RockTheDesert

Featured Video - Kenya/Rwanda - June '07

Enjoy this video which includes mostly our Kenya trip with a couple of clips of Rwanda mixed in!

The Africans dressed in mostly red are part of the Maasai tribe. They are the cattle owners/herders in Kenya. They are nomadic and still follow ancient tribal customs such as drinking cow's blood. Yuck. They also live in extremely short huts made from dried mud and manure. The Maasai women traditionally build the homes. They are not very tall so they only build the houses as tall as they can reach. Ironically, Maasai men are extremely tall, so they have to hunch way over in in order to move about in their homes. We were blessed to be able to meet with a group of Christian Maasai. We worshiped with them and they let us look inside their homes and allowed us to take pictures of them.

From 53 seconds to 57 seconds, you'll see the green hills of Rwanda. Then from 1:03 to 1:08 you'll catch just a 5 second glimpse of some children in Rwanda.

My Most Memorable Christmas Present

I know I don't look very happy - maybe I was woken up too early. Or maybe I hated having my picture taken even at such a young age. But, really, I promise, I was absolutely thrilled with this bike! I especially loved the hot pink sparkly banana seat!! I thought I was 10 when I got this bike for Christmas, but according to the date on the picture, I was 6.  Notice the long, red, shag carpeting. We had a lovely, Spanish-style home with a beautiful arched fireplace in the living room. After my mom vacuumed and raked the carpet, we weren't allowed in the living room for days! Also, see the stereo console in the background - I would LOVE to have one of those in my house. With gold speaker fabric instead of red, of course.

The Day After Christmas

Today is December 26, the day after Christmas. Today, we're easing back to normal. Cleaning up, eating leftovers, watching movies, playing video games, setting watches, testing aftershave, finding places to put our new treasures, and of course, catching up on blogging (check out all our Christmas photos in the Christmas 07 Photo Album).

Christmas Eve was wonderful. Lots of Christmas carols, lots of people celebrating the final night of Advent with us at FNC. We lit the "Christ Candle" which is the tall white candle among the 3 purple candles and 1 pink candle. It's white to represent that Christ is the Light of the World. It was very meaningful and beautiful. 

Yesterday was a great day. We got up really early (5am) after going to bed after midnight (wrapping those last minute gifts). I must say that I pulled together a mighty fine brunch - Caramel-butterscotch pecan rolls, breakfast strata, and hash brown casserole.

Steven and Michael could hardly wait for Alyssa and Joshua to arrive so we could dive into the stockings and unwrap the 2 very large boxes under the tree. At 6:45, we gathered in the living room to watch for Alyssa and Joshua out the front window. We decided to read the entire Christmas story slowly out of the Bible. By the time Alyssa and Joshua arrived, Steven was jumping out of his skin. He ran outside with the Bible and started reading the Christmas story to them in the driveway so we could start the gift-opening process as soon as they sat down.

"Before"...

"After"...

O Worship The King

Tomorrow is Sunday. The last Sunday of Advent. Theme is Love. A purple candle will be lit. Prayers will be prayed. Songs will be sung. The meaning of Christmas will be proclaimed loud and clear. May all who hear the message have ears to listen. May all who gather to worship the King, find Him. May all who are lost sheep, be found by the Good Shepherd. May all who are weary and burdened with life, find rest and shelter in the shadow of the wings of the Almighty. May all who need a Savior, find Him waiting patiently, offering the gifts of eternal life, forgiveness from sin, and everlasting, overflowing, unbelievable, indescribable, limitless Love.

Christmas Wasn't Always About The Presents

Here's an excerpt of an article by Howard Dayton, founder of Crown Ministry. We met him a few years ago while visiting Atlanta - he is an amazingly humble, Godly man, totally dedicated to Crown and the vision which God has given them.

Christmas Wasn't Always About the Presents

Howard Dayton 

From October 31 onward it's impossible to forget that Christmas is coming. Before Thanksgiving, the red-coated man with the white beard and bag of toys is seen in stores and by mid-December, most homes are decorated, inside and out, with Christmas trees and lights.

However, the real Christmas story is found in Matthew and Luke chapters 1 and 2. It's about the earthly birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ the Son of God. Conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, He lived and ministered on earth, and then died and arose again -- the promised Messiah. Jesus came as the Savior of all, and identifies Himself with every racial group, every culture, and every society.

Click HERE to read the rest of the article.

Country Worship

Well, today at church we had a special guest musical artist - Jessi Colter. We had a great time singing a couple of songs with her (I'll Fly Away and Silent Night - very country with a backup gospel "choir"). Then Jessi sang a beautiful, original Christmas song that she wrote years ago and never recorded. Here's a couple of pics - check out Fellowship North's website for a photo album (December 16, 2007) containing the rest of the pics from today!

