Paying It Forward!

Hello All,

Many of you have likely heard of or seen the movie "Pay It Forward." I have not seen it, but the phrase has been resonating in my head for the last two weeks. Wikipedia gives this definition: "Pay it forward or paying it forward refers to repaying the good deeds one has received by doing good things for other unrelated people." If this is what the movie is about, then it is also not my intention to use this phrase that way. The phrase came to me when I was teaching Genesis 23 last week. (Many of you will notice that my last Genesis related blog was in chapter 21. Well, go ahead and try to find anything of great spiritual value from chapter 22! Now, let me pull my tongue out from the deep indention in my cheek and move on!)

You might recall to memory that Sarah dies in chapter 23 and Abraham is faced with a choice. Just prior to chapter 23, he receives news from home and his family there. They have grown and there seems to be much rejoicing in their neck of the woods. I wonder if Abraham might have had a moment's hesitation about staying in Canaan, the land of promise. For in Sarah's death, there was a new awareness of his own mortality. Where she would lie, he would lie. What does Abraham do? He purchases a grave in Canaan, for an exorbitant price, from the Hititte people.

At first, I felt that there was little there worth rummaging through. I know: BLASPHEMY! But upon further reflection, I realized what Abraham was doing. He was buying into the promise, fully investing himself and his family in the veracity of the claim that God would one day deliver this land to his seed. He was "Paying It Forward." (I believe this is further corroborated in chapter 24 when he forbids his servant to take Isaac back to the land of his family.) And you know what: He was buried in Macpelah. So was Isaac, Rebekah, Leah and Joseph. All came back to this land in death, believing that this was to be their land. None of them saw the fulfillment, but they all came back to Macpelah and were laid to rest there.

I don't want you to think that I have purchased a grave in Jerez! Not yet anyway! But I will bury my life in Christ, so that my children will come back to that reality as well. We all may live without seeing fulfillment, but I will "Pay It Forward" on their behalf as well. I noted in my sermon two Wednesdays ago that Lela can look back and see a Pastor in every successive decade, even to this day when her father Dan continues to teach in many nations and her brother Nate leads worship. This is not the case in my family. My Dad's conversion to Christ began the first generation of Christianity in our family. I would be the next in line, so I don't look to my past. I focus on the future and the hope that I have to see my children bury their lives in Jesus Christ.

Along the way, I pray that these nations that surround me, Lord willing Spain, will watch my life and the lives of other missionaries, and see us "pay forward" in the promise. I pray that as we do this, they will be won to the love of Jesus that would constrain them to do likewise.

I pray that you will join me in redeeming the time that is given you, making the most of every opportunity for the days are evil and the time is short. Perhaps most of us will live without seeing fulfillment. But if we hope to see someone enjoy that blessing in the future, then we must pay for it now.

Blessings To The Friends Of Spain,
Frank Sanchez

A Little Family Prayer Time

Three Prayers

Here is a little glimpse into the Sanchez Family prayer life. This is what it's like right before bed each night. Lizzy obviously loves to pray the most! We would provide translation, but while we are sure it's biblical, we cannot quite figure it out either!

Mostly this is a little bit of an experiment with YouTube and our page. Lord willing, we will be able to post a few video diary clips soon from around Jerez. For now, hope you enjoy the kids.

Blessings To The Friends Of Spain,
Frank Sanchez

Lizzy And The Chocolate!

"It all happened so fast..."

Halloween Jerez Style

Hello All,

Perhaps the sign should have told us something! Last year, Halloween was a non-event. 2 teenagers came to our door, neither of them dressed up, and begged for candy. That was the extent of the celebration. This year, the above handwritten signs were posted around our neighborhood about a week ago. Then, just a day or so before, a small hand drawn pumpkin leaflet was put into our mailbox. It reminded me of political mail, but this campaign was quite well done.

So last night, Lela and I decided that we would get a small bag of suckers for the kids. I felt that we at least needed two bags. We had gone out to Carrefour Sur (not the infamous Carrefour Norte where I was interrogated last week by the Security detail...see a few posts down for more info) and came back to find, a decent size band of kids roaming through our neighborhood. I surmised that we would have just enough. By the time they reached our house, the band had grown to about 60 kids armed with some sort of very loud firecrackers! At this point, I was pretty sure we would not have enough suckers, so we quietly went upstairs and retired for the night! We'll be ready next year for all contingencies!

The party just kept going on last night, mainly due to the fact that today is All Saints Day here in Spain. Everyone is off from school and work today, but tomorrow is also an important day on the calendar known as "The Feast Of All Souls." Obviously, those of us in America have little understanding of what these days signify, so I thought I would do a little research.

Much of what follows will be from Catholic source material found on the internet. The Catholic Encyclopedia on All Saints Day: "It is instituted to honour all the saints, known and unknown, and, according to Urban IV, to supply any deficiencies in the faithful's celebration of saints' feasts during the year." In other words, today is a day where all the saints that did not get celebrated, or did not get celebrated enough, get their fair share. Originally, this was meant to be a celebration of the martyrs, who were the only ones granted sainthood. However, it was later changed. The site further explains, "The change in the name of the event from Feast of All Holy Martyrs to Feast of All Saints probably became about because there was a change in the customs regarding who was listed as a "Saint." In the early years of the Church, only martyrs were given that title, but after the Roman persecutions ended the title was given to others who had led meritorious lives and who were credited with miraculous intercession."

This day is held in the same regard as Labor Day or Memorial Day is for Americans. It is just another day off for most Spaniards, though some might actually make it to Mass. Tomorrow, there is not a national holiday observance, but "The Feast Of All Souls" will be talked about. Yet a third Catholic site, and we get this information: "While the Feast of All Saints is a day to remember the glories of Heaven and those there, the Feast of All Souls on November 2 reminds us of our obligations to live holy lives and that there will be purification of the souls of those destined for Heaven - in this life or in purgatory."

Again, these are Catholic sources and my posting them here is by no means an endorsement or a statement to the veracity of the claims. I found it interesting though, just how deep the beliefs of this country are, and yet, how incredibly divorced they are from them in their daily lives. There is nothing wrong with celebrating martyrs or thinking upon the lives that we are to lead upon this Earth. However, to honor these days without honoring the faith of the one's who have given their lives for the name of Christ and to think upon our duties upon this earth, apart from the one who calls us to that duty and empowers us to perform, is to miss the proverbial forest for the trees. Those who died for the call of the faith would be insulted if we celebrated their heroism and did not embrace their Savior. And if we have a day where we think about the lives that are meant to be the extension of the Savior's ministry to a dying world around us, and then not live that way, what sort of insult is that to the name of Christ?

Alright, I'll get off my soapbox now...plus I need to go and help finish those few lolipops that we have left!

Blessings To The Friends Of Spain,
Frank Sanchez