Unified

This last week has been super exciting here in Kiev.  We learnt in school about the iron curtain that used to separate Western Europe from Eastern Europe and over in Canada we think that it has fallen.  While politically this my be true, culturally, this is not.  We hear in the news about Russia creating laws limiting homosexual activity while the West is creating laws opposite of this.  There is a cultural "curtain" that Ukraine is caught in in the middle of.  The very definition of Ukraine is "at the edge;" basically at the edge of Russia.  So, culturally, there is this battle between Russia and the rest of Europe.  There is an important summit coming up for the European Union boosting free trade between Ukraine and Europe.  One of Ukraine's main trading partners is Russia so if this deal gets signed, Russia has threatened to limit trading between the two countries.  So, in the wake of this pressure from Russia, Ukraine decided last week to not sign the trade deal.  The people of Ukraine have not been to happy and have been protesting since last Saturday.  We, had the privilege of seeing the beginning of the protests.

We were in the building right across the street when you see the riot police.  I have never seen riot police in person before so this was pretty exciting!

We went in the morning before it got crazy, but by evening there were 100,000 people gathered to protest. 

Friday, November 29, they are planning to create a human chain stretching from Kiev to the Poland border, 625 km and involving about 1 million people!

It is interesting living in Kiev with this all going on because where we live, it is life as usual.  Everyone still goes out and goes about their business as if nothing is going on.

As neat as this was on Saturday, Colleen and myself were not prepared for Sunday.  In the morning, we catch a marshutka (bus) and travel for 30 minutes to church and last Sunday it was raining, so this means walking in the rain and waiting to catch a bus in the rain and sitting in church with wet clothes and grumpy children and well ... you get the picture.  We made our way downstairs and went outside and asked "Is it worth it to go to church today?"  Boy was it ever.  We go to a Russian/Ukrainian church and most Sundays it makes little sense, but this Sunday, we understood!  Not that we are not unified with other believers around the globe despite language differences; but this time we felt like active participants in this instead of observers!  I pulled out my phone and recorded a bit of the singing.  Hopefully you too will sense this unification with other believers 9 time-zones away!

It is so wonderful to be a part of the Universal Church!  I can't wait to get to Heaven and celebrate with believers from all nations, languages and centuries!

We had my grade 9 class over for pizza this week!  Lots of work, but lots of fun too!

Looking up to big sister!

Movember is in full swing at the Johnson house!

A Difference of Perspective

Today, I was invited to travel along with the Grade 9 class to the Chernobyl museum.  Going there with a bunch of people who did not live through it definitely was shocking!  Although on April 26, 1986 at 1:23 am (April 25, 4:23 pm Alberta Time) I was only 3 years old, I still remember the effects of the cold war.  And as most of you reading this are older than me, and remember this happening (except you Emily), this event probably sinks in deeper to you than me.  But I tell you, seeing the perspective from the this side of the pond sure brings about a different attitude.

A couple of things stuck out to me.  One, the New York Times had the disaster on the front page of the newspaper giving it full exposure to us in North America.  In Ukraine, there was a small write-up in the bottom left-hand corner on page 3 of the newspaper.  And much of the information in the museum was only released in 1991 after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Another, the museum is a tribute to the heroes that went to the front lines and payed dearly with their lives.  Nuclear disasters are terrible, terrible, terrible.  Ukraine has passed a law that no one is allowed to inhabit the immediate surrounding area of Chernobyl for 2000 years.  The people were evacuated, never to return.

As we were in the museum, I presented a question to the students.  "What if you went home from school today and your parents told you you were moving away and as soon as you got into the house you were ushered away never to see your friends again.  The only life you know is now gone.

I got quite upset when the class just smiled at me and said, "Facebook!"  "They must have had cell phones back then"

They did not even want to try to think of a world without ... Facebook, Internet, Cell Phones, Immediate Communication, Running Water, Electricity, etc.

My heart breaks for this generation that will not even try to put themselves in another person's shoes.

