the kitchen, and am downing the glass of water, and my initial reaction is that I want to spit it back up. I wanted something with flavor. I needed something with flavor.

My next two reactions were these:

1) I am pathetic. It’s just water for 40 days. I should be thankful for how much water I have access to. And, It’s very western culture of me to think that everything should have “flavor”. Not just food and drink, but everything. And there should be all kinds of “flavors” so that I can find the one that I like best.

2) I was reminded of the command that Christ followers have to be the salt of the world. In Matthew 5:13, Jesus calls his followers the salt of the world. I’ve heard several sermons preached on this, and I’m sure a lot of you have too…but I don’t think I got it until I got tired of the blandness of water. Salt adds flavor. As a follower of Christ, I am called to be salt. To add flavor to the world. The flavor of what? I didn’t know off the top of my head honestly. I had to think about it for a few hours, and I had to filter through some church answers until I landed on one. I need to be adding the flavor of Christ. The flavor of salvation that can only be found in Him. And that sounds like a super duper church answer. But…It’s the truth. All of my actions, words, thoughts, etc…should point to Him, and who He is, and what He offers. I was thankful for the ordinariness of my water this morning.

In other news. I went to a soccer game this evening, and it took a lot of self control not to order some hot coco to warm my body. I thought about crying. Instead, I tweeted blood:water mission to let them know I was suffering for the cause. I enjoyed the games though, I got to watch some students doing what they love to do, and I am passionate about supporting them in whatever they’re passionate about.

Then, I went to see Shutter Island on my “date” for the Shockwave Love series. While there, I ordered a Mr. Pibb…and was reminded by my date that I’m only drinking water. Twice in one nigh? That is a little sad. Shutter Island though, was an EXCELLENT movie. It may have made it into my top five movies of all time.

That’s all the happenings of Day 3 in my 40 Days of water with blood:water mission folks! Hope you had a great day!

-Stippick