Cookie Exchange

I went to a cookie exchange today. Alyssa helped organize it. I typically stay away from these types of events because I'm not a baker. Baking cookies is so tedious. And draining. Not my passion at all. But I decided to go today because (1) Alyssa was involved, (2) 2/3 of the cookies were being donated to the Desert Vista Behavioral Center which houses homeless women who have mental illness challenges. We also were able to donate 20 New Testaments. Alyssa created super-cute bookmarks for us to write Bible verses on and stick in the New Testaments. Jerri brought a platter with 16 varieties of cookies to share with us...unbelievable! All in all, a very nice way to spend a couple of hours instead of fighting the crowds at the stores!

Burundi is in East Africa

We are going to East Africa. Burundi is in East Africa. I was reading a few other blogs today and one link led to another until I found these posts on a blog called "Journey Mama". They summarizes her recent trip to West Africa. I've included the articles here because I like her writing style...descriptive...real.

        [You may find yourself in a small village market far away from any evidence of the twenty-first century. You might take photographs of women more beautiful than any you have ever seen, women who have never before seen a photograph of themselves. You will bless your digital camera again and again, because you will witness the disbelief and hilarity of women who find an image of themselves for the first time. They may grab you, grab their friends, laugh uproariously, direct you to the next person to photograph...] click HERE to read "When You Go To West Africa."

        [You think that you won’t forget, but you do. When you are there you feel that the red dust has crept all the way inside of you, that you will never look again at your world of wealth with the same eyes, that your ribcage holds a whole new heart.] Click HERE to read "Coming Back."

Going To Burundi

I am going to Burundi in January with E3 Partners. Just signed up last night.
Need I say more?
My post-Christmas to-do-list just grew from 3 non-urgent items to 30 urgent items. Seriously.
I've decided to go on this church-planting campaign not because I have a lot of spare time on my hands; not  because I FEEL like I should go; not because I have $4,000 gathering dust in a drawer, waiting to be spent; not because it's going to help me win "Mother Of The Year"; not because it's the in vogue thing to do...I'm going because I MUST go. It's urgent. There's no guilt associated with this decision. Only confidence that it's what I'm supposed to do. It's a crazy thing, these missions trips we sign up for. Long hours of travel. Challenging roads and accommodations. Sights and smells that are indescribable. But the privilege of watching God at work among His children in Africa - that's also indescribable.
So, I'm going to Burundi.
I am questioning my sanity just a tiny bit more today than when I sent in the application last night.
But that's a good thing. If I could make perfect logical sense of every single decision to be made in my life, then I really wouldn't need God. I could just live my life in a sane, sanitary, safe way. It'd be like driving a 4-door, tan Chevy sedan at 37 mph for the rest of my life. Not bad, not wrong, but, well, sort of boring. I'd rather be in the bright orange Charger with the Duke boys, taking on hell with a squirt gun and living life fully present in each moment with God.

One Solitary Life

I just posted the following article on FNC's Christmas Devotional blog. I'm posting Christmas-themed devotionals there every day until Christmas day.

A few weeks ago, I saw the Radio City Music Hall's Christmas Show featuring the Rockettes. It was absolutely spectacular. The lights, the music, the dancing, the snow, santa, the elves, it was all so "Christmassy." Near the end of the show, they started building a living nativity scene right before our eyes. It was unbelievable. All the glitzy, sparkling, frivolous fun faded into the background and the stage became a beautiful tableau of Biblical characters, including Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, shepherds, sheep, wise men and camels. Then a projection screen dropped down in front of the scene and the following words were projected and read out loud with music underscoring the entire scene. It was the perfect way to end the evening! I've included a link to a slide show version of these words with music. Click here or on the title and you'll be re-directed.

One Solitary Life

He was born in an obscure village
The child of a peasant woman   
He grew up in another obscure village 
Where he worked in a carpenter shop 
Until he was thirty   

He never wrote a book   
He never held an office   
He never went to college   
He never visited a big city   
He never travelled more than two hundred miles 
From the place where he was born   
He did none of the things 
Usually associated with greatness   
He had no credentials but himself

He was only thirty three

His friends ran away 
One of them denied him   
He was turned over to his enemies 
And went through the mockery of a trial   
He was nailed to a cross between two thieves   
While dying, his executioners gambled for his clothing 
The only property he had on earth   

When he was dead
He was laid in a borrowed grave 
Through the pity of a friend

Nineteen centuries have come and gone
And today Jesus is the central figure of the human race 
And the leader of mankind’s progress   

All the armies that have ever marched 
All the navies that have ever sailed 
All the parliaments that have ever sat 
All the kings that ever reigned put together 
Have not affected the life of mankind on earth 
As powerfully as that one solitary life

(c) 1926 - Dr James Allan

Corporate Worship

I found the following article posted on Rich Kirkpatrick's blog. It is long. Read it and absorb it and think through how this impacts all of us who are striving to be fully-devoted followers and worshipers of God.

