Reason For the Season

     My recent class at Rockbridge Seminary is over, I am actually off from work until next Monday, so I had some free time to jot down my thoughts.  The first thing that popped in my mind was the fact that Christmas was only three days away.  This year has gone by so fast!  Then it hit me.....the Christmas "stuff" that goes on this time of year that totally takes the focus off what Christmas is all about, is quickly engulfing everyone.

     I recently saw on the news that 35-43% of people in the world who do not believe in God were celebrating Christmas.  Wait.........celebrating Christmas?  Why?  Has the meaning of Christmas been so diluted that everyone just thinks it's a time for giving gifts, putting up lights, putting up a tree?  Which by the way has NOTHING to do with Christmas.  I don't recall a lit up tree and lights around the manger being mentioned in the Bible.  Yeah, there were gifts for Jesus from the Magi, but many months or even years later (Matthew 2:11).

    So, we are not suppose to have the lights, trees, etc?  Oh, no, I think that is cool, BUT we must remember that Christmas is about celebrating the birth of our Savior.  You remember, that dude that was sent from God to save us?  Oh yeah, it was God's son!  Why did we need saving?  Have you looked at us lately?  Do you seriously think we have it all together and can do it on our own? HA!

     Lets just say it, Adam and Eve blew it for all of us.  That bridge between God and man was pretty secure until....well you know the story.  God tried to re-establish that relationship, but oh no....we kept screwing it up.  So God figured if we can't keep the bridge up, He would send the ultimate engineer to not only repair the bridge, but hold it up for us.  That my friends was Jesus.

    So, where is this all leading?  Let us remember that Christmas is the time we should be focused on one thing, to celebrate one event and that is the birth of our Savior.  Without Him, nothing else really matters, does it?

    One last thought, as we celebrate our Savior's birth, remember that He came for everyone.  There are still many in darkness who don't know the saving grace of our dear Lord.  This time of year is flowing extra with the spirit of Giving, spirit of Love and the spirit of Hope.  Don't forget to smile, to say Merry Christmas, to give a little extra and to be the face of Christ.

    Merry Christmas my friends and have a glorious time celebrating the birthday of our Savior.

Chappy

     

Eric No Longer Lives Here

     Yesterday I posted the following on Facebook :  

Received some awesome words today. A close friend of mine told me to take a step back, evaluate where I am and then ask God where I need to be going. It's time for me to put my life back into God's hands.

Sometimes it is easier said then done, but I am here to tell you I am doing it.  Let me tell you why.  When I gave myself to Christ I asked God to reveal Himself to me because I really wanted to know He was there.   I told Him that I would do whatever He wanted me to do if He just showed me He was there.  Well He did, many, many times.  Since then I thought I was truly giving myself to Him.  

Things seemed to be going OK, until a couple of months ago.  Everything started to come unraveled.  Finances, family, job, school....everything.   I started questioning God, asking Him what was going on.  Going to school was His idea, traveling to Africa and being an advocate for Lahash.... His idea.  So what gives?  Why is everything going in the toilet?  Wasn't I doing what He wanted me to do?  God wasn't answering.  He was silent.  One day I became angry and I stop reading my Bible, my devotions.  Oh I was talking to God, but I wasn't happy.  I became like Jacob, frustrated, betrayed and ready to wrestle God.  I wanted answers and I was going to get them.  Here I was 46 years old ready to do what He wants and now He wasn't going to talk to me?  THAT was NOT good enough!

Let me stress.........I never walked away from God, never will.  In fact, it hit me.....today..........God walked away from me.  He didn't abandon me, the Bible is clear about that, no He took a step back...........he paused..........still pausing.  He's waiting.  What is He waiting for?

Tonight it hit me.  I was sitting at a local restaurant looking at my family and the answer was there right in front of me.  How many times have I made promises to my kids, my wife and fell through with the results.  I know what God was waiting for.........He was waiting for me to remember my promise, a promise that I have seemed to have forgotten.  The promise to do WHATEVER He wants me to do.  

Yeah, I attended school, struggled through classes and even continue raising money and awareness for Lahash.  That is only part of the promise.  You see, God wants me to be a Godly father, a Godly husband, a Godly friend a face of Jesus to those around me.  I have failed..........

