Rock the Boat with Michael W Smith

My suggestion for today: watch Michael W Smith's new video, visit his website and his official myspace page.
To be honest, I don't know what to think about that pleasure cruise on board of Holland-America's MS Oosterdam with Michael Double You Smith and his family: If there's some room left on board, maybe a rich blog-friend is willing to pay the tickets for me and my little family?
If not, I guess I'll just have to listen to the cd and take this extravagant Holland-Holland cruise ship... (pic right)
Oh yeah!

Next Sunday in Church!

What if your pastor could download your memory and show your thoughts and secret desires on a big screen in church next Sunday? Scary thought, uh? Let's be honest about it. Read my mind here.

Kees Who?

Kees Kraayenoord is a Dutch gospel singer who is gradually becoming world famous within the Netherlands. It's about time the rest of the world finds out about him! Recently Kees appeared on national TV in a popular prime-time talk show. Claudia de Brey, the host of the program, clearly doesn't know a thing about praise & worship music and she tries to understand why on earth people can sing so passionately about God and Jesus. Kees starts to explain that Christians love God and that praising Him together is better than using drugs or getting drunk at a party. And when you sing about God, you are also singing about human emotions, relationships, life's big questions etc. - so it's not like you are only singing Hallelujah, praise the Lord! during a P&W concert. Both the audience and the talk show host just don't get it. Untill Kees starts to sing... I guess that is when they start to sense where Kees' happiness is coming from. Even if you don't understand a word of our funny language, do check out this clip and wait until Kees starts to sing (in English). Be patient, Kees starts to sing towards the end of this interview. You will also see a fragment with Michael W Smith (also unknown to the general public in the Netherlands)- Kees was his support act in the Netherlands.
If you like his music, do scroll way down to the bottom of this screen and have a look at / listen to God of the Moon and Stars... I want to know what you think about this, so feel free to leave a comment!

No happy endings

Pascalle (our youngest daughter) was watching the last scenes of a rental DVD today. I wasn't paying that much attention, but noticed that she didn't like the ending of this movie. "What's an alternative ending?" she wanted to know. "I guess you can select a different part of this DVD if you don't like the ending of the story", I answered. Slightly relieved, she decided to give it another try. Now she is still upset about it, because the alternative scenario didn't give her the happy ending that she wanted to see either. Maybe I must tell her to stick with the Disney DVD's? (She was watching The Break-up with Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston. Age indication: 6+ years... She also loves to watch Friends).
Btw, I did try to explain to her that in real life people don't always live happily ever after. But she didn't accept her father's words of wisdom. "If you really love each other, you can always get together again", she says. I want to believe she's right.

Delete history, restore errors, refresh screen

Clear my name, God; I've kept an honest shop.
I've thrown in my lot with you, God, and
I'm not budging.

Examine me, God, from head to foot,
order your battery of tests.
Make sure I'm fit
inside and out

So I never lose
sight of your love,
But keep in step with you,
never missing a beat.

I don't hang out with tricksters,
I don't pal around with thugs;
I hate that pack of gangsters,
I don't deal with double-dealers.

I scrub my hands with purest soap,
then join hands with the others in the great circle,
dancing around your altar, God,
Singing God-songs at the top of my lungs,
telling God-stories.

God, I love living with you;
your house glows with your glory.
When it's time for spring cleaning,
don't sweep me out with the quacks and crooks,
Men with bags of dirty tricks,
women with purses stuffed with bribe-money.

You know I've been aboveboard with you;
now be aboveboard with me.
I'm on the level with you, God;
I bless you every chance I get.

Psalm 26 (The Message)

Last recorded words

"Do whatever he tells you", she said. And what a good advice it was! Do you know who this mysterious woman is? Find out about her and about the man that she is referring to and do whatever he tells you too... [Hint, hint]

Dutch Mona Lisa

And her smile is even better. Seriously!

Inside, outside

Had to skip our own church service this morning to go to prison in Alphen aan den Rijn where our government is building the largest prison of the Netherlands. A part of this complex is already in use, the large new buildings are almost finished and they will accommodate 'illegal' foreigners. This is what it will look like when it is finished: Well, quite a nice, modern building, don't you think? Let me tell you, it's good to be on the outside - it's not so nice to be locked away inside, waiting for the day that you will be released again, hoping that there will be somebody waiting for you at the gate.

Together with some volunteers of our church I attend church services inside this prison once or twice a month. We make tea and coffee, sing classic hymns and modern praise & worship songs, listen to the sermon of the pastor and try to have a short talk with the inmates before they have to go back to their cells. I love being involved in this work and, although I don't like to miss out on our own church services, it truly is a blessing for me to take part in this prison ministry.