Following Jesus:  How corporate worship and the local church really matter

I believe that there is a correlation to how we follow Jesus and the idea that the local church plays a huge role in that process.  I believe that small groups indeed, as an ideal, certainly are seen as modeling the intimacy that Jesus had with his twelve.  But, what about our weekend crowds?  Jesus spent a lot of time with crowds, too.  Our corporate worship in the church certainly is a crowd.  The activity of the small group and of the crowd can be done uniquely in a local church like no other institution.  I call the crowd our “corporate worship” for the sake of argument.  In the crowd you have both the committed disciples of Jesus and the uninitiated.  This looks a lot like many of our churches, especially the church I serve. Click here for the rest of the article...

Mary B. and Laura B.

Just got this pic from my mother-in-law, Mary B. She recently got to spend time in Washington D.C. with a friend who is a Washington insider. Her friend introduced her to Laura B. That must have been an amazing experience!

India Church Planting Campaign

My parents-in-law (Ray & Mary) just returned from their first trip to India. Here's an excerpt from their summary letter...The last 10 days in India was a short-term church planting mission with E3 Partners consisting of 21 ordinary people from America to reach out to the Banjara Gypsies near Hanamkonda.  We formed 9 teams and went to over 80 Banjara thandas (villages).  We had a great time; however, it was very tiring and demanding.  We had to get up every day at 4:00 am to get ready to leave at 5:30 a.m. To meet at the Banjara Center for organizing the day's activities and then drive for 2 hours each way to the sites.  The driving was the worst and most dangerous I have ever experienced.  There was no hot water at the hotel, so we had cold showers every morning, and our food for breakfast and lunch was basically what we brought from the U.S.--- granola bars, Vienna sausage, trail mix, etc.  However, we were fortunate that we were able to have dinner each night at a Chinese restaurant (we found Indian food to be too spicy). The good news is, we planted over over 20 new churches and saw over 500 professions of faith in the Banjara thandas.  On the last day there, it was a blessing to see people accept Jesus as the gospel was presented on the edge of Hanamkonda in the shadow of a Mosque.  Some of the ones who received Christ were Muslims.  One Muslim was looking out her door fully clad in the black dress, head cover, and face cover.  Jesus was glorified and the Banjara people were empowered and equipped to continue the work of discipleship and church planting using Proclaimers (solar powered audio New Testament in their language) and other discipleship materials we left behind.  I’ve attached a photo of the Banjara couple that we gave a Proclaimer to so they can have the new believers meet in their hut to listen to the New Testament...

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

The Phone Call

Four months ago, in August, I completed an intensely detailed application for ministry with E3 Partners. I sent it in to the main office in Plano, TX. Then I just started waiting. And waiting. On November 27, I had 4 back to back interviews. 6 hours of questions and discussion. Then yesterday afternoon as I was driving Michael to work, I got the phone call. I'm in! I'll start training to be a Church Planting Coordinator in 2008. This means I'll have a couple of training trips, a mentor, E3 boot camp, support raising, and all else that goes with becoming a CPC. Thanks to all who have prayed for me during this process. This is exciting and scary and a dream come true all at once. Once I'm trained, I hope to be able to work alongside Dan, planning, coordinating, and mobilizing church-planting campaigns. The name "Team Berryman" takes on an all-new meaning now!! Here's a photo from my first trip to Africa - Ruhengeri, Rwanda to be exact - actually, a little village called Musanze was where it all began coming together for me - where I first started felling "the call" to do more than just an occasional church-planting trip!

It was Thursday, the 4th full day of the campaign and I remember feeling totally and fully alive and like every part of my physical and spiritual being had come together for this time and in this place and for this reason. It was quite unlike anything I've ever experienced!

And then I saw the flames...