So now what?  I have to make a change........as Bebo Norman says "I have to disappear" (please watch the YouTube video below to really understand) I have to stop being Eric.  The Eric who yells at his children for the stupidest things, who doesn't give his wife the attention she deserves, the asshole to many including close friends, the Eric that many don't want to be around....Eric has to move out.

So tonight..........I disappear.  Bebo's song now becomes my theme song.  I don't want people to see Eric, I want them to see our Savior.  The one who loved EVERYONE, who spoke words of peace and wisdom to all, who gave His life so we could HAVE life eternally.

Will it be easy? God never promised it would be easy, but I'm tired of Eric.  Eric has to go.

Bebo Norman's song "Disappear" 

Rice & Beans: Day 16

     OK, I am halfway through the month and still feeling pretty good about what we are doing.  One thing I have learned is how to prepare rice and beans in so many different ways, with the simplest of ingredients.  I tried to stay true to what is available in East Africa and not use items that they do not have.

    Before I continue with one ingredient I did use, I have to give some background information.  During one of my trips to Africa two of the ladies in my team decided to make spaghetti for the staff and children.  Believe it or not they actually found the noodles and tomato paste in one of the markets.  After it was prepared (with meat included) we explained to the staff, who had never had spaghetti, how to put it on your plate.  You know, spaghetti with sauce/meat on top.  (No cheese...bummer)  One of the staff after having prepared his plate reached over and grabbed a jar of peanut butter.  He then proceeded to pour the peanut butter onto the top of the spaghetti!!  He then mixed it together and started eating.  I thought I was going to die from laughing.  Well I told you that story to tell you that I decided to see what rice and beans would taste like with peanut butter on top of it.  I had to "nuke" the peanut butter to even get it to pour.  To make a long story short, it was a rather interesting taste.  Not sure if I would recommend it to anyone, but it did take the blandness out of the beans.

    Update on Amazing Grace Childrens Home:  We were able to raise enough emergency funds to get them back on their feet.  YEAH!

     Final thoughts:  When you are surrounded by "enemies" who out-number you, face them with a smile and a gesture of a handshake  because believe me, they will be in total confusion.  I will explain next time.

These are my thoughts.

Chappy

Even The Most Unique People Make A Difference

      I will forgo the Rice & Beans update because there is really not much to tell other than I am surviving.  I have learned that not having what you want and not being able to get it, is tougher than it looks.  I will never fully appreciate what it means to be totally without, but having a peek inside... it's not pretty.  To think how many people around the world go to bed hungry because they just didn't have enough to eat.  The fact that having just one meal is looked upon by many as either their last meal or a touch of salvation.  Scary.

    What I will post about is a rather unusual incident that happened this evening while shopping.  Let me give you some background information first on the particular individual that I will be talking about.  This gentleman is African American, walks with a cane, and carries a large boom box with headphones.  I occasionally see him walking through town, but the experiences I have had with the gentleman has always happened at Walmart.  Yeah, that's right Walmart.

    I was shopping with my wife when we heard singing, and no it was not from the speaker system.  It was rather loud, but in tune.  I smiled at my wife because I knew who it was without even looking.  Sure enough we come around the corner, here is this gentleman, basket over-flowing with groceries, headphones on and singing his heart out, oblivious to his surroundings.  We have had a previous encounter with this same gentleman, who likes to sing without any concern about the people around him.  

     This time I decided not to watch him, which I had before, but spend some time observing the reactions on the faces of those who were around him.  At first I expected the typical freak-out, walk away fast type of attitude, but what I witnessed was rather surprising.  People looked, who wouldn't have, but turned away smiling, no not laughing.  There were a few comments, but none negative.  Everyone seemed to actually brighten up as they came around him.  Maybe it was the fact he sang with emotion, or just the fact he had the guts to sing out loud in such a public place, who knows.  All I know is that people walked away smiling.

    As I was walking up and down each isle, I started to wonder, what impact am I leaving behind me?  Are my actions being seen as something to smile about or something to frown at?    

