What I Learned on the Road to Mexico

It's impossible to say just how much these trips to Mexico have meant to me.  

Since 1986 there were only 4 years when I didn't spend either Spring Break or Christmas break on a 2500 mile road trip "south of the border" to work, to learn, to grow.  

We did this for the chance to commune with God and others while serving across political borders, socio-economic boundaries, and cultural lines. 

If I could fully describe it, then you wouldn't have to go and experience it for yourself.  But you do.

But if I didn't try to describe it I wouldn't be a writer.  My "inner wordsmith" would keep battering my heart from the inside out for a chance to express the inexpressible.

Stories and poems must have the chance to do their work until you're called away from your life "up here" and drawn out and into the life "down there."

Only then will you take your place around the campfire after a day of manual labor, afraid to lick your blistered thumb for fear of the taste of wet wipes and hand sanitizer.

The heat and light from the fire attract the newbie "missionaries" who've just finished their campstove meal of tuna casserole, the only known recipe to incorporate 4 food groups with only 5 ingredients!

But the warmth of the fire is soon dwarfed by the intense passion of hearts united in praise and worship.  

The songbooks viewed by headlamp and the guitarists feeling their way through the chord changes with eyes closed to keep out the smoke.

The illumination is of another kind as each one shares of today's "God-sightings," amazing "coincidences" that appear as if they were planned.

Others speak of "Hearing God's Voice," knowing He spoke and remembering how clearly His point was made.

As Group Leader the opportunity to bring "The Talk" feels like on big "teachable moment."

Scripture comes alive as I talk not about "you should" or "you ought" but "this is what we've been living on this trip.

Themes of servanthood, sacrifice, changed values are viewed through eyes that have just seen Jesus in the face of a child.

Renewed purpose and clearer focus are applied to hearts that felt "at home" building a home for strangers in a foreign country.

"We left our warm houses and soft beds to sleep on the ground in tents for a few days.

So that Jose' and Maria and their family can have a dry place to lay their heads in days to come."

"We left the paved roads and smooth highway to bounce along through dirt and mudholes in search of real treasure.  

And we have found it - here among the community of the less advantaged."

They All Wondered, But Mary Pondered

“And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.”  - Luke 2:18-19

I wonder as I wander, but when I ponder, my roots go deep.
My eyes may marvel, but will my mind meditate?
Someone has observed, “Children have lost the capacity to lie in the grass and watch a caterpillar crawl across a leaf.”
We’ve lost it.  It hasn’t always been that way.  Let me tell you a story.

We have raised many children.  We almost lost count. 
Not really, but sometimes it seems like it. 
People say “Whoa, that’s a lot of kids!”
And I’m like, “What?  It’s less than 10.  We’re not even in the double digits!”

Each one is memorable, but there’s something about the first.
I’ll never forget the night Amanda learned to laugh. 
We lived in an on-campus apartment at Denver Seminary and she was in an infant seat on the couch.

Who knows what started the whole thing.
Once we discovered she was capable of that response, the idea was to do it again, to keep it going. 
It was so incredibly entertaining.  Our little girl had a sense of humor.
Her round face and chubby cheeks shook as the convulsive cackling bubbled up from deep inside our little bundle of joy.

That’s how we spent the evening.  It went on and on. 
There wasn’t anything we wanted better than to make Amanda laugh. 
And laugh she did.  I remember wondering later how we had filled our time before God gave us this beautiful little girl.

We wondered, we marveled, but did we ponder, did we meditate?  Not at the time. 
It seems like there wasn’t time.  But we saved the memory, so we could savor it later. 
That’s appropriate, because I’m told that the word for meditate has parallels with a cow chewing her cud. 
She stores it away, then brings it out to chew it again.

Another time this dear little daughter had learned to sit up on her own. 

A wonderful time of life: “Cherish the days of immobility!” 
You could put her down and know right where she’d be a half an hour later. 
Sitting near her on the floor, I for some reason decided to lean forward.  Then I noticed that she copied my actions!  What fun!

I told Susi about it and we took turns leaning in front of her and watching her lean down in imitation. 
Then we’d laugh and she’d laugh.  It went on and on.

What was that all about?  Well it wasn’t just the behavior that amused us. 
We also had an awareness that some higher functioning of the brain was kicking in. 
At that point in her development she observed, she got motivated, she decided and she followed through! 
Wow!  Emerging consciousness in a six month old!