Yesterday was...eventful...Dan picked up Michael at school. Then they went and bought football supplies for Steven's new team. Then they stopped at the Salvation Army to drop off a donation. And that's when the chaos began. Dan's truck started literally wigging out - it wouldn't start, it wouldn't go into gear, there was this loud clicking noise like a time bomb about to explode, there was a burning sulphur smell intermittently wafting up from under the hood. It was crazy. I called AAA then went to rescue Michael. Dan waited for 1-1/2 hours for the tow truck. In the meantime, the truck kept clicking away, then the windows started going up and down on their own, the radio turned on and off, I'm telling you, it was like the stupid thing was demon-possessed! Then it all stopped. The battery finally went dead. In the meantime, I went to pick up Steven at school. Then I went home and started making dinner. I knew Dan would be calling me for a ride home from the Ford dealer, so I quickly began boiling a huge pot of water for pasta. Made a great sauce from fresh basil, fabulous sausage from Trader Joe's, and marinara sauce from TJ's. All this took about 15 minutes. Then I decided to throw a loaf of crusty Italian bread in the oven. I reached across the stove, past the pot of boiling water and the pan of simmering sauce, and turned the oven on to 400 degrees. I felt what I thought was steam escaping from the boiling pot of water burning my side so I jumped back a little from the stove. OW - that was hot! And then I saw the flames...they were on the side of my shirt, quickly burning up my shirt. I actually had on a spandex/polyester black tank top with a rayon, Christmassy red blouse on top and the red blouse was rapidly being consumed by flames and I was still wearing it! I started panicking and somehow got the blouse off and into the sink where I doused it with water. Meanwhile, my phone was ringing incessantly - it was Dan needing a ride home. I turned off the oven. Turned off the stove. Put on a shirt that wasn't burned, and went to pick up Dan.

See the tiny little hole in my favorite black tank? This shirt protected my side from the flames!

All last night I kept thinking about those flames - they could have easily reached my hair and the whole kitchen could have gone right up in flames so quickly - I am really grateful that God protected me and my family and our home.

Come Close

I've written another worship article at FNC's website. Has to do with Hula Hoops. For those of you who know me, you know that I live life with an invisible hula hoop on. I have spatial issues - or as my friend Sharon likes to put it "spissues." I can hug someone from 2 feet away, I really can. I've spent a lot of time and money on counseling trying to work through these "spissues." And now I've realized there's a great object lesson to be learned. Click here to read the entire "Come Close" article.

Some Christmas Questions

These questions are just for fun - you can copy them and email them to your friends and family if you want to ask them these questions. My answers are all in RED. You can answer them too and send this back to me via email if you want to!

Welcome to the Christmas edition of getting to know your friends.

Okay, here's what you're supposed to do, and try not to be a SCROOGE!!!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Gift bags for adults – wrapping paper for kids. Nicely wrapped gifts for those whose “love language” is gifts.

2. Real tree or artificial? Artificial - $20 at Walmart or Target. The needles fall off of these cheap trees after about 2 years, so it's almost like buying a "semi-fresh" tree every couple of years but at a fraction of the cost.

3. When do you put up the tree? usually the day after Thanksgiving, but this year we need to replace our tree and haven’t done it yet. Soon.

4. When do you take the tree down?  January 1. Only one year (1998) did I leave the tree up until July. Long story.

5. Do you like eggnog? Yes. But no one else in my family likes it so I never buy it. Also, it has to be icy cold with no alcohol in it. So I don’t even get to drink it at parties.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Bike with a hot pink vinyl banana seat.

7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, we have a few that we put out in various places in the house.

8. Hardest person to buy for? Parents-in-law

9. Easiest person to buy for? Michael & Steven

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?  I don't remember any bad gifts. I remember some hilarious white elephant gifts, though. Incredible things carved out of wood, expired calendars, used purses, all truly priceless!

11. Mail or email Christmas cards? This year mail. Usually hand-deliver to a few friends. Sometimes email. Trying to get better about mailing things out on time.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Elf. Charlie Brown Christmas. Home Alone 1 & 2.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?  Week after Thanksgiving. Then I take a break and frantically shop 2 days before Christmas.

14. Have you ever re-cycled a Christmas gift? Yes, we try to attend at least 1 white elephant/re-gift party every year. I love re-gifting and receiving re-gifts!

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Hot chocolate with whipped cream and red sprinkles.

16. Clear lights or colored lights on the tree? white 

17. Favorite Christmas song? I Celebrate The Day – Relient K

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? We’re traveling the week before Christmas then home on Christmas day.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers? Yes!!

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? I don't remember what we have - I think it's a star. 

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning. Now that the kids are older, we tell them to sleep in on Christmas morning. The first person up is not allowed to wake up everyone else. When Dan and I arrive in the living room, the gift-giving begins. Then we have Christmas brunch.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Pointless festivities and unceasing noise and greedy people and stores all trying to make a buck off of Jesus' birth.