Together with a sister from my church I drove to prison this morning in my car. We listened to a CD with a sermon from our own pastor, he was talking about Naaman - an important Syrian general who was cured of leprosy by the God of Israel. From the outside this man looked strong, impressive and healthy, but under his uniform a terrible skin disease was slowly spreading. This high ranking soldier had to humble himself before God in order to get healed. (Read his story here).

The prison minister talked about another Bible story. In Mark 12:38-44 you can read about Jesus who is criticizing the scribes, "who love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts, who devour widow's houses, and for a pretense make long prayers..." Jesus is comparing these self righteous hypocrites to a poor widow who was selflessly giving away all that she had.

I looked around at the 'tough guys' who look like body builders - unapproachable, even intimidating. I looked at the pastor in his robe, I thought about the way I look from the outside and the way I really am on the inside. I had to go through the X-ray gate this morning before they allowed me to enter this prison. I know God sees right through me just like that. He knows that I need to be healed from the inside out and He is not impressed by outer appearances. It was good to go to church in prison today and learn some important lessons...

Yesterday I uploaded a video clip on this blog. You can watch and listen to it if you scroll way down to the bottom of this screen: ("the best song ever" - but that is just my humble opinion). Surprise, surprise... this morning we had some other visitors in prison, members of a Gospel band, and the first song they played was God of the Moon and Stars. (You can read Paul Field's lyrics here)

The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.
(1 Samuel 16:7)

Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10:22)

Fathers be good to your daughters

Love this song. Love my girls. Left: Pascalle (9), right: Sosha (12)Fathers, be good to your daughters
Daughters will love like you do
Girls become lovers who turn into mothers
So mothers, be good to your daughters too

Please pray for North Korea

All around the world Christians are praying for a spiritual breakthrough and regime change in North Korea. For the fourth straight year, the isolated communist nation remains atop the Open Doors World Watch List of 50 countries where Christians are persecuted. The annual list ranks countries according to the intensity of persecution Christians face for actively pursuing their faith in Jesus Christ.

"The isolation of North Korea has enabled the leaders to brainwash the population and teach them unquestioning obedience to their authority. Kim Il Sung (the ‘Great Leader’) and his son, Kim Jong Il (the ‘Dear Leader’) have instituted a personality cult in which they are worshipped. No belief in a higher authority is tolerated and being a Christian is viewed as one of the most serious crimes. Even the word for God has been abolished in North Korea."

"Before the Communist regime was installed, the North was a centre of revival and Pyongyang was known as the Jerusalem of the East. Most Christians fled to the South during the Korean War, or were martyred. Kim Il Sung, the ‘Great Leader’, ordered that three generations of a Christian’s family must be eliminated. A few believers have managed to hold on to their faith despite the horrific persecution. Many Christians have been publicly executed and others have been taken away to camps where they are subject to barbaric abuse and treated as sub-human. They will never be allowed out of the camps, alive or dead, and are worked to death in brutal
conditions and terrible deprivation. Christians suffer especially cruel treatment in these death camps as they are under ongoing pressure to renounce their faith. They are subject to frequent torture and abuse and are also forced to do the most gruelling and dangerous work, both by guards, as punishment, and by fellow prisoners, who despise their faith as insanity."

"The persecution of Christians in North Korea may be the worst anywhere in the world. It is important that the Church should be aware of the terrible situation of its brothers and sisters who are holding on to their faith at such dear cost. It is hoped that through this awareness, the Church will be rallied to pray fervently for North Korea."

"As the Church worldwide lifts up North Korea in prayer, it will join with many South Koreans who have been praying earnestly for their brothers and sisters in the North for many years. Pastor Yonggi Cho, the pastor of the largest church in the world, endorses this call to prayer, stating: "We have been praying fervently for North Korea for many decades now, specifically praying for the peaceful unification of the two Koreas. We have many young pastors preparing for the ministry who are planning to enter North Korea when this door is open. It would be deeply appreciated if you would join us in prayer for North Korea. God is not willing that any should perish without Him."

Please join me and thousands of other Christians in praying for our North Korean brothers and sisters!

Links
Pray for North Korea
Soon Ok Lee's web site (Soon Ok Lee is a Christian lady from North Korea who survived the prison camps in her home country and wrote an impressive testimony: Eyes of the Tailless animals.
Open Doors
Voice of the Martyrs
Overview of postings about North Korea on my old blog

After the storm - silence

Yesterday our part of the world was hit by heavy winds and rain. In our little country alone, 5 people died because of fallen trees. In this context it is strange to admit that I actually like to go through a period of rough weather myself. Of course I don't enjoy the dangerous situations and the accidents that happen to people, but I do welcome the change of atmosphere, the strong winds and the fresh showers.

