Skylar Rolf

March Madness Is Here

March Madness.  These are soothing words to a sports fan like me who wades through the nothingness of February (except for during an Olympic year!).  The Big 12 tourney is in full swing here in Kansas City.  KU fans are talking about making another run for a title.  K-State fans are hoping to make the final four.  All these hopes and aspirations crammed into 3 weeks of what many call the greatest single sporting event of the year.  I love this time of year.

As I sit here on a Friday afternoon anticipating the bracket that I’ll be filling out Sunday night, I’m wondering what’s it’s like to be on the outside looking in.  And I’m not talking about the Nebraska Cornhuskers or Creighton Bluejays (my 2 favorite teams…neither of who will be playing in March Madness) of the world. Rather, I’m pondering what “March Madness” appears to a child in Africa who just lost his mother to HIV.  What about the persecuted Missionary in Asia or the young woman who thought she was being sent to America for a good job but instead finds herself trapped in sexual slavery? Or even the homeless man who wanders around downtown while fans go in and out of the Big 12 Tournament basketball games?  As a nation, we are in an economic crisis that is very real to many, many people.  Yet, I wonder how many bets will be placed on this 65 team tournament.  How much of that money could be used for something else?

I’m not saying March Madness or sports in general are a bad thing.  Not at all.  I think there are many, many benefits to sporting events.  It helps stimulate the economy, provides a physical and emotional outlet for both participants and fans, and can do a lot to lift the spirits of a community in difficult times.

Someone once told me that if a stranger had a 15 minute conversation with me, he’d be able to know what I really care about in life.  If I had to guess, I’d be talking a lot about sports in that 15 minutes. This is a sobering thought for me and makes me ask the question, what do I really care about? Where do I invest my time & my money?  It’s something to think about…

Does social media make your world go round?

If you’re living and breathing right now, chances are that you probably can’t get away from social media no matter how hard you try.  I just found out this week that my Grandpa has joined facebook!  Seriously…I remember the days when facebook was used for the primary purpose of staying in touch with your long lost friends and perhaps posting pictures of the latest social event you attended.  Now you can play mafia wars, give your friends virtual “gifts” (seriously, who wants a ‘virtual’ candy bar…give me the real thing!), and advertise yourself, product, or company.

Like most things, I believe that social media can be used for good or bad, depending on how we use it.  For example, I have a friend who organized a prayer walk this week for their community and invited people to this event using Facebook and Twitter.  Sounds like a good thing to me!  But at the same time, I’ve personally found that facebook, twitter, or other social medias can consume much more of my time and energy than is healthy.

So what?  I think it’s important that we examine our lives to see if the things we participate in are benefical not only for us but for the people we care about.  If a husband is always checking his twitter feed for the latest sports news, how much time is he paying attention to what his wife or children need from him?  If I spend 30 minutes a day looking at pictures from last weekends party that I wasn’t invited to, what good is that doing in me?  If I’m consumed with winning mafia wars on facebook, am I really maximizing my time?   Psalm 90:12 says “Teach us to number our days that we may present to you a heart of wisdom.”  This verse encourages me to consider the limited days of my life and to try to focus on what God’s calling on my life is and to consider how social media plays into that role.

How does  social media help or hinder your life?

Oh the Humanity…

For those who know me well, I am a huge fan of the television show Seinfeld.  While this show is often silly, I do think it provides some insightful perspective into us as humans.  Here’s a quick clip for your viewing enjoyment…Oh The Humanity

One of the most notable things that I think the show Seinfeld exemplifies is the human desire of always wanting something more.  George & Elaine are always wanting a better apartment.  When George is working, he wishes he didn’t have a job…or a different one.  When he isn’t working, he wishes he had a job  None of the characters are married…it seems they’re rarely satisfied with what they have.

I’ve been thinking recently about this desire…no matter what we have, it’s in our human nature to desire a bigger house, a better tv, a nicer car, a more prestigious degree, a higher paying job.  I wrestle with these things often…and my guess is that you do to.  The problem is…these things never satisfy.  I once heard it said that most people who are married wish to be single and that most people who are single wish they were married.  The grass (or house!) is always looks greener on the other side of the street. Sure, we hear often that wealth won’t satisfy us, but do we really believe that?  Sometimes life seems like it would be much better if my salary doubled.  I’d sure like the chance to find out!

So why do I bring this up? Well, I believe that the remedy to this struggle is that of love and service.  One of the key inspirations of INMED is this quote by Albert Schweitzer:

“I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.”

When we begin to put others needs and desires before ours, we start to think less of what we want and more of what they need.  In Luke 9:24-25, Jesus says: “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?

The next time you find yourself wanting a bigger or better _______, how will you respond?

A Life of Luxury…

As I was sitting in the dentist chair this morning, I was reminded of just how much I hate going to get my teeth cleaned.  The hygenist doing the cleaning was as nice as can be, even giving me some goggles to wear while she polished my teeth.  Still, I was counting the minutes to when I would be done.

As I was suffering through, I began to think of how good I have it.  Here I was sitting in a nice, warm office, with a flat screen TV with reports of what’s happening in Haiti in the background.  How could I complain about having to get my teeth cleaned?  How many people in developing countries never even get to have there teeth looked at by a dentist, much less have them cleaned on a regular basis?

This thought gave me a little perspective on my life.  2 weeks ago it was miserably cold here in KC, but I had a warm house to live in, blankets to sleep under, and friends and family to call if I got lonely.  How many people in the world outside of the U.S. and some countries in Europe could say the same?

CNN reported that more money has been given to relief in Haiti than was given for Katrina relief.  I wonder…as our country faces this economic recession, if the opportunity to give to others will change our focus from our problems and reminding us of the people who go through their day wondering where there next meal will come from.

