Prospective Staff Weekend!

Hello, friends! 

This Saturday, the Central Region (our Region) will be having its annual Prospective Staff Weekend (PSW). Men and women from all over our 4-state Region (Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and Missouri) will be gathering together to learn more about InterVarsity's vision and begin the discernment process of deciding whether or not to apply to staff. 

Much like so many other things this year, PSW will be different because of the pandemic. Instead of gathering in one place, it will be a virtual gathering. Because it's a virtual gathering, it'll only be a few hours on Saturday instead of the normal 24 hours it usually is. Instead of having all of the RLT present, only a few of us will be there to run the show. In fact, I'll only be there for part of the time (to talk about MPD, of course). 

Even though things are going to be scaled down compared to other years, I'm still excited for this year's PSW. I remember when I went to my PSW, 14 years ago. There were 6 of us from the St. Louis area who attended, including 3 of my best friends, one more fellow WashU student (#GoBears), and another good friend of mine. While only 3 of us ended up applying for staff (1 is now a teacher, one is a social worker, and one is doing anti-racism work), it was still such a blessing to be hanging out with friends, hearing about what God is doing beyond our little St. Louis Bubble, and beginning a discernment process that brought me to where I am today. 

So, friends, if you think about it Saturday afternoon, would you pray for our prospective staff? Please pray that God would speak to them during this time and make it really clear what He has in store for them during this next season of their lives. Would you pray that the technology would work and that community would still be established, even virtually. Pray for all those presenting (including yours truly), and that we would be speaking God's words, not our own. The harvest in plentiful but the workers are few. Pray that God would bring more workers to his harvest here in the Central Region! 

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam

Yes You Can, Little Girl...

Hello, friends! 

This is my daughter. She's kind of the best and a little bit ridiculous. 

On Saturday morning, my daughter asked Megan, "Can I be president one day?" This was just a little bit before Joe Biden was announced as the winner of the presidential election. It was with great pride that Megan could say, "Yes, you absolutely can!"

Representation matters. Regardless of your politics or who you voted for, we can agree that the election was a momentous one for little girls like my daughter. In the same way that the election of Barack Obama in 2008 opened up a world of possibilities for African American children all across the country because they saw someone who looked liked them ascend to the highest job in the land, my daughter can look towards 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and see a bi-racial, Asian American woman just like her, one heartbeat from the Presidency. 

I have no idea what the future holds for this little girl. Right now she's more into dolls and playing school than anything else (which makes sense because she's 3). She can spell her name and count to 12 but there's still a long way to go before she could even consider running for office.

But it's possible... and she's knows it... because she sees it... and that's pretty great. 

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam

Relationships After the Election...

Hello, friends! 

As you're reading this, the presidential election has yet to be decided. With that being said, I've been thinking the last few days about what life is going to be like after the election is certified and we either have 4 more years of the current administration or a new administration in the White House. Regardless of who wins, there are still some truths that will be true for the next 4 years and beyond. 

I've been seeing a lot of memes in the past few days that basically say the same thing: Just because we voted for different people, doesn't mean we can't be friends anymore. Whether it's a dude holding up a sign, stick figures in a cartoon, or whatever, the message is the same, and for the most part, the message is received well. 

But that message also has the potential to be super harmful and I would argue that it's actually unbiblical. 

We (I'm speaking for Christians here) are called to love one another and to love our neighbors as ourselves. That is pretty clear. The problem with memes like the ones referenced above, is that it conflates loving with being friends. Loving someone does not mean putting on a friendly face every time you see them or pretending that nothing is wrong. Loving someone does not mean forcing yourself into unhealthy environments for the sake of unity. Loving someone does not mean diminishing differences so that no feathers are ruffled.

One could also make the argument that Jesus says the exact opposite of "be friends no matter what." In Matthew 5, as part of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says that if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. I'm paraphrasing here, but I interpret that to also mean, "if constantly being around someone, pretending that nothing is wrong makes it harder for you to love that person, stop hanging around that person!" It's OK to love from afar.  