23. What I love most about Christmas? This year I love that we’re celebrating Advent at church. We are focused on waiting and anticipating the birth of Christ and of course the return of Jesus as our Messiah…o come, o come Emmanuel!!!

                                Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!

Christmas Strategy

I'll admit it -  I struggle to maintain my sanity during the Christmas season. It's such a busy time, especially for a musician, and even more especially for a church musician. There's usually a ton of rehearsals and meetings and planning and purchasing and decorating - all for church stuff. Then there's the additional "yesses" I usually love to commit to - little holiday shows, recitals, parties, open mic nights, etc. Don't get me wrong - I love all this stuff, otherwise I wouldn't say yes. But after awhile it takes a toll on my soul. Oh yeah, don't forget to throw in 5 family birthdays. And the fact that Christmas Eve service pretty much takes up all of Christmas Eve day and night. That leaves me dreading Christmas morning because that's the only time I've managed to set aside for wrapping presents, making brunch, and doing Christmas with the family. It's an unhealthy pattern of life that has evolved and snowballed for the last 20 years. After much counseling and a pastor (Randy) who's committed to family first, church second, this year I'm not going to be a part of "Christmas" Sunday or Christmas Eve. I'm deliberately filling my life with tasks that are inspiring and help me focus on Jesus and family and, well, JOY! I found this picture of Snoopy and was really inspired by the simplicity of his life. Just a simple little house. A colorful little tree, and some lights. Nothing overwhelming or huge. Just what he can manage. Just what I can manage.

Here's part of my strategy:

• I'm reading the daily devotional posts at http://krellfish.typepad.com. My friend, Audra (I'm sure I've mentioned her before) is the author. She is a great writer. Inspirational. Cleverly funny. Very real. She is doing a series of Christmas devotionals, counting down from 25. Theme is "Relationships." Click here to go to her first post. Enjoy!
• I'm posting a series of Christmas devotionals at Fellowship North's website. As I write each one, I am trying to really experience the words and thoughts and emotions that they evoke.
• We're incorporating Advent into our December worship services. This is a beautifully simple "ceremony" where we focus on Christ as the coming Messiah through reading scripture, lighting candles, and praying.
• I'm trying to make Monday a R & R day as much as possible. Today I plan to drink hot chocolate with whipped cream while I read a new book I bought a month ago called "Slightly Bad Girls of the Bible" by Liz Curtis Higgs.
• My mom has offered to help me with Christmas shopping. I am officially the worst shopper ever. I get overwhelmed with crowds. My mind goes blank and I can't find even the simplest thing on my list when I'm surrounded by all the chaos and clutter of the season. She's even given me a huge bag filled with beautiful Christmas gift bags to cut down on the stress of wrapping gifts!
• I'm walking for 1 hr with Dan every day - great time for dialogue and laughter - we will hopefully end up at La Grande Orange for coffee and cupcakes at least every other day!

Look Up

I've written another article on worship on the Fellowship North website. It's called Look Up. Talks about celebration in worship!

I've also started a daily Christmas devotional series called Christmas Reflections. It's also on the Fellowship North website. Look in the right sidebar. They'll be listed by date. I might even have some surprise authors contribute to this effort!

I Just Got Elfed

Click this link for a good laugh. Then elf yourself and send it to me!!

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1129215149

By Popular Request...

Sweet Potato Casserole used to be the thing that I dreaded most at holiday meals. The smell of it was so gross and it was so sweet and gooey (marshmallows) and nothing you did to doctor them up took away that "squashy" taste (in my opinion). My dad absolutely loved them so my mom made them every year. And I'm sure that they were very good if you were a sweet potato fan. This year, I finally found a really great recipe that I made and took to our Urban Tribe Thanksgiving dinner. I actually took ingredients from 3 different recipes, combined them, substituted things that I had on hand, then baked it, praying it would be solid in the middle. If you choose to, you can make this delectable treat entirely from organic ingredients.

Click the pic for recipe. Thanks to The Pioneer Woman, Serious Eats, and Judy Berryman for the recipe inspiration!!

The Prodigal Returns Home

I went to California ("home") on Monday. Drove there by myself. I made it there in about 6 hours. It's really easy to get there: I-10 west to Beaumont Avenue which takes you on a winding road thru Hemet, Winchester and Temecula which finally lands you on the I-15 south which goes for 30 min. then you split off at the 78 west toward the coast. My parents live in Vista. They have the perfect little house with an ocean "glimpse" which means if you stand in the middle of their street on an impossibly clear day and squint to the west, you can sometimes glimpse the tiniest blue triangle of ocean.

Crissy (sister), Me, Sandi (sister).

Allison (cousin), Me, Donni

Crissy, Me, Sandi, Lilly (mom)