Today it is quiet again. Somebody just shared her sad story with me. I don't know what to say. All her unnecessary pain and needless sorrows - it all just doesn't make any sense to me. Lord, why do you allow these things to happen?

After praying about this, I had to think about Elijah's encounter with the Lord on mount Horeb. Sometimes we can feel overwhelmed by the forces of nature and by life's circumstances. We can be frightened, we can be thrilled, we can be excited and we can be humbled by the same experiences. Sometimes our world suddenly becomes a lonely, dangerous place to live in. As a believer, I ask myself whether God is talking to us - to me - through these circumstances and experiences. Please read this quotation from the first book of Kings and feel free to leave a comment. I'd like to know your thoughts.

The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" 1 Kings 19:11-12

I enjoy the quiet times after the storm. I want to listen to the gentle whisper and recognize God's still, small voice. He is mighty and awesome, I feel so weak and vulnerable. I think about the climate changes, the ongoing wars, the suffering of people I don't know and of people I love. Are you speaking to me, dear God? Am I looking for you in the fire, earthquakes and storms, only to find that you are right here - in the stillness of my heart?

Twenty years later

I had to supply two pictures for an interview, a picture from my study years and a more recent one. So this is what happens to your face in 20 years time... (pic left is from 1987). But I'm still smiling.

(Look at it this way, getting older is better than the alternative…)
Pic left © Rob Koster, pic right © Suzanne Obdam

Tag - I am it...

So I’ve been tagged. Thanks a lot, Vicki! Ok, let’s give you and the rest of the people who visit this blog and might be interested in what I think and believe some honest answers…

1. As a child, what did you always say you wanted to be when you grew up? - I never had one particular job in mind, but I do know that I wanted to become a photographer, an architect and a journalist. Maybe that tells you something about me – I am a versatile type of guy, somebody who likes to do creative things. I am educated as a teacher (History and Dutch language), worked several years in Marketing Communications and now I am a Publisher by profession. I am building some little places in cyberspace with my blogs where I share my thoughts and upload some of my own photographs – so you could say, mission accomplished!

2. If you had to choose one thing that you’ve always dreamed of doing, what would it be? What is stopping you? - I would love to go to Australia, New Zealand, South-Africa and Canada for a long trip with my wife Lydia and our three children Robin (boy 14), Sosha (girl 12) and Pascalle (girl 9). Look at the distances between the Netherlands and these countries, consider the costs of air-tickets, travel, accommodation, food, drinks etc. and you'll know what is stopping me and why this probably always will remain a dream! Oh, and by the way, we don’t spend our money on lotteries and things like that, so it is not very likely that we will ever win a big prize! But… I am not complaining at all. It's nice to have some dreams and the hunt is better than the catch.

3. Who is your biggest fan? Who is always encouraging you to be all that you can be? - I think my mother and my kids are my biggest fans. Lydia, my wife, supports me in everything, but I don’t think that she really is a fan. A fan admires and idealizes you – and after almost twenty years of marriage my wife knows that I am not really the perfect guy. She loves me and respects me for who I am. She knows me as a loving husband and father – no doubt about that. I don’t know where I’d be without her love and support!

4. What Bible study or book (besides the obvious – The Bible) has most impacted your life to date? - Oswald Chamber’s My Utmost for His Highest is my bedside book. This devotional book has encouraged me many times and I know that I will never ‘finish’ it. With regard to Bible studies - I did a Bible study myself about ‘the Potter and the clay’. This study was the basis for two sermons and the thoughts and ideas turned into a book and a cd. Look what the Lord can do with the clay in His hands!

5. When are you the happiest? - I am happiest when I can spend time with the people I love most: my wife and (extended) family. But, although I like to be part of a loving family, a circle of friends, a team of good colleagues and a great Christian community – I also like to be alone from time to time. When I am on my own, I like to read, write, listen to music, think, pray, walk … Wherever I go, I enjoy being in the presence of my Lord and my inner peace and happiness are secured when I stay close to Him!

The good thing about tagging is that you can tag somebody else. Talking about traveling to other countries that you will probably never visit: let’s go to Reykjavík, Iceland! Katrín Guðlaugsdóttir, like it or not, you’ve been tagged! And Daniel de Wolf from Rotterdam in the Netherlands and Kerstin Pur from Berlin in Germany, don't think that you can escape this tagging game because you are blogging in Dutch or German. Both of you are tagged too!