Here we are…

in the middle of January.  This last week was FREEZING in KC.  So much so that the 30 degrees we have today seems like a nice spring day.

I found myself extremely thankful last night for how the Lord has blessed me with some amazing friends.  How am I so blessed?

I’ve recently remembered how much I love math.  Do you remember when your 5th grade teacher told you that you were going to need to be able to do mental math to calculate how much your groceries were going to cost you?  yeah….that was before cell phones.  i can just open my flip phone and figure it out in a jiffy.  but i find that I’d rather do it on my own.  it’s more fun that way.  anyone else love math?

Christmas is coming…

I love living in Kansas City.  I’m so thankful for my friends, my church family, my personal family, the INMED team, and I’m excited to spend Christmas with different members of each of these communities.  I am really blessed to know all of you!

We are smack dab in the middle of the ADVENT season…the time Christ followers remember and anticipate the coming of Christ.  The above picture is the way Christmas looks in Kansas City.  I wonder what it looked like in Bethlehem 2009 year ago??

What are you doing to celebrate the anticipation of the coming of Christ?

Today is International Day for the Abolition of Slavery

Returning to work this week, I am thankful for the time off this past weekend to enjoy a lovely Thanksgiving holiday with my family.  I was stuffed to the brim with good food and had the opportunity to experience some much needed rest.  Reflecting on my life right now, I confess that I have it pretty good.  I’m thankful for a great job, family, friends, and a place to live.  It’s rather easy to be thankful…when I actually take a few moments to do just that. My dad always told me that there is someone off worse than you.  how true these words are!

In line with this comment, I’ve been shocked to become aware of the issue of sex trafficking, which is basically the enslavement of (mostly) women and children by a pimp to use to solicit sex.  This is a very heavy subject that is a reality both abroad and in the U.S.  Until 2 months ago, I never imagined that slavery is still happening…especially not in the U.S.!

As I’ve learned more about this subject, I’ve learned a few interesting facts.

-  Over 15,000 individuals are trafficked into the US yearly.

- Over 100,000 American children are subject to commercial sexual exploitation every year.

- Nearly 1/3 of all trafficking victims will see a healthcare provider during the time that thye are being trafficked.

This last fact stuck out to me….it seems that healthcare professionals have the opportunity to “look beneath the surface” of patients and identify potential victims. Some questions to ask a potential victim may include:

-  Are you being held against your will?  Do you have a choice of where (or how much) you work?  Can you come and go as you please?

An organization called Doctors At War has been formed for physicians and other healthcare professionals to partner against trafficking worldwide.  To learn more about identifying a potential human trafficking victim, visit their website at www.doctorsatwar.org

It’s that time of year again…

Yes, it is the holiday season again, which I am excited about.  However, this is the time of year for the annual Global Missions Health Conference in Louisville, KY.  I’m looking forward to meeting some past, current, and future missionaries while I’m there!  It’s always an inspirational event and a good reminder of why I do what I do.

On another note, INMED continues to see the interest in healthcare profession students to serve the forgotten increase.  It seems that every week we have a handful of students contacting us to find out what role they can play to help those in need.  How encouraging!

Compassion.

My church is in a really cool transition right now, and one of the new ideas that has been taught is that contemporary discipleship begins with compassion. Let me explain…

So often, Christian’s have received a bad reputation because they are seen as hypocrites, judgmental, and condemning of anyone who will not conform to their beliefs.  (It’s not my purpose to debate whether it’s deserved.)   As a result, many people in our culture have been turned off of Christianity resulting in our culture being described as “post-Christian”.   So…how can I respond as someone who wants others to know the same Jesus that I do?

Interestingly, one of my favorite authors has recently abandoned the title of Christian.  If someone asks him whether he is a Christian or not, he would say no.  Shocked?  Blasphemy?  I would say that he’s prbly on to something…he does not identify himself with the “Christian” religion.  Rather, he makes it known that he is a follower of Jesus.  It seems that most people like Jesus, just not His followers.  Even Ghandi said “I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. They are so unlike your Christ.”

I’m reminded of the time that some scribes and pharisees brought a woman who was caught in the act of adultery to Jesus.  According to Jewish law, the punishment was to be killed by stoning.  What was Jesus’ response?  “He who is without sin among you, let him {be the} first to throw a stone at her.” After everyone had left, Jesus says to the woman, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more.”

He had every right to condemn this woman; yet Jesus responded with compassion.  Perhaps if I go and do the same, seeing someone in need and doing something to help him or her, I will have the opportunity to introduce them to the Jesus I know.  Isn’t that what discipleship is?

Our Global World

It has been fascinating to me to see how our lives have become global seemingly overnight.  When I was in 6th grade, my parents took our family to visit our roots in Germany.  Little did I know that this would be just the beginning of my international travels and experiences.

I come from humble beginnings…grew up on a farm in northwest Missouri and graduated in a class of 23.  Since high school, I have had the opportunity to visit Europe, China, Israel, and Kenya.  Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I would visit all of these places in my lifetime…let alone by the time I was 25!

How has globalization been made possible?  I would, like many, say technology has been a key factor.  Not only can I visit the other side of the world affordably and easily (what would Christopher Columbus say knowing that you can go across the ocean in 8 hours!?!), but I can also communicate instantly with friends who live overseas.  This can be used not only socially, but for business purposes as well.  As we see the increase in international trade, it seems that my generation is embracing the idea that we are not only citizens of our local communities, but also citizen’s of the world.

Is that a good thing?  Like most things, I think it can be used for good.  Many people are using these opportunities to go abroad to help people, whether it be through medical missions or some other vehicle of doing good.

How does globalization affect your life?