    That gentleman will probably never know what he had done to just a handful of people.  He may not even care.  All I know is that when that gentleman stand before the Lord some day, the Lord is going to tell him all about the smiles he left behind.

These are my thoughts.

Chappy

Children Starving Around The World

     The second week of Rice & Beans month has started and I feel pumped.  If you read my last post I had to modify my diet a little, but I still feel OK that I am not cheating.

    I stayed home today because of allergies (my eyes were all jacked up) and so I had some time to think.  My mind wondered from thinking about the children at Amazing Grace Childrens Home and truly how blessed I am to be able to help them out, to the children that are not getting help.  I got on the Internet and did some investigation.  The stats I am about to show you are mind boggling:

-There is roughly 2.2 billion children in the world.

-Every year 15 million children die from hunger.

-That breaks down to 41,095 children a day.  A DAY!

-The population of Roswell is roughly 45,000.

-So each and every day, 91% of the population of Roswell dies each day from hunger.

-Helping the children at Amazing Grace Childrens Home helps only .000002% of the entire population of children around the world.

There is a problem in this world and we don't seem to be solving it.  I know what your thinking, "I'm only one person."  Well, if each one of us supported one child that would be one less child on those stats.  Yeah, yeah I know your next statement "How can I afford that?"  I seriously can't answer that question for you, other than telling you that for the cost of a soda or Starbucks coffee, you can feed one child a day.

    I am not going to lecture to anyone, because you all know your own hearts.  You know what you can or cannot do, and sometimes just volunteering to raise money is more than having the money.

    I just have one question, how would you feel to know your own children could be on that list of children dying each day?  Scary thought, eh?

These are my thoughts.

Chappy

    

First Week: I Made It!

     First I am going to admit that I slipped.  Had an incident Thursday evening that forced me to eat a little more substance that I was eating.  I won't go into details, but lets just say my blood sugar plummeted.  So Stephanie had me eat a beans/meat dish she had prepared the evening before.  Because of this incident, I have modified my course to include a little more.  I have added fruit to my meals (sticking with fruits grown in East Africa like bananas and pineapple) and larger portions.  I am hoping this will get me through the the rest of the month.

    Although I had the slip, I am feeling pretty good.  Haven't craved a soda or snacks, which is a good thing.  I am sure most of my extra weight comes from the soda and snacks.  I look to continue this modification even after the end of this month.  I sure would like to be a little more healthier than I am.

    I want to thank all those who continue to support me and give me encouragement, I need it!  Temptations are all around and boy do they smell good.

    Reminder to read my last post about Amazing Grace Childrens Home.  It would be so easy for me to go back to eating whatever I want, but the children at AGO don't have that option.  The orphanage is in desperate need for food stuffs.  Please contact me if you want to help.  These are children, relying on us to help.

These are my thoughts.

Chappy

Amazing Grace Children's Home Is In Need

     I know that my posts have been about my adventures during Rice & Beans Month, but something urgent has come up that is more important than me.  The children at Amazing Grace Childrens Home are in desperate need of food.  They are now going through their reserve and that will not last long.  Lahash International (www.lahash.net) has sent emergency funds, yet again that will only prolong the enviable, and that is having no food at all.

    Those of you who read my blog and don't know about Amazing Grace Childrens' Home, let me give you a background.  AGO is an orphanage of about 29 children and 5 staff members in Adjumani, Uganda.  The children are Sudanese who have escaped into Uganda due to the war.  Some are without parents/family, some have no clue where parents/family are and others are children who's parents cannot afford to care for them.

     I urge each and every one of you to prayerfully consider sending a donation to not only put food back onto the childrens plates, but to replenish their food storage.  Your donations are tax deductible and even the smallest donation can go along way.

     We can't sit by and wait, we must act now.  The Bible is very clear :

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." (James 1:27 NIV)

     Here is the link to Lahash International's donation website:

http://www.lahash.net/donate.html

If you have questions, please, please do not hesitate to contact me.  Here is my email address:


echapman@lahash.net


If you want to talk to me direct, send me an email with your phone number and I will be happy to call you.


These are my thoughts.