Then there was the “Johnny Jump Up.”
An amazing invention that allows you to place an infant safely in a sling on the end of a spring and adjust it so that toes and feet just touch the floor. 
As the baby realizes the results of pushing off - Viola! - you create an awareness of self-determination.  And again a smile lights up her face.

The sobering thought that accompanies my memories of Amanda in a “Johnny Jump Up” was how it freed me up to get back to reading books and writing papers. 
At one particularly stressful point while writing my thesis, I noticed Amanda bouncing away as I went from one room into another. 
(The JJU always had to be mounted in a doorway.)

It slowed me down just long enough to stop and think - to ponder. 
I wondered, “Five years from now, which will be more important, My thesis or my daughter?” 
Even in the midst of my “publish or perish” crisis the answer was obvious.
I knelt down and looked at the little round face, peering into those deep blue eyes. 
Her response never disappointed me.  A smile lit up her face and enlightened my priorities.

Twenty nine years later as I sit in my office writing this, my thesis sits on a shelf, collecting dust. 
It’s full of profound insights into “The Apologetic of C.S. Lewis as an Art and a Science.” 
There are even a few people other than my mentor who have read it.

But across the room there sits a framed photo from my daughter’s wedding. 
We are emerging from a stand of white birch trees as I bring her down the trail that leads to the altar. 
We are pausing. 
As she holds onto my arm with one hand and her bouquet with the other I am turned to speak. 
Her face shows that she is listening.  I wouldn’t trade that for a thousand theses.

We have shared the wonder of life, with all its amazing discoveries. 
We have pondered, and yes, at times, we have meditated. 
Because so many “moments” in life have import far beyond the “blink of an eye” that it takes to experience them. 
But if we see them for what they are, we will treasure them. 
And we’ll bring them back out to enjoy and benefit from for years to come.

Christmas Prose

God came down!  He put on skin and walked among men!
We beheld His glory - we saw how good He was - He shone!
The same light that lit the stars, the glory of the skies was in His face - full of Grace and Truth.

Everything changed that night. 
Angelic messengers have been coming and going since the dawn of time. 
Perhaps they climbed up and down on Jacob’s ladder - bringing news of Heaven to Earth.

Then in a flurry of angelic visitations and divine revelations, God made preparations for Heaven to come in person!  Zecheriah was told of John the Baptist’s birth and role as “Fore-runner.”  Mary had to be let in on the little secret of her pregnancy, conceived by the Holy Spirit!  Good thing Joseph also got the message, straight from an Angel!

Wise men saw it in the stars
and were then warned in a dream not to share the details about the “new” King
with the wicked “old” King Herod. 
Shepherds got the royal celestial light show,
complete with a “cast of thousands” to accompany the “Word” that was told them.

All because Heaven was breaking out - it couldn’t contain itself
It spilled over and onto the earth that blessed, Holy night. 
Now we, who with unveiled faces behold the Lord’s glory,
can be a part of God’s unfolding plan to bring heaven to Earth.

Thy will be done!  Let Heaven come!  In every heart prepare Him room!

Christmas Poem

The night was holy, the night was clear,
a cosmic event was happening here

Upon the earth a plan was unfolding
because of the babe that Mary was holding

Away in a manger the infant slept
a ray of hope into all hearts crept

The Lord that was come brought Joy to the World
while skies full of angels his banner unfurled

Jacob’s ladder bridged heaven and earth
Jacob’s descendent gave heaven birth

Nothing now could be the same,
Heaven had shared its holy flame

Stars that burned since dawn of time
now joined Angels in visual rhyme

Glory that always had filled the skies
Now was revealed in a baby’s cries

What Child is this? could rightly be asked
The face of God was being unmasked

Listen, what’s that the angels sing?
Glory to the newborn King

Having visited our demise
He can raise us to the skies

Consider all he came to do
Life from Heaven for me and you

Just as God’s will in Heaven is done
So also on Earth through the birth of His Son!

Christmas letter take 2

Life is a stream.  Oatmeal and math flow along on Monday, though our Mondays, like yours, often include rocks and bumps that impede the flow.  On Tuesday there’s Toast and eggs and still math and the history lesson that wouldn’t work on the computer yesterday. 