Blue Like Jazz

“I was coming out of the Bagdad Theatre in Portland one night, and I saw a man playing the saxophone. He kept his eyes closed the whole time. You could tell he just loved playing that music. Before I saw him, I didn't like jazz music because I thought it didn't resolve. It didn't seem to go somewhere or have a conclusion. But I watched this guy playing the saxophone. He loved it so much that I found that I liked jazz music. It is not uncommon for people to see somebody else love something and it helps them love it themselves.
The more I thought about it, the more I liked this as a metaphor for my spiritual journey. I used to not like God because I felt he didn't have resolve. I couldn't figure him out. Faith seemed to contain a lot of paradoxes that I didn't want to hurt my brain thinking about.
Also, jazz music is just a language of the soul that you can't say with words. That's very much like Christian spirituality.” (Donald Miller in an interview about his book Blue Like Jazz)

I just finished reading Blue Like Jazz, a great book written by Donald Miller. If you don’t want to read ‘another typical Christian book’, Blue Like Jazz might be just the book for you. I especially appreciate Miller’s vulnerability, openness and honesty about his spiritual walk. It was both fun and uplifting to read his story and I really like his style and sense of humour. Highly recommended!

Donald Miller about his book, “I never believed it would be published, and so I was pretty open in this book. My career was dead when I started this thing, so I felt like I was just talking to myself, or to the little reading group that met at my house.” source

Just one quote as an appetizer:
I really knew I needed Jesus like I need water or food, and yet it was frightening because Christianity is so stupid to so much of our culture, and I absolutely hate bothering people about this stuff.
So much of me believes strongly in letting everybody live their own lives, and when I share my faith, I feel like a network marketing guy trying to build my down line.
Some of my friends who aren’t Christians think that Christians are insistent and demanding and intruding, but that isn’t the case. Those folks are the squeaky wheel. Most Christians have enormous respect for the space and freedom of others; it is only that they have found joy in Jesus they want to share. There is the tension. (Blue Like Jazz, p 114)
I really like the story about the confession booth that Donald Miller and his friends put up in the middle of campus with a sign saying, ‘Confess your sins’. But I am not going to spoil it for you, just read this book!

Reflections: weekly devotionals and prayers

I started writing my so called Boosters in October 2005 (in Dutch: Oppeppers). These short devotional prayers were initially mailed out to some family members and close friends, but now the list has grown to 100+ people - many of whom I don't know personally! Let me explain how it all started...

During a Willow Creek meeting I had said my shortest prayer ever. It was quite short and simple, but I meant every word of it. I said to God, 'Use me'. Well, I've asked for it - so I can assure you that many things have happened in my life after I said that little prayer!

Why do I write weekly devotional prayers? Because it helps me to stay close to Jesus and to become more disciplined in my own prayer life. It also gives me a great opportunity to encourage other believers every Monday morning! Many of us go to church on Sundays, but on Monday morning the daily routine begins and it seems like we are entering a different world. That is exactly why I sent out my devotional texts at the beginning of the working week - just to encourage people and to help myself and them to stay focused on God.

This year I've made a fresh start with my devotional writings. I am intending to go through the Gospel of John, all the way reflecting on the theme 'light & darkness'. My mailing list is only for Dutch-speaking readers, but I can add you - if you want me to - to this list so that you have a reminder each week to visit my brand new Reflections weblog. Just drop me a line to let me know you are interested in this little service. May God bless you!

Johnny Cash video HURT

"I expect my life to end pretty soon. You know, I'm 71 years old. I have great faith, though. I have unshakeable faith." Despite all the ups and way-downs of his long life, Johnny Cash says he has no regrets. "I used to," he says, "But I forgave myself. When God forgave me, I figured I'd better do it, too." (Source)

I really like this video from the late and great Johnny Cash. It is sad, but beautiful. Especially these words stuck with me:

What have I become
My sweetest friend
Everyone I know goes away
In the end
And you could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt

New Year's Day at the North Sea Beach

Everybody in our little family wanted to stay at home today. Not me! I went to the beach near Noordwijk on this windy New Year's Day. It is not difficult to see why... Nothing like the wind and the waves if you want to have a fresh start of the year!

I would also like to share the smells, the sounds and the whole atmosphere with you. But for the real experience you'll just have to visit this place yourself! (Click pics to enlarge)

Our girls

Pascalle (on horse back - youngest daughter) and Sosha (eldest daughter) during our Christmas holidays in Dwingeloo