10,000 Feet Somewhere Over the Pacific Ocean

Location: 34,000 feet somewhere over the Pacific Ocean
Time: Absolutely no idea other than I probably will regret not still being asleep. We’re about two-thirds of the way to Australia
Wow, I must have been exhausted. I don’t normally sleep on planes, but I crashed for about 4 hours after watching “Frost/Nixon”. Since then, I’ve been prepping for teaching Conflict Coaching.
Was thinking about Idols as I drifted off post “Frost/Nixon”. Specifically about how easy it is to takes something that is essentially good and by making it your god, make it a destructive force in your life and the lives of everyone around you. It’s so insidious – it gives you the ability to justify things to yourself that you would be horrified of if you did them because of a more obviously sinful motivation. When what you want if a good thing, it is easier to justify your actions as “achieving a greater good”, much like Nixon did. The ends come to justify the means. And that’s dangerous because idols demand sacrifice, as Ted likes to note. You begin by sacrificing those you don’t know and don’t care about. Over time, however, you begin to attack, to judge, to slowly (or not so slowly) destroy those you know and eventually, those you care about. Often, you will even sacrifice the very thing you love on the altar of your false idol. You see that sometimes where parents love their kids so much that their desire for their kids to have a good life leads them to destroy their children’s lives.
Okay, so how do you tie this thought into a nice little package? I don’t know that you can. It’s an observation. For Christians, the process involves coming to realize that you have gotten to the point where that good thing has become your god – the thing you fear, love and trust in beyond all else. You must recognize and acknowledge that this has happened. Then you must turn to God and seek his help in giving up this idol. Easy words to say, but impossible to do without God’s help.
I catch myself at this all the time. And it is so hard to overcome. Time and again, to paraphrase Paul, I find that the good I would do, I do not do. And the evil I would not do, I do. Oh what a wretched man I am. But Paul follows his meditation on his own sinful human nature by concluding “ Thanks be to God our Father through Jesus Christ our Lord”.Those sins, along with all of my other sins, are nailed to the Cross and I am forgiven. By his wounds, I am healed. So while I will sin again tomorrow – I will blow it. I will come to wants good things too much and make them my god. I will hurt the very people I want to benefit, I am forgiven and through that knowledge I have the strength to pick myself up, dust myself off and seek the forgiveness of any I have harmed. And then try once again. Thanks be indeed!
Soli Deo Gloria.

'Frisco Blog

Made it to San Francisco. Note to self – there is no place lonelier than an airport to spend a Saturday night by yourself. I’d like to say it’s no worse than my teenage years, but quite honestly my life was far more exciting back over than this.
Anyways, flying into ‘Frisco was interesting. From 10,000 feet, it was far flatter than I expected. (No Russ, I didn’t see Karl Mauldin) Of course, when you get lower, you get a better perspective of the topography. You see the hills and the streets, but even as you land, it’s difficult to see the hills that you’ve seen on TV and in movies.
It struck me that is a lot like helping others resolve their dispute. When you first get involved in walking along side them, you really have a superficial understanding of what is really going on. It is only by digging deeper – by using open ended questions and trying to get an understanding of where the individuals in conflict are at that you begin to see the topography of the conflict. But even that perspect remains limited. You are not walking in their shoes and you cannot possibly understand all the dynamics of their situation.
That is why the idea of helping them solve their own conflict is so powerful. Putting aside personal autonomy and the empowerment in their lives that you are creating by allowing them to solve their own problems, the reality is that you cannot truly understand their conflict better than they do. Certainly you may have a better perspective on it – you may be more detached and can see the topography with sufficient detachment to give them direction. But at the end of the day, they are the ones who are closest to what’s going on and your understanding as a mediator or conflict coach is going to be, at best, imperfect.
In a way, that’s the beauty of the dynamic. You provide the distance to be able to recognize the overall topography of the land while they see the ground up close. They’re driving the car but you are able to help them see some of the roadblocks they may face.

The journey begins...

Posted by Ted Kober 5-9-09

All the luggage is packed (I think), the materials sent (thanks to Melissa!), and what didn't get done at the office will be handled by my co-workers or simply wait with the other stuff that will pile up in the meantime. It's time to begin this journey.