Everybody loves waffles on Wednesday because we get to put peanut butter on them.   And Piano in the afternoon while Dad reads and takes a nap (as he tries to do every day).  Home-made Granola or your “cereal of choice” on Thursdays and off to worship practice and chess at the Home-school co-op.  On French toast Friday there’s more math and writing and always there’s “read aloud” at lunch.  I love the rhythm of our home-schooling schedule and though I’m in and out, Mom keeps it flowing as Haddon and Soren keep paddling downstream.

 Life is a Garden.  After tilling and planting and weeding and watering, it’s time to “reap what we’ve sown.”  Our daily bread is embellished by the home-made raspberry jam we spread on it.  We eat fresh vegetables that make us strong and have a moment of silence for the rows that did not bear fruit.  High hopes lie wilted by drought or eaten by pests.  We feel intense disappointment, reminding us that life will not be all that it should be until we arrive at our true home. 

Life is a building project, started in the Summer of 2012 and beginning to “yield” as students are living there and meetings are held there. (see pics of “The Lodge” on FaceBook)  I learned a lot from my experience as “General Contractor.” 

But I realized that excavating, foundation, framing, plumbing, drywall, painting, etc. are not my Life.  I love writing and missed the opportunity to compose!  I’m more of a “Wordsmith,” crafting sentences to build understanding, develop insights, and create inhabitable worlds for seeking souls.

My wife encourages me in this, and I only hope I can return the favor by helping her rediscover what areas of gifting bring her the greatest joy and satisfaction.  Even though  laundry and cleaning and homeschooling and making nutritious meals and all manner of household management are in her skill set, there’s more she’s good at and enjoys.  She  did a great job with food & flowers for Amanda’s wedding, all within budget, and her research for meal-planning and homeschooling are ongoing.  She sells books on Amazon and tends the garden in season.

We’re working on partnership in campus ministry.  I couldn’t pull off Friday potluck alone.  And it’s not just the soup or the crust on “pizza night” or the beans for the burritos.  I appreciate her help deciding whether to play “Apples to Apples” or “Catch Phrase” and what to watch for “Movie Night.”  She always spots the college students we need to greet on Sunday morning and when possible she has girls over to the house for discipleship.

Some new staff are helping with Campus Ambassadors.  Zach Beeler has almost finished raising support and Heidi Harbaugh has joined us as a volunteer. It’s great to have them at the book table, at staff meetings, Bible Study and Potluck.

I still look forward to Cave discussions on Friday afternoon, where guys like Ian the Agnostic, Chris the Druid, Ben the ex-Mormon, Taylor the Daoist and Paul the Orthodox debate and discuss things like Rationality and Consciousness.  Campus ministry is a great job, I can honestly say I've never given much serious thought to doing anything else. 

Christmas Lett draft #1

If Life were a donut shop, Soren would be in Heaven, though I’m sure his life here in the Lundquist home involves more “sweet toys” than sweet pastries.  Saving his hard-earned paper route money for “Black Friday,” he just added 3 weapons to his Nerf gun arsenal.  I did take him to “ABC Donuts” after putting out flags on Main St. for Veterans Day (a Boy Scout fund-raiser).  He wisely chose a dollars worth of “holes.”

If Life was a mountain . . . Kaleb would be saying “no sweat” as he summits yet another peak.  He’ll complete his climb up Airman Leadership School before coming home for Christmas.  Soon his climbing gear will include Staff Sergeant stripes.

If Dreams were made of cotton candy and clouds were solid stuff . . .
Katie would be riding on the clouds eating the sweet sticky stuff for breakfast
and sliding down the nearest rainbow to a pot of gold. 
The “golden” boy is Cole Harmon, who currently resides in Redding where they both are studying hard and worshipping even harder at Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry.

If mountain goats could talk, they would say to Amanda . . . “I’ve seen you before,” on the rocky crags above Glacier National Park!  But that was long ago when she was but a child.  Now this grown daughter has multiplied love and blessing in our family and to everyone she meets, where-ever she goes, around the world. As the wife of Joel Le Maire, she has multiplied her joy in the husband God brought.  How strange to gain a son who is mature, full-grown (bearded even) and a world-traveler!  He is “grafted in” to our family tree, a branch full of green leaves and bearing good fruit!