There's also the problem of uneven value placed on the election. In a completely unscientific scan of my Facebook and Twitter feeds, the people who are posting these memes are predominantly folk for whose lives will not be drastically affected by the outcome of the election. It's easy to say "water under the bridge" when it's a game. For many of my friends, particularly my friends of color, this election had real emotional, mental, and spiritual costs. To insist that because the election is over, the trauma is over, and that things can go back to the way they were, is naïve at best, and harmful at worst. 

So, what does all this mean? To my friends who insist that everything should just go back to the way it was before the election and that everyone should just "get over it," please give those around you the space they need. Remember, relationships are two-way streets. You may be ready but they may not. 

For my (especially Christian) friends who are re-evaluating their relationships, my request is that you look for the best way for you to love your neighbor as yourself. That might mean cutting off the relationship. If so, be free in that and don't look back. That might mean continuing to lean in and having difficult conversations. If so, may God give you all the courage and strength you need. That might mean taking a break so you can reset. If so, may you be restored and refreshed by the Holy Spirit. Whatever you do, please keep love as your primary motivator. 

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam

Congrats, Dodgers!

Hello, friends!

On August 27, 1993, I officially became a St. Louis Cardinals fan. My dad took me (and maybe my little brother?) to a Cardinals game vs. the Dodgers at Chavez Ravine. In extra innings, the Cardinals scored 1 in the top of the 10th and Brett Butler was thrown out by Tom Pagnozzi in the bottom of the 10th for the final out. The crowd groaned, my dad and I (and maybe my little brother?) cheered, and I was officially hooked. 

Growing up a Cardinals fan in Southern California meant that all I heard about around town was the Dodgers. Which means, all I heard about in my house was how the Cardinals beat the Dodgers. There was the 1985 NLCS (go crazy!). There was also the fact that the only time I ever got to see the Cardinals play was against the Dodgers (fun fact: The Cardinals are undefeated at Chavez Ravine when I am in attendance). As far as I was concerned, the Dodgers were the Cardinals' greatest rival, and I hated their guts. 

Then, I moved to St. Louis for school (Go Bears!) and I learned that the Cardinals and the Cubs is the REAL rivalry. I got to see more Cardinals games against more opponents. Sports talk radio was now dominated by Cardinals talk. It was (baseball) heaven, and my hate for the Dodgers grew to distaste, which eventually grew to ambivalence. 

Why does all this matter? Last night, the Dodgers won the World Series, beating the Tampa Bay Rays 3-1 to take the series in 6 games. The last time the Dodgers had won the World Series was 1988 (The Cardinals have won 2 since then). Watching the game last night, knowing that the series could be over, I thought that I would be rooting hard for the Rays, extending the Dodger title drought for at least another day, and possibly another year. Imagine my surprise when I found myself more or less ambivalent to who won. If you asked me point blank, I probably would have said I wanted the Rays to win, but when Julio Urias threw that final pitch for a called strike 3, I was happy for the Dodgers. I didn't expect that. 

So, congrats, Dodgers fans! You're world champions. It was well deserved. Enjoy this championship, coming from a Cardinals fan who, at the very least, isn't pissed that you won. =0). 

Have an excellent day!

~Adam

World Polio Day!

Hello, friends! 

When I first moved to Columbia, MO, all those years ago, one of the first things that I did was join the local Rotary club. At least part of that reason was because I needed to meet people and build networks when as I was living in a new place. But, I also new that Rotary was going to be my jam, as opposed to the Elks, the Optimists, or any of the other service oriented clubs because of my history with Rotarians. In high school, I was part of the Interact Club, which was the high school version of Rotary. The Garden Grove Rotary Club funded by Eagle Scout Project too. I've always had a soft spot for Rotarians. 