But then, I began thinking of myself.  I do not want to think about how my jokes hurt others.  How me making fun of someone makes them feel.  How my sin makes God feel.  How Jesus died for MY sin.  Jesus humbly said "I will put myself in your shoes"  "I will take the punishment for sin you deserve and will suffer the ultimate punishment for you!  All because I love you!"

I am excited because tomorrow I am teaching on celebration and when you know Jesus, it is an eternal Celebration!!!


A couple of neat photos from our week

Jolen learned how to sleep standing up!

Noodles are a favorite around the house (I did her hair by the way!)

The night sky outside our window

That is the moon that is so bright!  Beautiful!

Will they ever stop eating?  I think we already have a couple of teenagers!

huge heaping helping of humilty!

If any of you have ever taught School, or Sunday School, or piano or just about anything else ... Hey, if you have ever been to church, school, McDonalds or just plain been around people; there always is that one person that you think (maybe secretly or out loud) would make the place better if they were not there.

I have such a student, this student is smart as a whip but will not complete assignments, only answers a couple answers on each test I give, even though I know they have gotten 100% when no one else did.  They speak out of turn in class, show up late, don't take notes, and ask the weirdest way out in left field questions.  If I was to be honest, I confess, I do believe KCA would be a better place without this person.

If you know me, I tend to ruffle a few feathers everywhere I go and KCA is no exception.  I have had a few students say to me "Mr. Johnson (weird to be called that), could we talk."  "Oh, No" this is going to end in my wife telling me how unintelligent I was regarding this person and I deservedly deserve it.

Well, Monday happened and one student came up to me and asked "Mr. Johnson, could we talk?"

My heart sank, "What did I do now?"  So for 10 minutes, every thing I have ever said to this person flew through my mind, trying to pre-emptively know what they were coming to confront me about.

10 minutes was up and in this student walked, "Mr. Johnson ... I don't think Bob (fake name for the student who grates on my every-single-nerve) has any friends.  I don't think Bob knows Jesus.  I came to you because you are my Bible teacher and I was wondering what I can do for Bob?"

Any pride I had in me evaporated like water in the dead sea, leaving behind a sediment of shame and guilt.  This student who is not an adult, sure is a whole lot more mature than me.  I should have been the example to the class of what true love is to Bob.  I, the teacher, should be Jesus to Bob, but I have not been.  Let's just say, the student has surpassed the teacher.  Here again, I my students are teaching me.  I am beginning to wonder if I am the one who should be attending KCA as all the lessons seem to be directed toward me instead of the other way around.

Immediately Philippians came to mind Chapter 2 verses 1 - 11

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ² then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. ³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, ⁴ not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

⁵ In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

 

⁶ Who, being in very nature God,
    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
⁷ rather, he made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature of a servant,
    being made in human likeness.
⁸ And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross!

⁹ Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
    and gave him the name that is above every name,
¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
¹¹ and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.

 

A few students of mine were reminiscing with me about past years and there was one common theme "KCA" changes people.  (OK not KCA but God, but it seems to be a common occurrence within the walls of the school)

 

God has changed my attitude towards Bob and I am proud to say I have been much more humble in regards to Bob and I don't know if it is God working in the heart of Bob or my heart or maybe a little of both, but God truly is faithful at KCA, my life, your life and all around this giant ball of dirt we call home (Earth)!

Mr. Independent!

If you were to ask me what my biggest fear is, I wouldn't need to hesitate to answer.  It is Eternity.  In my finite mind, I cannot comprehend something that does not end.  I take comfort knowing that my life will end.  Not in death itself but the certainty of it.  But spending Eternity forever, without end, and no chance of it ending terrifies me.

 

I know I have mentioned it before but being a parent sometimes gives us a glimpse into what our Heavenly Father sees watching us struggle through life.  Jo-Jo, as we call him, took a huge step of independence this week

 

Yes, our little man can now drink from a cup by himself, actually, he prefers it.  Funny how independent they get so fast.