If Life is a Tree, Carrie is a blossom, fragrant and beautiful on the tropical Isle.   At home on the beach, living like a local but loving it like a tourist, she is no stranger to hard work.   Two or three jobs pay the rent and buy food, but there are always free mangos!  An artist at heart she has never put down the palette and brushes and hopes to see some of her paintings selling in a gallery on Maui in the very near future.

Since Life is definitely an Ocean, Susi’s grasp of the wind and tides often remind me of the QE2!  Her multi-tasking skills as she keeps in mind an absent-minded husband and children in five states makes me feel like I’m body surfing in Santa Cruz without a wetsuit!  She still assists the “grown children” with everything from nutritional advice to on-line shopping, all the while home-schooling the younger boys and tracking Ben’s progress through High School.

If Life were a High School football game, Nate would be moving on to coaching the team, having given 100% to the game for so many years.  His playing field is a restaurant in Hawaii, where his roles as busboy, cook, dishwasher and server led to becoming a manager who knows and cares about every aspect of customer satisfaction.  When he’s not working he spends time with books and a few close friends.

In the Construction Site of Life, Matt is “back to the drawing board,” realizing that the excavating, foundation, framing, plumbing, drywall, painting, etc. is not as suited to his gifts as the drawing up of blueprints.  After all, someone has to envision the possible structures, or stand back and describe it to the world once it’s finished (see pics of “The Lodge” on FaceBook).  The building experience was productive and profitable, and he learned a lot, notably how much he loves and misses the opportunity to write!  Now he can focus on becoming a “Wordsmith,” crafting sentences and paragraphs to build understanding, develop insights, and create inhabitable worlds for seeking souls.


Haddon’s Life is clearly a Symphonic Performance, though we’re currently trying to minimize the cacophony.  He really can “make a joyful noise” when his heart is in tune.  But, like our guitars, which need frequent re-tuning, it’s an ongoing process.  In addition to guitar, drums and keyboard, he plans to pick up bass soon, as he moves full speed ahead in Home-school co-op worship class.  Legos are an important component he is building into his life.  So he was disappointed when, on Black Friday, with no Legos on sale, his paper route earnings nearly incinerated the pocket of his Levi’s.

If Life was a Chicken Coop, we might say Ben’s relationship to it was kind of “Love-Hate.”  There are chickens, who need food and water and who fill their beloved home with fertilizer for the garden, and all of this Ben looks after, while we encourage due diligence in each task.  But when he has “flown the coop” to the High School or to church on Sunday, Ben much prefers to observe and explore the outside world, his mind gathering interesting information.  He might be considered a typical teenager in that chores and responsibilities also “Fly the Coop.”  These must be faithfully gathered like the eggs that Ben brings up each day after tending to the chickens.

You’ve probably noticed that Life is also a Garden, and after careful attention to tilling and planting and weeding and watering, it’s time to “reap what we’ve sown.”  Tears and laughter, joy and pain accompany us as we bring in our harvest.  Our souls are enriched by daily bread and refreshed by the home-made raspberry jam we spread on it.  We eat the vegetables that make us strong and have a moment of silence for the rows that did not yield.  Plants we envisioned nourishing our spirits lie wilted by drought and heat or eaten by destructive pests.  Our disappointments are keenly felt, reminding us that Life will not be all that it should be until we come at last to that Garden remade. 

Yet through every season of Growing and Gathering there is Sunshine and Rain and our Creator is working it all to our Good.  Because He is Good, and it is good for us to praise and thank Him.  And good for us to trust Him as well. 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Lundquists

Relationships are like Riding in a Hot-Air Balloon!

Here’s a sobering truth I have come to believe:
Your BEST relationships will be hindered by the condition of your WORST relationships!
Let’s say you’re about to take off in a Hot-air ballon with your new “significant other” optimistic that you’ll be soaring to new heights!   Unfortunately the “baggage” from all past relationships act as “ballast” preventing us from reaching the higher “altitudes.”  Whether it’s unresolved issues with your family, ex-boyfriend or girlfriend, or just the grudge that you carry towards someone who snubbed you.
This is why Jesus taught us to “Love your Enemies”  God knows that however we treat our worst enemies is the way we may one day treat our family, friends, and spouse.  Because eventually, anyone can get on your “wrong side.”  Think about this.
We need to “cut loose” the baggage, letting go of past hurts and seeking reconciliation.
"And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you" (Ephesians 4:32 NKJV).
Relationships do not survive without kindness and forgiveness.
- Matt Lundquist