But as I think on what may not be done, I have no worries. God promises that He will be with us and never leave us or forsake us. Life under the cross is always a journey, whether or not we are traveling across the globe.

I am sitting in the Denver International Airport, between my first and second flight, on my way to Australia. From here, I change planes at Los Angeles, then meet Francis in Sydney (God-willing), and then together we fly to Adelaide to being the adventure.

Bruce and Kathy will join us in a couple of weeks in Sydney, as well as Francis' wife Angela.

The pre-course materials and printed handouts from the Ambassadors of Reconciliation office have all been sent and received. That includes the newest AoR book, CULTIVATING LIFESTYLES OF RECONCILIATION. The finished book was delivered to our AoR office at the end of April as planned, and Melissa shipped 400 copies to various locations in Australia. We thank God for those who provided financial support to help make this goal a reality. Thanks to all of our supporters (financial, encouragement, and prayer!).

Two more handouts will be sent from our mates at the PeaceWise office near Brisbane, Australia to our various training sites. Kaye at the South Wales District Office (Sydney) has prepared the handouts that were to be printed in Australia and arranged for many of the on-site details. She has been absolutely awesome to work with!

On the Australia side, some 400 pastors and lay workers have been sent pre-course materials to study before they attend the training. The District Offices received all the shipments and sent them to their participants. 

In all, our team will present at 10 different events over the five-week period. About 375 will attend one of the 3-day training events. 28 will attend the 5-day training. There will be three half-day or full day seminars that additional laity and teachers will attend (perhaps 200 to 350). And then I will join the Queensland District for their synod convention and address the delegates there (around 250, I am guessing).

Pray that our instructors will be clear in their teaching and receptive to learn from our Australian sisters and brothers. Pray also that those attending will be prepared and see how to apply some new learning to the skills and opportunities that God has blessed them with. Pray also that travel will be safe for everyone, including those who travel long distances to attend the training. Join our team in praying for our family back home as they await our homecoming.

Certainly, keep the entire Lutheran Church of Australia in prayer that God will use this training to bless His church there and reach out with the healing Good News of Reconciliation to those around them.

Oh, and perhaps one more prayer request... For those of us doing the training, pray that God gives us good rest and health to keep up with the intense schedule.

And They're Off

So an interesting start to the trip. Having been hung up at US Customs at the Calgary Airport a number of times, I arrived 2 hours early. Figured if no one was around, I’d check in and spend some time with the girls before I went through security. News flash, once you check in your luggage, you aren’t allowed to leave the immediate area around the entrance to US Customs. Great – would have been good to know prior to doing the luggage check in thing. So here I am, 2 hours early and there is 5 other people in the entire wing of the airport. The United Chicago flight has 1 passenger. And I’m having the most attentive service at the bar (the only place with tables in the security area) that I’ve ever had. So I have single handedly added an extra hour to my layover time. Ah well.
It’s been kinda odd. Usually I’m pretty wound prior to going to do something like this. This time around, it all seems a bit unreal. Everyone around me is way more pumped that I am. Somehow it hasn’t gotten through to my brain that I am on my way to Australia for 6 weeks.
So from Calgary, I fly to ‘Frisco. Six hour layover there and then the 14 hours to Sydney. I meet up with Ted Kober there and then fly from Sydney to Adelaide. We have one day to turn around and then we start teaching Tuesday. Oh yeah, and I lose a day from my life as I cross the international date line. Thankfully, I get it back once I come home.
I have a new travelling companion on this trip - Chuck the Beaver. Chuck is part of my office's fundraising efforts. We are raising funds to help a family in Calgary have a memorable Christmas. The idea is that Chuck will accompany a number of us on our travels around the world and we will document those travels using photographs. At the end of his travels, Chuck will be auctioned off and the proceeds will helps us give this family the best Christmas possible. So far Chuck has been to Costa Rica with Ksena and Shawn Court. I haven't seen the pictures, but the stories I've heard make me a bit nervous to have him for a roommate for 6 weeks. Apparently, he's a bit of a wildman. Hopefully he's not as messy as Derek.
Well, we'll see how this goes. I'll try to sign in again in 'Frisco.