Chappy

The Rules of Rice and Beans Month

     I have had some people ask me, "So what exactly are you eating for each meal?"  Let me first tell you about the rules...wait I will quote our fearless leader at Lahash International Dan:

"Well, the rules are... actually there aren't really rules" 

I tell you this because if you visit the website:

http://www.eatriceandbeans.com/ 

you will see a lot of really cool recipes.  The only problem is, a majority of the stuff in those recipes do not make it onto the plates of the orphans at our missions.  Mostly what they eat are beans, rice and ugali (maize flour cooked in water).   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ugali 

The orphans don't get all those spices and vegetable as shown in some of those recipes.  Now please don't get me wrong, I admire anyone who can eat just rice and beans, even if it has a little extra, for 30 days.  So I am very proud of ALL those who are undergoing this adventure.

I have decided to take the route of the East African diet (as Dan calls it).  I have only modified my breakfast:

BREAKFAST - 1 wheat roll and water

LUNCH - two cups of rice and water

DINNER - two cups of rice, cup of beans and a green vegetable.  (the vegetable is usually collard greens, mustard greens or spinach)

No sodas, no meat or chicken, no desserts and no snacks.

So, that is where I am at on day three.  I do have caffeine withdrawal headaches, but I figure they will go away by the end of the week.

I asked for continued prayers for all of us going through this adventure and that at the end the results will be beneficial to our missions in East Africa.

These are my thoughts.

Chappy

First Day and Not Starving Yet

     Well I made it through the first day without a hitch.  I had been a little nervous that I would not be able to make it through the whole month, but I felt pretty good this morning about the whole thing.  I feel confident that I can maintain the diet, although I keep waiting for the caffeine withdraw headaches to start kicking in.

    I did notice something interesting today though.  Smells that I normally took for granted seemed a little bit more stronger today. When I went to the bank today, the smells from Pepper's Bar and Grill seemed to be taunting me. LOL!  Temptation lies around every corner.

     You see, while in Africa there are no temptations.  You eat what you can get or what is given to you.  You don't have the luxury of choosing your meals from a variety of items.  Even if you did go to a local place to eat, your choices would be limited.  We learned to eat what was placed in front of us whether we knew what it was or not.  I never asked, I just ate.

     Those of you who read this, at your next meal I want you to take a close look at what you eat.  Then I want you to ask yourself, what would it be like to not have choices?  If suddenly all your choices of things to eat were taken away and replace by just two....rice and beans.  Could you do it?  Would you accept what was given to you and go on, or would you pout and cry about eating the same things again?  Well, those children and adults that are sponsored and supported by Lahash International have no choices.  They pretty much eat the same thing each and everyday.  Some existence in a world filled with so much, eh?  You know, they don't cry or pout about what the eat, in fact the only crying you will hear are those who don't have anything to eat.

     My intention is not to make you feel guilty, but to be aware.  Be aware that you who live in the U.S. with so many choices are fortunate, because there are so many who do without.  Next time you sit down to a meal, say a prayer to those who have no choices, because believe it or not they pray for you, cause I have heard them.

Chappy

The Final Days

     Woke up this morning realizing that there were only three full days left till I enter Rice & Beans month. (Check out the link above)  Yes, I Eric Chapman will spend the month of March eating Rice & Beans and trying to stay away from the Dr. Pepper.  You ask...why?  Well I have 29 good reasons.  There are 29 children at Amazing Grace Children's Home who eat rice & beans each and everyday.  Oh they have vegetables, what they can grow.  Meat is available but expensive.  They make due with what they can afford.  The awesome thing is, they don't complain.  They know that what little they have is more than most have.  I admire them and they humble me.

     The neat thing about this March is that the money we save on groceries will go to help our missions in East Africa.  Every penny we save is more for our brothers and sisters in East Africa.    

     So, what am I giving up? HA!  Dr. Pepper, candy, chips, cookies, meat, chicken.....AAAAARRRGHHHH!!!  LOL!  If I don't lose weight then there is something wrong with me.  

     I ask for prayers that I don't go insane during the month of March (ohhh the temptations of foooood).  I ask for prayers that we raise huge amounts of money for our missions in East Africa.  Finally, prayers for the children of Amazing Grace, St. Batholomew's,  Nambia House, and Grace and Healing Ministries.

Chappy