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Snow: God's little reminder...

So Punxsutawny Phil, the master forecaster told us that we're supposed to have an early Spring this year, and i'm super pumped about it because it has been a cold winter in Nashville. Even this very evening we are expected to recieve 1 to 5 inches of snow across middle Tennessee. Whether that happens or not... we shall see :) In any case, I'm hoping this will be one of the last humps to get over for this Winter.

It literally is funny though to see how everyone reacts to the snow. I'm not sure whether it’s just the people I seem to come into contact with on a regular basis, or everyone... But everywhere I go I hear about how all Nashvillians can't drive in this weather and how everyone else is freaking out. The other day it literally made me laugh as I over heard this particular lady who was recently from way down somewhere in South America expressing how all the drivers in Nashville can't handle the snow... (just think about it :)

In our mind we are always the "good ones" ... it's never us, it's never our faults, because we can handle the weather... We aren't' like the people who raid Kroger’s right before it snows... "it's those darn Nashvillians... ya know, the ones who can't drive in the snow!"

Recently I had someone cut in front of my vehicle on my way to work. I'm not sure if the person saw me or not, or if he just thought he was going fast enough to make it... even though he didn't. I slammed into his driver's side door making a pretty good dent in both our vehicles.. Then before I could think clearly enough to write down his tag numbers... he drove off.

At first I was like, "you've got to be kidding me!" I waited in vain thinking "surely he is just going to make a block and come back." Never came back...

What that person's actual situation was, I don't know. There are plenty of reasons why he would just drive off. The fact is he hit me and ran. He didn’t want to face the consequences, whatever those were for him. You don’t often run when it’s not your fault. People don’t often say “I’m guilty.” Or “Yeah, I’m a horrible driver in this kind of weather!” Or “Yeah I freak out a little when it’s going to snow, I bought five loafs of bread!” We never want to be the one the finger is pointed at… no matter how big or small the issue is.

Just a few days ago I was talking with a friend who was telling me how he was always available if I needed him for anything. He went on to tell me how he is pretty much always working and moving and how his work is pretty much his second marriage.

I believe this is one of the saddest things to witness. We live in a culture that promotes and pushes 24/7 efficiency. So much so that we praise the person who never stops and then we end up feeling guilty ourselves when we do finally sit and do nothing. But then on days like today its great! Everyone starts flaking out of work early in “caution” of the inch of inclement weather we are supposed to get. “It’s a safety issue!” That means we get to take a rest, guilt free! Bring on the snow!

Perhaps in all this then God gives us the gift of this white powder to remind us of how dirty we can get sometimes… to remind us that He is the only one who makes us clean, pure, and white. And to remind us of a season that screams at us to “Stop and Rest.” Stop; look in the mirror; and remember who you are. Remember the God who loves you… even amidst all your false efforts to be “good” without Him.

And so if Punxsutawny Phil is right…

May you take advantage of these last few moments of this gift of Winter you have.

- Caleb

Its Snowing, And You Better Hope You're Not Alone

What is it about snow that we love? We will sit as one and admire it. We appreciate it for some odd reason and the hope that it brings. It is cold and wet, things we do not typically like. But for most of us, it means anticipation of snow days and different schedules. It is the talk of snow that really causes a buzz. "Did you hear it was suppose to snow even more?" we exclaim. We look forward to playing in snow, staying inside away from the snow, sledding and having snow-ball fights.

There must be something in us that sees snow as something different than just cold rain. The insecurity that snow causes about driving conditions and scheduled meetings just rings though us. We, well at least I, hope secretly and earnestly that everything will be cancelled for "safety's sake".

Two things, frozen rain, and snow; they are the same and yet so different; which reminds me of something that happened the other day. At work, a man became upset and started to yell through a crowd of 200 people at a woman he was angry at. All you could hear above the crowd was, "I'm gonna find you! And you better hope you're not alone!" Later that day, I was doing some data entry while listening to Pandora, when a song by Jack Johnson came on. I am not sure what the rest of the lyrics were; but one caught me. In a soothing, comforting tone he hummed, "you better hope you're not alone." I don't know the rest of the song, but I had a very distinct feeling that Jack was saying something completely different than the angry man.

Back to what I was saying about snow though. Could it be that we revel in snow so much because it is a heavenly force that interrupts us and reminds us that there is something bigger than us in the world? Could it be that we are reminded that something greater is happening? Could it be God uses snow every once in a while to enact sabbath in an overworked city? Could it be that we are anticipating not just rest and fun, but ultimately, the good news of the kingdom?

Do you know any angry men? You know the kind that are actually upset when it snows because it ruins their schedule? The ones that see it as cold rain and a pain.

Later, at the elevator, I stepped in. Number two was already lit and a commonly wearied man stood across from me. As the elevator started to move we sighed in unison. Though we were different in every way, in age, gender, race, and status. We were one in that moment. I just know we both had the same feeling that somethings are wrong with the world, somethings we can change, and somethings we just got to do. Thank goodness it was snowing.

-Emily Haynes

Scholastica gets a loan!

Loan in Kenya has been 100% funded The $250.00 loan request in Kenya has been 100% funded for Scholastica Mueni Mackenzie This loan will be used for the purpose of: To buy bags of cabagges, kales and tomatoes Over the 9 months of this loan, Kiva's Field Partner in Kenya, Kenya Agency for Development of Enterprise and Technology (KADET), a partner of World Vision International, will be collecting repayments from this entrepreneur and posting progress updates on the Kiva website: http://www.kiva.org/lend/258248

Kaleo Time Changes for 2011!

The Coming of Living Water

Advent is here and as we wait, with birth-pains, the coming of our baby-king, there are people in the world who are painfully waiting for their redemption too. This advent Kaleo is taking part in the Advent Conspiracy to give a true Christmas gift to those who are painfully waiting for just a simple glass of water.

The leading cause of death in under resourced countries is from water born illnesses, including the deaths of a staggering 3,900 children a day.

Living Water International works to alleviate those in crisis by drilling wells to provide fresh, clean, unpolluted water for those in need.

So in this season of Advent, as you find yourself coming back to your need for a messiah, consider giving out of the hope you have, so that the kingdom of heaven can break into our world.

Go ahead be a Baby

This week is the second week of Advent. Advent is actually the beginning of the Christian year. Basically as a Christian, when the season of Advent comes around it is our New Years! This is when our life begins.

Why?

Because this is when the life of Jesus began two thousand years ago…. And so year after year we as Christians orient our life around a different calendar than the rest of the world.
We say that our lives aren’t defined even by the world and culture we are born into, but by the real Life we are born into, with Jesus.

So, as we enter this time of Advent, remember that our God is continually bringing you into His story. The story you were meant for. And as you continue to follow Christ and seek His face... Ask yourself, How is it, in this season of the year, that I am following a Jesus who came to us as a Child?

Join Kaleo Nashville as we celebrate Advent, our New Years, as we are Born withChrist.