 

The lesson I learned from this episode of independence has to do with our kitchen.  Ellianna is pretty smart.  Jolen loves her and chases her around the house, so Ellianna has devised a plan.  She lets him chase her for a while and then goes to the kitchen. 

Now our kitchen has a little step, probably only about 5 inches or so, but once he is up there he is stuck.  As independent as he is, he will not get down no matter what.  Ellianna just runs away after he has chased her and gets a little peace and quiet before we go over there and let him down.

This evening, I was just looking at him, still happy to be up there and started contemplating.  "Jolen," I said from the living room, "it is so easy for you to get down, trust me, I have the bigger perspective, it is not that big of a leap."  Then, God said to me, "Blake, it is so easy for you to live eternally, I have the bigger perspective, it is not that big of a leap."  And I suddenly had this vision of God in the "living room" that is heaven seeing the big picture and our small perspective urging us to Him because he can see everything and his perspective is the perfect one that matters.  And maybe death is not the big deal we make it out to be in light of HIM!

 

 

 

First Tooth!

Jolen, after 10 months and 4 days, November 1st, has cut his first tooth!


Jolen is quite a character as he will not eat mush anymore but prefers to eat chunky food.  This is incredibly difficult, but somehow he does it.  He was super exited to get his tooth though!

 

And we have already got him cheering for the proper team!

 

Ellianna this week has been exponentially difficult.  Everything is a battle.  "Let's go outside" - "But I don't want to Daddy" - "Ellianna listen to me" - "I want to but my head is telling me no."

 

Well today we had a rare, not uneventful but minimally eventful, trip to the grocery store and she got a treat.  She wanted Ice Cream.  Now when Ellianna wants ice cream it is usually she wants the idea of ice cream and after 1 bite it ends up on the floor, on her shirt, anywhere but her mouth.  But tonight we found a winner!

Before

Almost gone!

 

I finally got around to getting proof that I do teach at KCA!

Fortunately, the school has PowerPoint as if the students had to follow my writing and train of thought (see evidence above) they would get lost.  I usually use the whiteboard to emphasize a point and after I am finished it looks like a bunch of scribbles.  The lesson I am teaching above is David's sin in committing adultery with Bathsheba and murdering Uriah (see if you can follow the lesson).

 

As I began teaching this year, I was wondering how I would be forming these mouldable minds and lately, it has been me the one moulded.  We were talking in Ethics about "thou shalt not commit adultery." so Colleen and Myself divided the class into boys and girls had the sexual ethics talk with them.  Man, I wish I was mature as these 16 year olds when I was their age.  They already realize the gravity of sexual sin and take measures against falling into it.  I was floored at their maturity.

 

The next commandment is on stealing, so, naturally, because of their age, we talked about illegal downloads of music, videos and games.  You could have heard a pin drop when I asked the question, "Is it ok to download illegal music?"  The sex talk was easy as everyone had an opinion mostly because it is just an idea in their head, but now, downloading music is something that hits home.  It wasn't only the students who were convicted but I went home being careful to be sure the proper copyrights are followed and they get their money for their music and videos.  Some of my students actually went home and deleted hundreds of gigabytes of illegal content, again floored by their maturity.

 

The kicker was when the grade 10 class heard about this.  They asked if I would be teaching next year because if I was, they needed to listen to all their illegal downloads before I made them delete it all.

 

I was reminded of a story I told my ethics class in the boy/girl talk.

 

I was at YC (a Christian youth conference) when I was around 15 or so and one of my friends brought a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue that we were going to look at that evening when the session was over.  The speaker spoke on purity and asked if anyone desired to take a stand for purity.  I stood up and spoke these words, I kid you not, this is what I said "God, I commit to being pure, ... after tonight."

 

I told the students that that was my mentality, When I turned 20 then I would be pure, when I get married then I will be pure, when I turn 30 ...  our battle with the flesh is a lifelong battle.  We need to be filling our hearts with His word and make a stand right now, not tomorrow, not next year, but Today, right now!

 

Your first tooth only comes along once, but God calls you to a life devoted to Him everyday!