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11-12

            There will eventually be a day when I will be forgotten. Somebody will look in their family tree, see my name, and probably pass over it without thinking twice. It’s a strange feeling and thought. Tim Keller mentioned in a sermon about how we (humans) have this idea that we shouldn’t die. Death shouldn’t exist. Stories have been written about it. People have searched for this fountain of youth to escape it. We should live on forever. I just got done watching a movie called “50/50” with Joseph Gordon Levitt. It’s a young guy who gets cancer. People die. Every day. There was a horrible storm that killed hundreds, maybe thousands, in the Philippines last week. Death is tragic. And it sucks. Sometimes it’s sudden and you get the dreaded phone call. Sometimes it drags on to the inevitable. Either way it sucks. There will be a day when the inevitable will call my name. And the inevitable of being forgotten will occur. I think of my dad. It’s been over seven years since he died suddenly and it’s still a strange thought. I have to be honest right now. I’m afraid I am going to forget about him. I’ve already forgotten about things we have done, the name of that cave that we swam through with bat guano on the sides, the places in Africa he went to, the silly comments he would make. I’ve forgotten. I was at his grave last year looking around at the other graves with dates and names on them dating back 100 or more years. There was one that said, “Gone but not Forgotten.” That was from like 60 years ago. I’m afraid to say that he will be soon forgotten. And this all seems depressing. And I get down about thinking about it. But then I’m reminded of a promise. Jesus was laid down his life. He was murdered for so that we, so that I, would not just die and be forgotten. So that my dad would not be forgotten. He died so that I may “have life and have it to the full.” And not just in this life, but in the life to come. Jesus didn’t stay dead. He raised himself and gives life to those who believe and follow him. Because of that I may be forgotten. But I will live on with my God. And the things I do in this life will be forgotten, but at the same time they will live on. In the movie “The Gladiator,” Russel Crowe says something that I can’t help but remember. He says, “What you do in this life echoes into eternity.” So even though I will be forgotten, the legacy that I leave will impact many more to come when I’m long gone. I think of all the people who have impacted my life in following Christ. My mom and dad first, and many others after them. Then who impacted theirs and those who introduced Jesus to them. You can go back to when Jesus walked the earth, tracing your spiritual lineage. All those people have been forgotten. Who are they? No idea. But they have left an echo that will resound into eternity. And ultimately that is the only thing that will continue to echo. Everything will be long gone and there won’t even be anybody who will care. But God is good. He takes care of his flock and welcomes them into his fold. Oh how I look forward to meeting all those forgotten. What a mighty day that will be.

            In the movie “50/50” Gordon Levitt’s character is bald and he says how he looks like Voldermort. I laughed because I can closely identify with that statement. I am thankful that I can’t identify with almost all his other experiences in the movie. Give thanks.

11-13

            Internet is sucking and it’s important that I get on so I can figure out how I’m getting around Europe. I guess I can just do whatever since I don’t have much of an agenda. But that usually costs a bit more money than planning ahead.

            I was getting a bit upset (I’ve been having to fight this the last couple weeks on a couple occasions-being in a bad mood). I think because I have next to nothing to do, I’m getting anxious to get doing something productive. I’m itching for movement. As I was walking around town trying to find a place where I could get on the internet, I thought to myself, “Well at least nobody has asked you for money today.” Then I got back to the office and got a text from one of the graduates who I was just talking to earlier in the day at the office. He asked me for a 2000 shillings, about $22. He couldn’t ask me to my face though. I kindly said no and laughed at the perfect timing of the text. Oh boy.