foreignculture

Mystery

2010-03-18T10:04:00.002-04:00

Early in my journey I wanted, no needed answers. I would read and study a wide variety of topics from numerous authors to find answers. It was a unquenchable thirst to be right, to have answers, and to be able to win any debate that might come my way. Lately, I’ve grown more comfortable with mystery. For example, the Trinity is a huge mystery. I’ve heard great speak- ers try to explain it by

lovin the church

2010-01-29T18:33:00.000-05:00

I'm in love with the church. Sounds crazy I know...but I'm just in love. Can't help it!!! I know that its not always the prettiest, sometimes it can be flat out ugly...but I still love it. The church in its plethora of expressions represents God's FBO (Forward Base of Operations) in the world today. It is the church (you and I) that have been commissioned to bring light into the world and

Tolerance...

2010-01-28T15:39:00.000-05:00

What do you tolerate? Well...at first glance, the list may seem rather small, but look deeper. How about the crack in the mirror? Or...the 3 emails in your inbox that you don't want to deal with or feel to guilty to delete? There is always that conversation you have been avoiding. If you pulled out a pen and a legal pad and started listing all of the little and big things you tolerate...I

Life is...

2010-01-23T09:50:00.001-05:00

Just the other day, I celebrated the one-year anniversary of the scariest day of my life. It was the day that I came face to face with my own mortality. When the doctor said that he was afraid I wouldn’t be able to see my children grow up or my wife grow (gracefully) old…it scared me. The days that followed were quiet yet filled with an endless parade of nurses and

The rebirth of a blog

2010-01-23T09:47:00.002-05:00

I've waited patiently for this day for a few months. The day when foreignculture would rise out of the ashes.Today is that day...I have some things to say...and a journey to share!

listen, leave, trust...

2009-03-28T05:00:00.001-04:00

Not a day goes by when you don't hear of someone talking about praying or someone (maybe ourselves) asking for or promising to pray. Proverbs 28 has an interesting statement to make about prayer..."9 God has no use for the prayers of the people who won’t listen to him."So unless our prayers are a conversation that involves us listening to what God says and what he has written down for us our

Don't Brag

2009-03-26T21:52:00.003-04:00

Proverbs 27:1 Don’t brashly announce what you’re going to do tomorrow; you don’t know the first thing about tomorrow.It shocks me at how often I'm deciding and announcing what I'll be doing tomorrow when I don't even have control over today. God desires for us to follow Him on a moment by moment basis, yet I tend to want the highlight version.The movie "Click It" starring Adam Sandler highlights

Left Turn

2009-03-16T09:03:00.002-04:00

Pray for El Salvador! After several years of stability and headed in a positive democratic direction, it has taken a 90 degree turn to the left.Sunday, Salvadorians voted in a socialist president that represented the party of the guerrillas that drug the country through a horrendous civil war in the 80's. The Americas project has been researching some partnerships in El Salvador, it remains to

life interrupted...pt2

2009-02-07T09:16:00.003-05:00

(disclaimer...all this happened mid January and I'm recovering quite well)After the initial interruption, 5 long dreary days tick by. Test after test, scan after scan...nothing. The relief that nothing serious had been found is deadened by the question, what's wrong?As if the unknown wasn't unbearable enough, my thoughts flatlined. Just blank stares at the wall or ceiling in front of me...the

pardon the interruption

2009-02-06T14:09:00.003-05:00

Life has been interrupted. Like a barking dog at 2am after a long days work, January interrupted my comfortable existence. After weeks of wiping away a runny cold, and feeling the low rider vibrations in my chest every time a I took a breath; I went to the local hospital. Not like they could really help me. The place looked like Trading Spaces on the first morning. So much for a bad economy..

Day of the Kings

2009-01-06T22:03:00.002-05:00

As a family, we celebrate the day of the kings. On the 12th day of Christmas, Jan 6, some Latino cultures celebrate the giving of gifts to coincide with the day the kings gave their gifts to the baby Jesus.A few years ago in the attempt to get out of the commercialized nightmare that Christmas can become...we made a switch. On Christmas eve, we open the gifts given to us by relatives and

Top 10 List #2 (The Positive in 08)

2009-01-04T19:10:00.002-05:00

10. I learned that I need a spiritual rhythm in my life. So I've adapted the liturgical calendar to provide spiritual markers to keep me from wandering. 9. My son (Connor) is becoming a man...time with him is precious and running out.8. Ministry isn't what it is cracked up to be, but being a spiritual leader is an exhilarating and challenging experience.7. The point of prayer isn't

Top 10 List #1 (Negative Things Learned)

2008-12-30T22:39:00.006-05:00

This is the first of several top 10 Lists I plan to publish...this will let me get a lot out of my system in a efficient manner. (These reflect things learned over the last 10 years of church leadership, or relearned this year) (If you are bothered by any of them...spend some time soul searching before calling...lol)1. When someone says that its a 99.9% to 0.1 % that something will not happen..

presidential debate idea

2008-09-26T13:54:00.002-04:00

I've always been a political junkie, but this year I keep throwing up in my mouth at the outlandish lies that each candidate wants me to digest. So I've come up with what I think would be the greatest presidential debate of this election.No it's not a sumo style wrestling match...it's a tad bit simpler. Each candidate should be required to watch their own TV ads, and the ads of the groups that

not homeowner improvements

2008-09-26T11:43:00.004-04:00

This morning I was reading Luke 6 and verses 47-49 jumped out at me. I grabbed "The Message" and found these words: "These words I speak to you are not mere additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. the are foundation words, words to build a life on."In my own life, many times the words of Jesus can digress to being just additions to my already established life.

update

2008-09-24T18:35:00.003-04:00

It seems strange to me how a place once so familiar can become so awkward. The past few days have been spent trying to remember how to do some of this blogger stuff. I think that I've got it working.You will still be able to access my blog through ChrisAlford.org or you can go directly to ForeignCulture.tv.

back to the future...

2008-04-15T20:02:00.003-04:00

Many moons ago, I discovered Blogger and became an active blogger. It was early 2000 when I first experienced the thrill of blogging.However, over time it became a ranting place. Life took over, and blogging had to take a back seat. I've attempted several comebacks, but nothing seemed quite right. But, I'm returning to the blog address where it all started and we are launching all over