One of the favorite things that Rotary does, apart from community service, social events, and wonderful conversations from interesting people, is their dedication to the eradication of Polio. 

Polio is a virus that attacks the spinal cord and can lead to paralysis, among other symptoms. In the 1950's, a vaccine was developed and the world was changed. In 1985, the year I was born, Rotary took up the cause of eradicating polio. Earlier this summer, the WHO announced that Africa was officially free from wild polio. Currently, Iran and Afghanistan are the only countries in the world that still have wild polio. This is, in no small part, because of the work of Rotary. 

Saturday is World Polio Day! If you have some time, watch this video about Rotary's history in combating polio and consider giving to the End Polio Now fund. 

Drop to Zero-Polio Plus from Joe Meyer on Vimeo.

Have an excellent day!

~Adam

COVID Prayers

Hello, friends! 

Tuesday morning, I woke up with a tightness in my chest and some body aches. I didn't have a fever but decided that self-isolating and getting a test done was the right call, just to be on the safe side. 

COVID symptoms are really hard to diagnose. On Monday I went to the dentist and was sitting in a position that wasn't very comfortable. When I got out of the chair, my neck definitely hurt. Were the body aches because of my body being out of alignment, or COVID? I am an asthmatic and have athletically induced asthma. Monday evening we went on a walk and I was running a bit with the kids. My allergies have also been active. Are those reasons I had some chest tightness, or is it COVID? It's hard to say. 

If I did get COVID, it'd be from 1 of 4 spots. I ran errands on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, so it could be from any one of those places, although I was masked up and everyone else I saw was wearing a mask too. It could have been Ezra's soccer game on Saturday, as he and I were the only ones wearing masks (Thaliea and Megan were wearing their masks on a different field because Thaliea had soccer at the same time) but that was outdoors and besides the kids (I'm assistant coach) I wasn't interacting with anyone else. 

Another hard part of this whole scenario was the decision of whether or not to get the test. I could have easily chalked my symptoms up to being out of alignment and the running but then I run the risk of infecting others if I do actually have it. On the other hand, the test I took yesterday takes between 1-3 days to get results and I couldn't get a rapid test until tomorrow (Thursday) afternoon, so I'm isolated downstairs, Meg is running solo, and Ezra didn't go to school today in case I am COVID positive. 

So, that's where we are. I'm feeling much better today and will know sometime tomorrow at the latest if I'm COVID positive. Until then, please pray for me, for my family, and for all those who continue to deal with the uncertainty of life during a pandemic. 

Have an excellent day!

~Adam

Back to School (Part 7): Day One (Again)!

Hello, friends! 

Who's that good looking boy enjoying his first day of in person kindergarten? Why, I believe it's Ezra! 

After one false start, a few weeks of completely virtual learning, and days of anticipation, Ezra was finally able to attend school. He'll be going into class every Thursday and Friday, as well as alternating Wednesdays. Here are a few takeaways from everyone's first day:

- Ezra LOVES it so far. When Megan and I picked him up, you could actually see the glow on his face. He was so excited and wouldn't stop talking all the way home about all the things he did. To be honest, the excitement started as soon as he got up. There was no trepidation from him when he walked into the building. The boy was ready. 

- Kindergarten is hard work. Ezra's school provides breakfast and lunch but Ezra doesn't have the normal snacks that he does when he's at home. As soon as he got into the car, he CRUSHED the snack we brought him. He also ate all of his dinner in record time. Apparently, all that learning and playing burns a lot of calories. 

- Thaliea is a big winner too. Except for one spot during resting time when she was crying because she missed her brother (a somewhat normal occurrence), Thaliea did great. I think she enjoys only having to share the sitter with one brother instead of two. As soon as Ezra got home, the two older kids were kind of inseparable, which was pretty cute. 

Of course, we're only one day in and things could change at any moment. Still, we're thankful that Ezra had a good first day and is ready to go back. 

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam